Issue #21: "The Final Exam"
While swinging around from high above was fun and gave him a sense of freedom, Wade also loved a good walk once in a while, and today was a good day for one as he headed for Momo's house. Today was the first day of studying for the finals and the study session was going to be at Momo's family home in the upper-class district of town.
Her home was far out away from most of civilization. Something that you'd expect from a rich family like hers. From what Wade learned, most Hero families lived like that if they weren't in the big cities. He wondered what most that live in these parts would think about him. Would they see him as some 'peasant' who has nothing to his name? Wearing only a Nirvana shirt and cargo pants, Wade didn't look as though he'd fit in with most of the upper-class and he didn't care if he did.
Looking down at the address, he realized that he was getting closer to Momo's home.
"Hey, Wade! Wait up!" He heard a familiar cheery voice behind him.
Wade stopped to look and saw Mina running over to him, wearing a purple tank-top and short shorts. "Hey, Mina," He said after she caught up to him. "How're you doing?"
"I'm doing great. You wanna walk to Yaomomo's place together?" She asked with that same smile that Wade admired. The two started walking together towards their intended destination. "You ready for today?"
"You betcha," Wade said with a smile. "I'm just trying to come up with something to help Momo with the physical exam."
"What did you have in mind?"
"I'm not really sure. The best that I can come up with is maybe sparring matches with her. Make her think on her feet and get her to think fast." Wade said, remembering how she lost in the Sports Festival.
"Yeah, she really got her butt kicked by Tokoyami." Mina said with her index finger touching her chin.
"I wouldn't say that. It's more like...yeah, she did." Wade admitted with a drop of sweat. "But I'm hoping this will be a confidence boost for Yao-momo. She really needs it after that fight."
"I'm sure you'll figure something out. You always do." Mina said with a smile. Wade smiled back at the third girl he had a crush on. Just her compliment was enough to make him blush a little. Something that Mina saw and liked to see. "Aw, look at you blushing. It's adorable."
Quickly turning away from her, Wade tried to think of something to talk about with her. Out of all the girls he had a crush on, he hardly talked to Mina alone. Wade wanted to learn more about her.
"Say, Mina. Can I ask you something?" He asked hesitantly and rubbed the back of his head.
"Sure! What do you want to know?" Mina asked with a smile.
"Well...what made you want to be a Hero?"
Mina looked at him with a confused look. "What?"
"Well, I mean what drives you to become one? Like, I want to be a Hero because I want to protect people in trouble." Wade explained. "Momo and Iida want to be heroes because they want to continue their family's legacy of being great Heroes. Ochaco wants to help out her family. We all have reasons for being here, so what about you? Why do you want to be a Hero?"
Looking up at the sky, Mina thought for a moment about her response. "I guess you could say I was kind of born to be a Hero." She said softly.
"What do you mean?" Wade asked with an eyebrow raised.
"Well, just look at me." She said, gesturing down to her athletically built body. "When you look at me, you think 'that girl is gonna be a Hero!'. That's what my old classmates thought when I was in middle school. People always thought I was going to be a hero because of my looks, my personality, and my Quirk. Heck, I was able to get some of the bullies and those they were picking on get along."
"Really? Where were you when I needed you?" Wade joked.
Mina chuckled a little before her expression turned grimed. "Then one day, some of my friends were approached by this really bad and really scary guy." She said, cracking her knuckles as she remembered that day. "He threateningly asked them about directions to Springer's Hero Office. They were so scared and he was going to hurt them."
"So what'd you do? I doubt you took on that villain all by yourself." Wade inquired.
"No. I just tricked him into leaving and just broke down." Mina said, with a serious expression as she stopped walking. Her face morphed into a look of determination. "But at that moment, I knew that I wasn't going to hold back on what I wanted to be. I wanted to be Hero not just because it seemed cool and fun, and not just because everyone is expecting me to become one, but because it's what I want to be."
Wade stared at her in amazement.
Mina shook her head. "I know, that sounds really silly and not as epic as some other people's origin story…" She chuckled awkwardly as she rubbed the back of her head
"Honestly, I think that was a perfect origin story, Mina," Wade said with a smile of admiration, earning a surprised look from Mina. "Sometimes all people really need was just a moment that makes them want to be a Hero. And what you did was really something amazing, Mina. Really, it was. You truly are an amazing person."
Mina smiled at Wade as she blushed. That's what she liked so much about him and why she started to develop a crush on the Spider-Man. Her feelings all started during the Sports Festival when she saw Wade battle against Todoroki and was able to bring out his fire. She liked Wade as a friend, but his kindest, clever, and most of all bravery had made her see the Spider-Man in a different light. One that made her heart fill with admiration.
Deciding to make a move, she grabbed his cheek and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Wade's eyes widened and his cheeks blush while the area she placed her lip on tingled.
"You really are a sweet guy, Wade." She said with a sultry smirk, her pink cheeks blushing as well. "You sure know how to make a girl happy."
Wade looked at the pink-skinned girl for a moment before smiling back at her.
"Come on! We'll be late!" Mina grabbed his hand and pulled him along.
Wade and Mina looked at the gates of the Yaoyozoru family home with wide eyes. The closed gates led to a winding road that led to the house, which could hardly be seen past the trees. "I knew that Momo's family was rich, but this...this is something else." Wade said as Mina had her jaws dropped.
He presses the doorbell on the call box. "I've been waiting for you, Wade and Mina!" Momo answered almost immediately before the gates opened. "The others are here, so please, come in!"
The two friends made their way to the very large, very luxurious mansion and were escorted in by one of the servants to the dining room, where the others were waiting for Momo to bring them their drinks.
"I could not feel any more out of place right about now." Ojiro said in disbelief.
"Yeah, me too!" Sero said, looking around the breathtaking structure in amazement.
"Oooohhh, I'm super jealous!" Ochaco whined.
The door opened and Momo came walking in with a loaded cart that was filled with tea, teacups, and baked sweets. Still as bouncy, Momo smiled at everyone with a sweet smile that melted the hearts of everyone in the room. "Is something wrong?" She asked with a sweet voice.
"No, everything's perfect!" They all said with smiles.
And so began a week-long study for the finals. Every day, Wade and the others would go to Momo's house and study for the written exam. Even though Momo was an excellent teacher, some of the other students, such as Mina, had a hard time understanding the concepts. Luckily Wade was there to help break them down so that it was easier for them to understand. But they didn't just sit around studying for the written half of the exam. Wade offered to help Momo with training for the practical exam and she graciously accepted. Ochaco also wanted to stay and train so she could spare with Wade. Mina and the others that were there decided to stay and train with them.
Luckily Momo's house had a large backyard that provided enough space for the kids to train with not only their Quirks but to train their bodies. To build up their stamina for what going to be awaiting them in the finals. Though they were all fairly confident in passing the exam easily since it was going to be against robots.
It was pretty fun to do, with Wade's favorite moments being the times when he spared with Ochaco and Mina. Ochaco's training with Gunhead really did wonders for her fighting skills and Mina was already excellent in hand-to-hand combat. Mostly he's tried helping Momo with her practical training, but it wasn't easy.
One day while training, Momo was wearing her gym clothes and panting heavily. With her hands on her knees, with her face slightly bruised up, she looked up at Wade. The Spider-Man barely had a scratch on him. The two had been sparing for a while, and Wade had the upper hand.
"It's hopeless, Wade." Momo said in defeat.
"I'm not giving up on you, Momo! You hear me?" Wade proclaimed, determined to help her.
"But it's no use. I'm not like you or the others." Momo said, walking over and sitting down on a stone bench. Wade walked over to her and sat down next to her. "How do you do it, Wade? How are you so confident in your decisions and able to think so quickly?"
"Well, it's got nothing to do with confidence." Wade said as he flexed his hand. "My Quirk has this ability called Spider-Sense. It's like an early warning system that alerts me to danger. But it's really up to me to decide how to avoid getting myself killed."
"So then how do you know what to do at that moment? How do you plan your next move?" Momo asked.
"I don't. I just follow my instincts and get out of the way." Wade said with a shrug. "After that, I just do whatever I can to win."
"So, you just recklessly jumped into danger, and what? Go with the flow and just hope that everything works out for you?!" Momo said loudly in frustration, standing up and pacing around.
"Momo, I know what's bothering you." Wade said calmly, standing up. "It's what happened during the Sports Festival."
Momo stopped pacing and her head hung low. With a sigh, she relented. "During my fight with Tokoyami, I couldn't do anything. I was completely helpless." She said before going more into what's been bothering her. "The recommended freshmen from Yuuei...should have rolled out with the same kick-off performance. But concerning our practical skills as Heroes, I'm the only one who hasn't left behind any noteworthy results."
"So that's it? You're just going to give up?"
Momo turned to look at Wade. The Spider-Man stared at her for a moment, waiting to see if she'll respond. He now fully understood what was going on. She was doubting herself.
"People have different skills, Momo, and believe me. You've got so much more skill than just your powerful Quirk." Wade told her truthfully. "You're wicked smart and an excellent strategist. That's your greatest weapon, Momo. You've got a beautiful mind that's capable of solving anything. All this self-doubt is only going to do is keep that brain of yours from doing what it does best." Suddenly, he clasped her hands and held them up as he inched closer to her "Trust in yourself, just as much as I believe in you. Only then will you be successful. Think you can do that?"
Momo's cheeks flushed as she stared at her crush with wide eyes. She then nodded with a determined expression. "I-I'll try!"
"Do or do not. There is no try." Wade said with a joking smirk before releasing her hands. The two laughed together for a moment before Wade felt the need to relieve himself. "Let's take a break. I've got to use the restroom."
"It's down the right hallway when you enter the house."
"Thanks." Wade ran off into the house as Momo stood where she remained. Smiling and blushing as she watched him leave.
About a few seconds later and after watching his hands, Wade stepped out of the bathroom. "Here you go." said a woman, who handed him a bottle of water.
"Oh, thank you." Wade took the bottle and started drinking from it...only to slowly turn towards the woman.
The woman standing before him was an exact copy of Momo if she was an adult. She was a very beautiful, tall, curvaceous woman with long black hair that flowed down her back. Her eyes were thin and sharp that carried a sense of caring yet sternness to them. She was dressed in a style that resembled the typical aristocratic attire which was a thin red dress, a white cloth wrapped around her arms and mid to lower body, and a silver necklace with a small charm on the front and lipstick.
Bring the bottle down from his lips, Wade cleared his throat before speaking. "Uh...hi."
"Hello there. How are you doing, Wade?" the woman asked with a smile.
"How do you know my name?" Wade asked with a surprised look.
"I take it upon myself to know about who my daughter is interested in." The woman said.
Wade's eyes widened. "Wait, you're Momo's mother? I thought you were her sister." He slapped on his head.
That brought out a chuckle from Momo's mother. "Charming one, aren't you?" she said with that same smile, before sticking out her hand. "I'm Yuriko Yaoyorozu."
Wade reached out and shook her hand. "Wade Walker." He introduced himself. However, thinking that she was likely expecting a different kind of greet, Wade kissed her hand.
Mrs. Yaoyorozu giggled before pulling her hand away. "So, you're the famous Wade Walker our daughter told us about." She said, scanning the young man. He was built very nicely and was indeed handsome and yet had a cute face. His sea-green eyes were as bright as a jade gemstone. "My daughter's told me much about you."
"Heh, uh, I hope it's nothing too bad." Wade said with a nervous tone while rubbing his back.
"She mentioned that you're smart, brave, but very reckless."
Wade sighed, not even amused at the last part. "Right…"
"And she also told me and my husband that you were the one that saved her." Mrs. Yaoyorozu said. She then walked up to Wade and pulled him into a hug. Wade gasped and blushed brightly as his head rested on her large breasts, but thankfully she pulled away from him. "You have no idea how thankful I am for saving her." She said softly.
"Oh, well, thank you. I was just doing what I knew was right." Wade said, rubbing the back of my head.
"It's not just saving her from being molested." Mrs. Yaoyorozu said, walking over to the window and looking out of it. Wade walked over and saw Momo watching the others training. "She hasn't been the same since the Sports Festival."
"Yeah, I know what you mean" Wade sighed with a sad look.
"We've done what we could, but as her father said, it has to be her that decides what to do with her defeat." Momo's mother said. "If she grows from it, she grows. If she falls, she falls. It may seem cruel, but it's the reality of her dilemma."
"Yeah, well I'm not ready to let her fall just yet, ma'am. Never." Wade said bluntly, looking at her. Mrs. Yaoyorozu looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "I know she's still got some fight in her and I'm going to help bring it back out, no matter what."
He turned and started walking down the hallway when Mrs. Yaoyorozu called out to him. "Mr. Walker."
Wade stopped and turned back to her.
"For my daughter's sake, I hope you succeed in, as you said, bring back that 'fight' in her." Mrs. Yaoyorozu said with a smile.
Wade smiled and nodded. He then turned and walked back outside. As she turned back to the window, Momo's mother watched as Wade ran over to his friends. "I must say, daughter, you've picked a very interesting young man." She said with a teasingly smirk.
"All right, put your pencils down." Aizawa said to the class. A few days later, and the students were all back in class taking the exam, which had just come to an end. "The last person in each row, collect the tests for me."
"Thanks so much for all your help!" Mina shouted as she and Kaminari grinned happily at Momo, who was picking up the papers.
"I didn't leave anything blank at least!" Kaminari chirped.
And just like that, the three days of the written exams were over. Now it was time for the practical exam.
All of the students geared up in their hero costumes and headed out towards the Center Plaza. They were a little surprised to be greeted by all the Pro Heroes that were part of the faculty of UA. They were all waiting for them in front of the building.
"Hi, Wade!" Midnight said with a cheery smile.
"Hey, Midnight." Wade said, waving back. That's when he got a cold shiver up his spine, as Momo, Mina, and Ochaco stared at him with jealous frowns. "What? She's a family friend!"
"Now then…" Aizawa said, getting everyone back on track. "Let's begin the last test. Remember, it's possible to fail this final. If you wanna go to THE camp, then don't make any stupid mistakes."
"Uh. Why are all the teachers here?" Jiro asked as she began to notice all the staff of the academy were present.
"I expected many of you have gathered information and believe you have some idea of what you'll be faced with today."
"We're fighting those big ol' metal robots!" Kaminari exclaimed with a big grin.
"Fireworks! S'mores! Here we come, camp!" Mina cheered with her fist in the air.
"Actually, this year's tests…" All of a sudden, Principal Nezu popped out of Aizawa's scarf. "...will be completely different, for various reasons."
"Principal Nezu?!" Most of the students exclaimed while Mina and Kaminari turned white all over.
"You're changing things?" Momo asked, becoming a little nervous.
"The tests now have a new focus. There will be Hero work, of course. But also teamwork and combat between actual people." The principal explained as he climbed down from Aizawa.
"Wait, we're fighting actually people?" Wade asked with his mask off to reveal his shocked expression. "Who are we fighting against?"
"I'm glad you asked that, Mr. Walker. You, students, will be working together in pairs and your opponents will be one of our esteemed UA teachers!" Nezu announced with enthusiasm. "Isn't that fabulous?!"
Everyone's eyes widened as a bird flew over their heads. "...Uh...what?" Wade asked, stunned beyond belief.
"We're...fight the teachers?" Ochaco asked.
"Additionally, your partners and your opponents have already been chosen. They were determined at my discretion based on various factors, including fighting style, grades, and interpersonal relationships," Aizawa explained.
"First, Yaoyorozu and Todoroki are a team... Against me." Aizawa smirked as he held up his scarf tauntingly.
"Oh man..." Wade whispered, now really worried about Momo.
"Then we have Walker paired with Bakugo."
And now that concern was multiplied for himself as he and Bakugo looked at one another in disbelief. "Um, can I request permission to have a partner that wouldn't try to kill me?" Wade asked as his 'teammate' glared at him.
"...Denied." Aizawa said with an amused tone. "Your opponent will be…"
Just then, All Might came jumping out of the sky and landing on the ground in a dramatic entrance. Shocking everyone as he stood up with his fists clenched. "I am here...to fight!"
"We're up against All Might!?" Both Wade and Bakugo gasped in shock and disbelief, not at all expecting to fight the Number One Hero.
"You're going to have to work together, boys, if you want to win." All Might said with his usual grin.
Wade and Bakugo glanced at one another. How did it come to this?
Flashback
It all started a few days ago, before the exam. The Heroes gathered together in the faculty meeting room to discuss what they were going to do with Class 1A's exam. "With the connection between the Hero Killer Stain and the League of Villains, it's possible criminals everywhere will become much bolder." Nezu said to the faculty.
"It'd be best if we could start preparing for that before it happens." Snipe said. "As a school, we should be taking every precaution. If fights against villains are gonna continue to intensify in the future, then having the kids train against robots ain't practical. Originally, we used 'em to avoid complaints about people getting injured in the entrance exams, but they're just not challenging enough."
"We can just ignore the complaints." Aizawa said with his arms crossed. "Let people say whatever they want."
"This sounds like it could be problematic." Midnight added with a thoughtful look.
"I understand why you want to change the exam, but having the students fight us?" Cementoss asked, unsure of how to feel about such an idea. "Even if they're in teams of two, is that a good idea?"
"Yeah. I think it's a bit unfair." Thirteen said in agreement.
"If we win too easily, we won't be able to give them actual grades, yo." Present Mic commented.
"Of course, we would take that into consideration and give the students an advantage." Snipe said.
Aizawa turned to Nezu. "Principal, what are you thinking?"
"I believe I agree." Nezu said, crossing his arms and smiling. "We need to change the practical exam to reflect the current times. How do we ensure the students aren't put in life-threatening situations? The answer is simple; We must push them to the lime. We make sure that they're as strong as possible."
Midnight nodded. "That makes sense."
"I agree." Thirteen said.
Aizawa picked up a stack of papers. "Right, then let's talk about the teams. First, Todoroki. He's doing quite well generally speaking, but relies too much on brute force. And Yaoyorozu is an all-arounder but lacks the ability to make spur-of-the-moment decisions and apply them. Therefore, I'll erase their Quirks and take advantage of their weaknesses."
"Sounds good." The other teachers said.
"Next, for Walker and Bakugo." Aizawa turned to All Might, "I'm leaving them to you, All Might."
This surprised All Might. "Are you sure that's such a good idea?" Midnight spoke up. "Those two fight like cats and dogs."
"That's exactly the reason why I've paired the two up." Aizawa turned her. "This isn't based on their abilities or class work." He then turned back to All Might. "I went with relationships. I know you've got a soft spot for Walker. Please ensure that they learn something."
Present
All Might had to admit, Aizawa was paying close attention.
"And now, let's announce the teams and the teachers they'll be fighting in order!" Nezu said.
1st Match: Sato and Kirishima vs Cementoss
2nd Match: Tsuyu and Tokoyami vs Ectoplasm
3rd Match: Iida and Ojiro vs Power Loader
4th Match: Yaoyorozu and Todoroki vs Aizawa
5th Match: Ochaco and Aoyama vs Thirteen
6th Match: Mina and Kaminari vs Nezu
7th Match: Koda and Jiro vs Present Mic
8th Match: Hagakure and Shoji vs Snipe
9th Match: Sero and Mineta vs Midnight
10th Match: Wade and Bakugo vs. All Might
Wade smiled a bit. With his and Bakugo's match being last, it gave them all the time they need to prepare for a strategy. "To complete the exam, you'll have 30 minutes. In order to win, your objective is to put these handcuffs on your teacher." Nezu said, holding up a pair of cuffs. "Or you can win if one of you manages to escape from the combat stage."
"So we've either got to capture the teacher or run away." Kaminari said while rubbing his chin. "It's basically like the combat training."
"Yeah, but is it really okay to just jet?" Mina asked, raising her hand.
Nezu gave them a thumbs up. "Yep."
"It's going to be much different than the combat training you all went through earlier," Present Mic exclaimed. "After all, you're going up against people way better than you!"
"Eh…" Wade made a so-so hand gesture.
"'Better'? Really?" Jiro asked, not all that impressed. Koda tried to signal her to stop, but she continued on. "Wait, aren't you just the announcer?"
"HEY, WATCH YOUR MOUTH, GIRL-HAVE SOME RESPECT!" Present Mic yelled at her.
Thirteen then spoke up. "This time, your exam will be very similar to a real battle. As strange as it is, please think of us as villains."
"Assumin' you come across your enemy." Snipe added. "If you think you can win against them, then fight. However…"
"...in instances where you're outmatched, it would be smarter to run away and find help." Aizawa said. "Todoroki. Iida. Walker. I'm sure the three of you understand."
The three of them were instantly reminded of their battle with the Hero Killer. They were all alone in that fight to save Iida and Native. Iida could have reported Stain's location and called for backup. Wade did call for backup, but he fought against Stain until Todoroki came. Shoto joined them in the fight, without reporting it to his father.
"I wouldn't make that mistake again." Iida said, looking at his injured hand. A reminder of his promise to be a better Hero. "I will pass this test and prove that I'm a Hero!"
"So, it's fight or flight to win." Wade said with a determined look in his eyes.
"That's right! It's a test of your decision-making skills," All Might said with his arms out. "But with these tools, you're probably thinking your only real choice is to flee. That's why the support course made these super-clever accessories for us!"
All Might pulled out a bracelet-like object. "Behold! Ultra-compressed weights!" Present Mic announced.
The teachers attached them to their wrists and ankles. "These babies will add about half our body weight to our physiques," All Might said, attaching at least two to each of his limbs. "It's not much, but they'll eat up our stamina and make it harder for us to move around. Oh, shoot...these are heavier than I thought."
Wade would have made a comment about All Might weighing more than he thought but bit back the urge. "So how did you come up with this idea?" He asked.
"We had a contest to come up with these designs, and young Hatsume ended up winning it." All Might said.
Hatsume? Oh, that's right. Wade remembered she was the crazy inventing girl from the support course. Good for her.
"You think we need a handicap to win against you?" Bakugo growled as he glared at All Might. Any thought about running away and ruining his chances of beating the Number 1 Hero was an insult to him. "Well think again."
All Might laughed heartily before grinning. His left blue eye seemed to glow with intrigue. "This will be fun."
"Let's begin," Aizawa said. "The teams will take the practical exam in the order you were called. We have a stage prepared for you. Sato, Kirishima. You're up."
"Yes, sir!" Both boys said.
"Those waiting their turn to fight can either watch the exams or try to strategize together as a team. It's your choice." Aizawa said as he and the other teachers walked back into the building. "That's all."
Iida turned to his partner. "Ojiro. I'd like to discuss how we might be able to coordinate the use of our Quirks."
"Great." The boy with the tail said with a nod.
"Tokoyami? Let's go come up with a plan." Tsuyu told her partner.
"Agreed." Tokoyami said as the two walked off.
"We've got to figure out a way to destroy Ms. Midnight's costume!" Mineta exclaimed to his partner. Wade shot him with a string of web, covering most of the pervert's body and knocking him over. Sero walked over and picked up the struggling boy and walked away.
"You are such a little scumbag." Sero grumbled.
Wade placed his hand under his chin. "Alright, if we're going up against All Might, we're going to have to think of a really good strategy to either take him down or escape him." He said before turning to Bakugo. "Alright, let's…"
But to his surprise, Bakugo turned and walked off without even saying a word.
"Hey! Where are you going?" Wade called out to him.
Bakugo just kept on walking, much to the frustration of the Spider-Man.
"Sure! Why not!? Fuck it, let's just wing it!" He yelled at him before turning and walking away.
Wade walked into the monitor room. He found Recovery Girl sitting at the controls of the multiple surveillance screens. "Well. Looks like I have my work cut out for me today." She said, tasked with watching the battles and providing medical care if needed.
Hearing the door hissing opening behind him, Wade looked over his shoulder and saw Ochaco walking into the surveillance room. "Oh, hi Wade. You're watching too?" She said, happy to see him.
"Hey." Wade greeted her with a small smile. "It'll be great to see how the others combat with the teachers."
"Yeah. Hey, where's Bakugo?" Ochaco asked.
Wade sighed and shook his head with his fists on his hips. "Apparently we're not on speaking terms." He said.
"Really?"
"Yeah, just turned and walked away. Didn't call me a bug or threaten my life. Just walked away." As weird as it was, not being threatened by the explosive boy made Wade a little concerned. Just what was Bakugo thinking in that brash head of his.
"That's really weird..." Ochaco said, before remembering wow Aoyama was gushing over himself in the mirror. "And, uh, my partner's a little preoccupied with himself."
Wade sweatdropped. Not at all surprised by Aoyama's behavior.
"That's why I thought I'd try and get inspiration from everyone else's battles."
"Smart idea." Wade said. The two stood together and watched the screen. Even if he was teamed up with his rival, Wade had to pass this test. No matter what it took.
The first fight was Kirishima and Sato vs Cementoss and least to say, it was a one-sided fight. Cementoss attacked the two Heroes-in-training using his powers to make a wall. The two boys decide to go for a frontal assault, with Kirishima using his Hardening-Quirk and Sato using his power, Sugar Rush. But even with their amazing Quirks, there's a limit to how long they can use them. Whereas Cementoss didn't have a limit to his powers. The two boys ran out of steam, and the Hero toppled them with the remaining walls, putting Kirishima and Sato out of commission. Having been knocked out, they failed the test.
"It's only the first match and I'm already needed." Recovery Girl said, getting out of her seat and heading out to heal the two boys.
"No way...it was that one-sided?" Ochaco asked in stunned disbelief.
"Their powers weren't effective against him at all." Wade said, now seeing just how hard the exams were going to be. Aizawa paired them up for a reason. He wanted each student to go up against teachers they'll have a hard time against. Meaning that if he and Bakugo were going to have a chance against the Number One Hero, they'll have to identify their weaknesses and overcome them.
The next match was Tsuyu and Tokoyami vs Ectoplasm. However, unlike the first match, they were able to pass by capturing the Hero. It wasn't an easy fight, as it was revealed that Tokoyami couldn't fight at close range with Dark Shadow. Unlike her partner, Tsu had no clear weaknesses. She can provide support to her ally, as powerful as he may be. But she's important in another way, too. Her level-headedness and ability to provide emotional support were the key to them passing the exam.
The third match was Iida and Ojiro vs Power Loader. Underground, the Excavation Hero used his power to create dozens of pitfalls all over the dirt field that the test was taking place. Blocking their escape to the gate. But Iida had an idea. Looking admittedly stupid, Iida had Ojiro get on his back like he was giving him a piggyback ride. The speedster then used Reciproburst to outrun the traps Power Loader set for them. Crossing the field faster than the holes form, but Power Loader confronted the duo halfway across. Using his quick thinking, Iida had Ojiro wrap his tail around his leg, and used Reciroburst to send his partner flying past Power Loader and through the escape gate. Winning the fight and passing the exam.
"They're both amazing!" Ochaco exclaimed with a grin. Remembering the promise that Iida would become a better Hero, Wade stared at his friend with a proud look on his face. Thinking how cool he was.
Well, whenever he wasn't stuck in the ground.
The next exam was the one that Wade wanted to see. Now it was Momo and Todoroki vs Aizawa. It was a rough fight, with Aizawa using his ability to erase their Quirks and capture Todoroki, with Momo running towards the exit to escape. However, remembering what Wade had told her, Momo decided to try and trust her instincts. Coming up with a plan, they were able to beat Aizawa and capture him. Passing the exam.
As she sobbed with joy, Momo covered her mouth and whispered, "Thank you, Wade….thank you…."
Wade watched from the monitor with a proud look on his face. He was so happy to see Momo win and overcome herself. He knew that beautiful mind of hers would get her out of trouble, and Wade was happy to see he was right.
Remembering who was next, Wade turned to Ochaco. "Hey, you better get going for your match." He said.
"Oh my gosh! You're right! See ya, Wade!" Ochaco said, running out of the room as Tsuyu walked into the room.
"You saw Yaoyorozu's right?" Tsuyu asked, walking over to Wade.
"Yeah, she was amazing." Wade said, turning back to the screen with a smile. "I can't wait to see how Ochaco and Mina do in their exams."
Tsuyu stared at him for a moment, having noticed just how happy he was around the three girls and how much he spends time with them. "You really like them, don't you?" She commented.
Wade snapped his head at her with wide eyes. "W-Wait, what!?" Looking around to see that they were alone, Wade turned back to Tsuyu with a frown. "How do you know?"
"It's not very hard." Tsuyu whispered. "You should just tell them how you feel, ribbit."
Wade sighed and paced around. "I know. I know, but how am I going to tell them all that I like all three of them equally?"
"It's not uncommon for Heroes to have more than one girlfriend or boyfriend." Tsuyu pointed out, trying to calm his anxiety.
"Yeah, I know that! But it's not like I can just tell all three of them that, 'hey, I really think you're all wonder girls. Why don't we all be girlfriends and boyfriend?'" Wade said sarcastically.
"I highly doubt you'll say something like that." The frog girl responded.
"But you get my point, right?" Wade asked. "I'm just worried about making a fool out of myself. I mean, what if they don't like me as I like them?"
Tsuyu thought for a moment. Their conversation was cut short when the door opened. Recovery Girl came walking back into the room. Wade stood still, his shoulders tense as the little old woman returned to her seat.
The moment the fifth match began, it looked as though it was going to end. Thirteen had turned the tables and activated her Quirk. Both Ochaco and Aoyama grabbed onto a rail that was nearby quickly as the black hole in the Hero's finger started to suck them in.
Aoyama tried to use his suit's ability to channel blasts from his belly button and fire at Thirteen, only for the energy to be sucked into the black hole. Breaking it down to a molecular level.
Things were not looking good for them. Ochaco had to figure out a way to get out of the situation. "Okay, come on! Think! What would Wade do at a time like this?" Ochaco said to herself in her head.
"Hey." Aoyama said.
"Not right now, I'm thinking!" Ochaco yelled.
"About Wade Walker? Ah, how sweet."
Ochaco looked at him with wide eyes.
"You, Yaoyorozu, and Ashido think about him a lot," Aoyama said as the world seemed to fade away for a moment. "Is it...because you're in love with him?"
That question echoed in her mind for what seemed like forever. As her face turned red and her pupils shrank. Her? In love with Wade? The question was too much for her to handle and she placed her hands on her face.
Meaning she let go of the rail.
Ochaco screamed as she was sucked towards Thirteen, who was taken by surprise and quickly deactivated her Quirk. Seeing her opportunity, Ochaco used the martial arts moves learned from Gunhead and pinned Thirteen to the ground. Aoyama then came flying in and pinned the Hero's arms as his partner used the cuffs to capture their opponent.
"Yes! Ochaco was amazing!" Wade cheered while jumping. "She knew that Thirteen would turn off her power if she was in danger of getting sucked in. Her judgment was great!"
"Ribbit. I don't know." Tsu said, placing her finger to her chin. "It looked to me like Ochaco just lost focus and let go for a second."
"Really? Why would she do that?" Wade asked in confusion.
"The two of them were talking. I wonder what Aoyama said that shocked her so much."
"I wish I knew. We can't hear anything they're saying." Wade said before the door behind them opened. The two turned around and saw Momo and Iida walking in. Wade blushed a little when he saw Momo. "H-Hey, Momo! And Iida too."
"Uraraka won. Not surprising." Iida said as they joined Wade and Tsuyu. "I'm happy for her."
"Yeah, and so did the both of you. Awesome job." Wade said with a grin.
"Ribbit."
Momo and Iida smiled and nodded at the Spider-Man, with Momo blushing as she gave her crush a grateful smile. She wanted to show him how much she appreciated his kindness and encouragement, but not when there were others around. Momo blushed even more. Maybe at a better time.
"So which team is taking the field next?" Tsuyu asked.
"Ashido and Kaminari." Iida said as Momo shook her head, trying to focus on watching the other teams.
"They're going to have to fight against Principal Nezu." She said.
"I'm surprised he's agreed to be an opponent in this exam," Wade said, focusing on the screen. "What can he do?"
"We're about to see," Iida said.
What they saw was unlike anything they would have imagined, and it was all thanks to Nezu's Quirk, High Spec. The truth is that he's actually an animal with a Quirk that grants him a high level of intelligence that surpasses that of humans. As for why he was participating in the exams? In the past, humans conducted horrible experiments on the principal, so this allows him to get his vengeance.
And his plan was ingeniously simple. Using only a crane and a wrecking ball, he predicted their moves and planned his attacks through sophisticated calculations. Causing chain reactions depending on what he destroyed. He did this to seal off every direct path to the escape gate.
Without knowing where he is, Kaminari and Mina couldn't make it to the escape gate in time. They ran out of time and failed the exam.
Nezu took a sip of his tea before he said, "And here I went and left one escape route open for them because I'm so nice! HAHAHAHAHAHAA!"
"Mina…" Wade said with a worried look on his face.
"They never even saw their opponent." Iida said with a growl of frustration. "I can't imagine how frustrated they must be."
The door behind them opened and Ochaco gasped when she saw the screen. "What? Mina's team lost their battle?" She asked while running over to the others.
"Yes." Momo said somberly. "The principal's game plan was flawless; they just couldn't beat him."
"That's terrible." Ochaco said in concern.
"Yeah..." Wade said, looking at the pink girl with a worried look. "I just hope she isn't too crushed. I mean, figuratively." He then turned back to Ochaco. "By the way, you were awesome during your exam. Congratulations!"
"Thanks, Wade." Ochaco said with a slight blush. Something that caught Momo's attention and made her raise an eyebrow.
"Ochaco." Tsuyu said. "What were you talking to Aoyama about right before the end of your match against Thirteen?"
"Uh- Oh, well…" Ochaco trailed off as she looked towards Wade. In her line of sight, she saw him, Momo with her arms crossed, and Mina, who was still being shown on screen.
"You, Yaoyorozu, and Ashido think about him a lot. Is it...because you're in love with him?"
Ochaco suddenly realized what Aoyama was saying, and it only made her blush redden. She didn't just have a crush on Wade. Momo and Mina like him too?! Freaking out and embarrassed, Ochaco backed away and waved her arms around wildly. "AH, IT WAS NOTHING! You've got it all wrong! It was just battle stuff, understand?!" She said loudly.
"Ochaco, are you okay?" Wade asked, walking up to her and placing his hand on her head. "You're getting all red?"
"Yes! Yes! I promise, Wade?!" Ochaco yelled, pushing his hand away and looked away from him in embarrassment.
The next match started, and it was Team Koda and Jiro vs Present Mic in the forest behind the school. It was a tough battle, with Present Mic waiting at the escape gate and using his Quirk to prevent Jiro and Koda from using their Quirks, with Jiro's ears bleeding from the sound waves.
In the end, it was Koda that led them to victory. Turned out he can not only talk, but his Quick, Anivoice, which allowed him to communicate with and command animals, allowed him to talk to bugs. Scaring Present Mic to the point that he was knocked out.
As they watched Koda carry Jiro through the gate, Wade and the others couldn't help but feel a little creeped out too. Harsh move indeed.
The eighth match was Hagakure and Shoji vs Snipe. Theirs was a fast and easy victory, with Hagakure using her invisibility to win.
The ninth match was Mineta and Sero vs Midnight. The match was already off to a bad start, with Midnight putting Sero to sleep and Mineta running away. However, after getting it together, Mineta drew Nemuri away from the gate and used his balls to trap her to a rock. He then used that opportunity to rush in and carry Sero through the escape gate.
"Huh, who would have thought Mineta would be that clever." Wade said with a smile and an approving nod. "That little pervert actually had a solid plan."
"Hey, Wade, shouldn't you be going?" Ochaco asked. Wade turned and saw her and the others staring at him. His smile fell when he realized what was about to come next.
"Yeah..." He said with a grimace before putting his mask on. "It's our turn now."
When Wade arrived at the gate to the battle area his exam was going to be held, he found Bakugo already waiting. He landed on the ground and stood up. Bakugo looked over his shoulder at him and gave the Spider-Man a death glare before turning back to the gate.
"Nice to see you too, pal." Wade said sarcastically, before putting his mask on.
The gate to the mock city opened, and the two rivals walked in together. They stood in front of the gate as the large doors came swinging closed.
If anyone was to see Bakugo's face, they would think he's acting like his normal angry self. But he wasn't. He was far more frustrated. Seeing Wade swinging around during the Hero Basic Training class really got to him. Witnessing just how much stronger Wade had become during his internship infuriated the explosive boy. It pissed him off even more than he already was with the Spider-Man. And now, after seeing just how far he was being outclassed by the one who he felt didn't belong in UA, he was forced to team up with him.
With gritted teeth, he looked out of the corner of his eyes at Wade, who was checking his web-shooters. Feeling the holes being burnt into his head by his glare, Wade turned and stared at him behind his mask.
This was Bakugo's chance to show Wade just how much better he was.
That's when the announcer came on the speakers.
"Team Bakugo and Walker! Practial Exam! Ready...Go!"
"After you-" Wade was cut off when Bakugo started walking into the city.
As he watched him walk away, Wade followed after him. He knew that he had to talk to him. As much as he hated it, they were a team and they had to be acting like one. They needed to discuss their plan. Communication was key, even if he was communicating with a walking/talking bomb with a short fuse.
Jumping forward, Wade landed next to Bakugo and started walking alongside him. "Alright, Bakugo, listen up. If we're going to pass this exam, we're going to need a solid plan. We're going up against the Number One Hero in the world. There's no way we're going to fight All Might. It's impossible." He explained.
Bakugo started walking faster.
"Bakugo, are you even listening to me?" Wade caught up to him.
"Stop following me!" Bakugo barked.
Wade clenched his fists and kept up with him. "Sorry, but you're not getting rid of this bug, because this bug sticks with you too. All Might's going to be waiting for us on this main road. We need to take another route. Walking straight towards is suicide!"
"I'm not gonna run away from this fight." Bakugo said, not stopping. "It'll look better if we blast that smile off his face."
Wade was taken aback. "Wait, you're actually thinking about…"
"I'm gonna toy with him until the time is almost up, and then knock him unconscious for real."
Having to stop for a moment to process what he just said, Wade couldn't help but wonder why things had to be so difficult with him. "You can't be serious!" He exclaimed, running to catch up with Bakugo. "Did you blast the last remaining brain cells out of your head? All Might can't be beaten! You can't win in a fight against him!"
Wade's senses flared as Bakugo stopped and swung his arm at him. Acting on instinct, Wade raised his arm and blocked the attack, before it could hit him in the face.
"What the hell is your problem?!" He yelled at him.
"You are! Now I don't wanna hear another word!" Bakugo growled with bloodshot eyes. "Just because you think you're getting stronger doesn't mean you get to tell me what to do!"
"I'm trying to get you to listen to reason, you idiot!" Wade yelled, pushing Bakugo away from him. "We need to focus on passing the final! We can't do this alone!"
"I TOLD YOU, WE DON'T NEED YOUR DUMB POWER TO PASS! I CAN WIN IT ALL BY MYSELF!"
"Will you shut up for once in your fucking life!? This is exactly why we never became friends, asshole!"
All of a sudden, there was a loud booming sound that came from the other side of the city. Wade's senses went off and he quickly fired two lines at the ground, trying to brace himself for what was coming. That's when an extremely powerful gust of wind blew towards them. Wade and Bakugo were knocked back by the winds, as every window, every inch of road, all the crosswalk bridges, and cars were destroyed in the blast. When it was over, most of the buildings on the main road had the front halves destroyed and there was smoke billowing everywhere.
Wade sat up and opened his eyes. He gasped in shock at the devastation that was caused by that one attack. However, his and Bakugo's troubles were just beginning.
"Who really cares if I destroy this city?" All Might asked as his silhouette appeared in the dust clouds in front of Wade and Bakugo.
"Okay, he sounds intimidating, right?" Wade asked as he picked himself up.
All Might stepped out from dust clouds and stopped a few meters from them. His stomp created a gale wind that blasted the two Heroes, forcing them to shield their faces. "If you think of this as an exam and not a real fight, you'll be sorry," All Might said. His eyes seemed to glow. "I'm a villain now, heroes. Remember that. You better come at me with everything you've got. I won't pull my punches!"
Wade felt a chill go up to his spine. "Damnit, we're going to have to actually fight him!" He said, quickly getting into a fighting pose. Any chances of avoiding a fight with All Might were crushed. "We'll have to slip up and attack him from two angles. You get him from the left and I'll-"
"Don't tell me what to do!" Bakugo yelled, before rushing at All Might.
"Wait!" Wade reached out with his hand in vain.
All Might came charging at Bakugo, making him stop and hold out his left hand. "How about a Stun Grenade!?" He yelled, before fighting off a blinding flash of light and made All Might stop in his tracks.
"You want everything I've got, All Might? Like that wasn't my plan!" Bakugo went behind the Number One Hero and attempted to attack him. "I never-"
All Might suddenly grabbed Bakugo by the face.
"...hold back, dammit!" Bakugo yelled behind All Might's hand, before blasting the Hero with his explosive power at close range.
He had to admit, Bakugo was impressive. Normally when you grab someone's face, they reflexively try to pull your hand off of it. But it appeared as though Bakugo was really concerned about only defeating his opponent, no matter the cost. However, it wasn't going to be enough.
Grabbing his arm, All Might threw Bakugo onto the ground with a tremendous amount of force. "Your rapid-fire blasts were weak. Hardly more than a sting."
"Then how about this!?" With Battle Focus activated, Wade jumped from where he was at All Might and kicked him in the head.
All Might took a few steps back before turning to Wade. Only to see his successor swinging around a large piece of debris with his webbing before throwing it at his teacher. But All Might caught the rubble and swung it back at him. Wade's eyes widened before he jumped up and over it.
"Finally decided to jump in, huh? For a moment, I thought you were going to leave your teammate behind."
"I really wanted to, but unfortunately I'm stuck with him." Wade said, getting into a fighting stance. But for some odd reason, All Might was starting to remind him of the Hero Killer. Wade attempted to create some distance between him and the Symbol of Peace by jumping into the air, backwards.
"Ah-move it!"
Wade looked behind him, just before Bakugo came slamming into his back with his explosions propelling him at hyper speeds. Both collided and fell towards the ground. Wade grunted in pain as he stood up, his vision slightly blurred from the impact. He saw All Might still standing a few feet away from them. Just waiting for his students to make the first move.
"Outta the way, bug!" Wade looked back and saw Bakugo walking towards All Might with his head hanging low.
"Dude! You just got your ass kicked!" Wade yelled at him as Bakugo started going past him. "We can't fight him!"
"Shut up, scum! I will win this!" Bakugo yelled, glaring at All Might. "All that talk about responsibility and great power is crap! Winning is what it means to be a Hero, Walker!"
Wade fired a web line at his shoulder and pulled him back, but Bakugo resisted. "You wanna win that badly, then let's work together and avoid-!"
"Get away from me!" The explosive boy tried to pull the web off him.
"Incoming Heroes!" All Might yelled from the sky.
Wade's senses went off and he looked to the sky, only for a piece of guard rail to hit him in the chest with enough force to knock him down and pin the Spider-Man to the ground. Trapping him as All Might went for Bakugo. The explosive boy tried to counterattack him, but All Might was too fast. He punched Bakugo square in the stomach with such violent force. The ash blonde's eyes widened as he threw up.
Wade could only watch helplessly as his partner was sent several meters away, before landing on the ground.
"Bakugo!" He yelled, watching as Bakugo's body trembled from the hit. But to his amazement, Wade saw his bully struggling to stand up again, even after taking such a brutal attack. He may be an asshole, but Bakugo always made sure he was the winner. He doesn't quit unless he's victorious. Wade had to admit that something he could admire about this asshole.
All Might started walking towards Bakugo. Realizing that he had to get back into the fight, Wade started trying to lift up the rail guard.
"Come on…" He grunted, feeling the rail moving up slowly, but steadily.
"Ha! I know why you're so angry, Young Bakugo. Because of Young Walker's sudden improvement, right?" All Might asked as he stood to the right of Bakugo as he tried to regain himself.
Bakugo's eyes widened when he heard that.
"But you have to remember each of your ranks when the year first began. It's much easier to level up when you're a novice. You're wasting your full potential. Do you see that? Do you understand me? You still have so much room to grow stronger, boy. And I don't just mean your Quirk."
"Shut up, All Might."
"Huh?"
"If I'm so bad that I have to get help from a weakling like him...then I'd rather lose this." Bakugo said, looking up at the Symbol of Peace with vomit covering the sides of his mouth. "Do you hear me?"
The two stared at one another as Bakugo gave All Might the most intimidating face he could muster. The Symbol of Peace stared at him for a moment before bringing his fist up. "I see. Just remember that's what you said, Hero."
BASH!
Dropping his camouflage ability and appearing out of thin air with Battle Focus activated, Wade landed a Venom Smash punch on All Might's cheek, sending him flying away from Bakugo. Just like how he saved Iida from the Hero Killer.
With his bioelectricity still coursing through his fists, Wade stood in front of Bakugo. The ash-blonde stared at the white spider symbol on his back with hatred. "Get...the hell-"
POW!
"Shut your mouth!" Wade yelled, punching Bakugo in the face with another Venom Blast, sending him stumbling back a few meters before his body came to a stop. "If I hear another word about you rather losing, then I'll beat you myself!"
Seeing All Might about to stand up again, Wade quickly ran over to Bakugo. He grabbed him by his shirt and made a hasty retreat. Into an alleyway.
"I didn't expect Young Walker to swoop in like that. I let my guard down," said All Might, impressed with his young successor. He then tried adjusting his weights. "Man, did they have to make these so heavy?"
Holding Bakugo over his shoulder with one arm Wade ran down the alley. Trying to create some distance from All Might. He thought about swinging away, but carrying Bakugo would have meant swinging around with one arm and that would have slowed him down.
"Put me down, bastard!" Bakugo demanded. "Put me down now!"
Bakugo bashed his elbow into the back of Wade's head. "Alright, that's it!" Wade yelled, throwing Bakugo onto the ground.
The two boys pant from exhaustion for a moment. Bakugo struggled to stand up while glaring at Spider-Man. Pulling back his mask so he could glare back at Bakugo, Wade said. "Listen, Bakugo. I can't think of a way to beat All Might or any way to escape this place. But that doesn't mean I'm giving up on winning this exam and neither should you!"
Bakugo groaned at the seemingly impossible situation they were facing.
"I don't know what your problem is, but you better cut it out! Whatever problem you have with me shouldn't make you wanna quit! My power shouldn't make you want to lose! And you want to know something? You're a jerk, but you're you because you never give up. You've always been like that since we were kids. What happened, huh? Did you lose that drive all of a sudden, or is that same fighting spirit still in you somewhere!?"
"SHUT UP!" Bakugo yelled in frustration and anger as he launched his arm at Wade. Igniting an explosion that completely missed Wade's head and instead incinerated a spot on the wall right next to him.
"You ever do that again, you better not miss." Wade said threateningly.
"Shut the hell up or I'll kill you!" Bakugo yelled at him. The two rivals glared at each other. "You wanted to work together, fine! All Might's speed is insane. No matter where you try to run and hide, there's no way you'll avoid fighting him."
"I hate to say it, but you're right. And nothing we'd dished out at him worked." Wade said, placing his hand on his chin. "So, what do you suggest, partner?"
"He's not going to be stopped by anything less than a full-power attack. I learned that earlier with my mini blasts." Bakugo said. "So…"
All Might was running down the main street, trying to figure out where Wade took Bakugo and himself. For all he knows, he could be hiding and making a break for the escape gate. That's where he was going, to try and cut them off at the gate.
Suddenly, with an explosion propelling him, Bakugo came flying out from an alley behind All Might. "You're going the wrong way!"
"Was that supposed to be a sneak attack?" All Might asked, turning to face him.
Bakugo blasted All Might in the face, before continuing to send explosions at him. Bakugo was gritting his teeth as tears of anger welled up in his eyes. This was seriously pissing him off. He couldn't believe he was working with Wade, who he believed didn't deserve to be at UA.
"BUG!"
Wade appeared behind All Might, with one of Bakugo's grenade gauntlets on one arm. This was Bakugo's plan. Give All Might everything they've got a point-blank range. Their only option was to inflict damage and then put some distance between them.
"FIRE IN THE HOLE!" Wade yelled, pulling the pin on Bakugo's gauntlet.
KA-BOOM!
Firing a massive explosion into the back of the Symbol of Peace. The explosion was equally as powerful as the one Bakugo used on him during the first Hero Training class. The recoil from the explosion was so great that it would have dislocated Wade's shoulder had it not been for his endurance.
"Damn! How does he even use this thing?" Wade exclaimed.
"Run, you idiot!" Bakugo yelled and he rushed towards the exit, propelling himself in the air with his explosions.
"Right!" Wade fired a web and started web-swinging away with him.
But All Might was far from out of the fight. "Ow, they got me…" He groaned while sitting on the ground. "A compromise between running and fighting. That's pretty decent for an impromptu strategy."
He looked around at the destruction of the city. The two boys limited the destruction by aiming towards places All Might already demolished when the exam started. Now that he thought about it, he taught him that in the very first combat training.
Coughing, he stood back up. Now he understood. Both boys are actually pretty clever. The problem was that they lose all sense when it comes to each other. Envy. Hate. Competition. Awe. Rejection. Pride. From what the Symbol of Peace can tell, they have so many complicated feelings about each other piled up. They have so much tension and resentment towards one another they don't even know how to interact anymore.
Their relationship isn't the kind of thing that can be resolved in a single test. But the Hero's sure their cooperation here will mean big things in their future. This is just the first step. A starting point.
All Might coughed again into his fist, before noticing blood on his hand. It was time to get serious. "Now then, students…." He said, his blue eyes gleaming. "Your teacher's going to do his best to school you."
Wade web swung around the city as Bakugo flew next to him with his explosions. High in the air, Wade spotted the escape gate, which looked ridiculous in his mind. "We're almost there! We just have to go through that gate and we pass the final exam!"
Bakugo looked around at the destruction done to the city with teeth bared. He was shocked. All Might's first attack was from the middle of the fake city, but it reached all the way to the gate? What the hell was that power?
Wade looked back at where they left All Might. "We've got to hurry if we want to make it," He said. "There's no way that blast knocked him out."
"Of course not!" Bakugo snapped at him.
"Geez, I'm just saying that explosion wouldn't have knocked him out." Wade said.
"That's just you crying about how it's impossible to actually beat him! There's no way that attack KO'd him. When he catches up to us, it'll be my turn to blast him to hell with a gauntlet!"
"Interesting." All Might said….
Appearing in the air in between the two boys, shocking them both in the process. "And when what will you do?"
Bakugo reacted too slowly. All Might smash his only remaining gauntlet to pieces before he could fire it.
"Don't tell me you're surprised." All Might said. He then destroyed the gauntlet on Bakugo's arm as the boy watched in horror.
Spider-Man reacted by firing webs at All Might as they all fell towards the ground. Electrocuting All Might with a Venom Blast to the face, Wade got on his back and kicked as hard as he could with both legs. Sending All Might towards the ground.
All Might was slammed into the ground, creating a small dust cloud before Wade and Bakugo landed. Seeing the teacher on his knees, Wade quickly reacted by firing a web line at All Might and yanking himself towards him. Unleashing a short barrage of powerful punches and kicks on his face, before his senses went off. All Might tried to grab him, but Wade jumped over him and landed on his back. Unfortunately for All Might, the weights were limiting his speed. He's nowhere near his top speed.
Using his webs like reins, Wade pulled back, forcing All Might to stand and expose his chest. "Bakugo, hit him!" He yelled.
Bakugo took the hint and charged at All Might to attack. But All Might grabbed his arm in a steel tight grip, even when Bakugo tried blasting him with some explosions.
With a laugh, he said, "All right, heroes. It's time for you both to die!"
All Might uppercutted Bakugo with his knee and sent him flying into a building.
"Ah, dammit!" Wade jumped away from All Might and was about to launch another attack. But suddenly, All Might grabbed him by the leg.
Bakugo jumped out of the building and charged at All Might with explosions in hand. "Dammit! That's my line!" He yelled.
All Might swung Wade's body straight down into Bakugo, slamming them both into the ground. Creating a giant dust storm.
When the dust cleared, Wade's body was being held up by his ankle. He was so close to blacking out as almost every part of his body was in pain. Struggling to keep his eyes open, Wade saw Bakugo on all fours under All Might's boot.
"Ah. Well, isn't that wonderful, boys. You cooperated, however reluctantly, and faced me together," All Might said, his grin never leaving his face. He then forced Bakugo down on his chest. "Sadly, that's not enough. Cooperation isn't an option; it's a prerequisite for this exam."
As his body trembled while trying to move under the weight of All Might's foot, Bakugo was hit with the reality that he was facing. To his horror, Bakugo knew that there was no way in hell he was going to win in a fight against All Might. This man...this god...he had overwhelming speed and strength and stamina he can't hope to match in his lifetime. All Might wasn't just powerful. All Might is power. He now realized that more than ever now that he's facing the Symbol of Peace himself. This man is the most unstoppable force in the world.
He's the greatest hero on Earth.
Wade activated his Battle Focus and tried kicking his hand, but even that wasn't enough to break free of All Might's vice grip. Having taken off his mask early, his face was exposed to his opponent.
"What kind of face is that, Young Walker?" All Might then threw the Spider-Man harshly across the ground. Wade yelped in pain before he rolled over into a crouch. "You planned to get away from me using maximum firepower and then make a run for the escape gate. It wasn't a terrible strategy, all things considered. But now that I've destroyed Young Bakugo's gauntlets, you've lost your heavy attack. You're helpless. This is over."
Wade growled as determination to win filled his heart. But how? Was he going to run or was he going to fight? Either option would result in All Might taking them down. But then he looked at Bakugo and grinned.
"Shut...UP!" Bakugo yelled in fury. He turned his palm to face upwards and sparks began to pop. He fired a large explosion underneath All Might.
Wade activated Battle Focus and charged at incredible speeds into the smoke, dust, and fire at All Might. As the Symbol of Peace was blown off of Bakugo, Wade came in and punched All Might square in the jaw with a Venom Smash, and sent him flying straight up into the air.
Seeing Bakugo struggling to stand, Wade went over to him. "Come on! Let's-"
Bakugo suddenly grabbed Wade by the front of his suit and pulled him close to his face. "Get ready to fly!"
"Wait, what?"
"I don't like the idea of running, but with the crapfest we're in right now, this is the only way to pass the practical!"
"Hey, wait! I can just swing there on my own!" Wade shouted as Bakugo got ready to toss him.
"Shut up, and DIE!" Bakugo yelled, then threw Wade as hard as he could at high speeds towards the exit with his explosions.
"WHY DO YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO SAY THAT!?" Wade yelled at the top of his lungs as he was sent flying across the destroyed street towards the exit. But wait, All Might was still in the air. Meaning Wade still had time to make it. Trying to ignore the pain in his body after trying to fight with the hero, he started to swing towards the exit.
But then…
"New Hampshire...SMASH!"
Out of the dust cloud, All Might threw an air punch that propelled him towards his spidey successor. Wade's back was slammed hard by All Might's larger one, causing a great deal of pain.
"Shit!" Bakugo ran towards the two and launched himself into the air.
Wade screamed out in agony from the impact. If it weren't for his body's durability, it could have broken his back.
"Come now, you're being too naive, Heroes!" All Might said as he slowed down and lost momentum.
Wade, however, didn't and slammed into the side of a bus. The collision with it caved in most of the side and flipped the bus over. Wade bounced off and landed hard on the ground.
With his teammate down, Bakugo rushed towards All Might. "Those gauntlets were only the only thing I could use to maximize my firepower with low risk." He said, holding out his arms towards All Might. Focusing all his power, Bakugo started smiling maniacally, even when his arms and veins felt like they were burning on the inside. "But now I see that was stupid. If I don't take any risks, there's no way I can beat you! RIGHT, ALL MIGHT?!"
Wade watched as Bakugo unleashed a powerful blast at All Might. Just like the one he used during the Sports Festival. That makes two times he's down that.
Bakugo clenched his arm in pain, but had the will to shout; "BUG, GO! HURRY UP!" He landed on the ground, while Wade turned towards the exit. "I can still move better than you. Even if you are learning to use your pathetic power. At least try to make yourself useful, you moron!"
The ash-blonde unleashed another powerful explosion from his other arm when All Might flew at him. As the pain dissipated slightly, Wade knew had to keep going. He headed towards the gate.
Just as he was about to turn invisible, All Might saw him moving towards the exit and jumped towards him to intercept him. However, taking advantage of that, Bakugo appeared in front of him and yelled a battle cry. He fired another blast, but All Might easily dodged it and countered by grabbing Bakugo's by his face and slamming him to the ground.
Now invisible, Wade looked back at All Might, who was pinning down Bakugo by his face.
"It's time to sleep. Goodnight, Young Bakugo." He said to the explosive boy. "I'm sorry. I may be the villain, but I'm still your teacher, and it pains me to see you sacrifice your own body in a fight."
Bakugo grabbed ahold of All Might's forearm and gave off very weak pops of fire. This took All Might by surprise. The alarm on the gate hadn't gone off. Meaning Wade hadn't crossed it yet. Meaning the exam was still going.
"Hurry up...Go, you damn loser..." Bakugo said with gritting teeth as he glared up at All Might. "I'll keep fighting…. I'll break myself. Even if there's nothing left of me...I will win the way I want to. I'll destroy myself before I accept defeat at your hands." Bakugo bit All Might's hand. "You got that?"
Listening to everything Bakugo said, Wade activated Battle Focus with gritting teeth. "Damnit, you asshole!"
All Might gasped and turned around. "Wait, don't tell me-"
Wade reappeared a few feet away from the Symbol of Peace. He was coming straight at him with his fist pulled back. His bio-electricity coursed wildly through his arms as he charged a Venom Smash. Wade flew at All Might with a big grin on his face.
"Get out of the way, All Might, because I'm coming through!"
Wade punched All Might square in the face with the electrical attack. This time, he wasn't holding back, as electricity shocked All Might's body and sent him back a few meters. This gave Wade enough time to grab Bakugo and start running towards the exit at full speed.
Seeing Wade booking it towards the exit, All Might stood up. "I won't-" He stopped to cough as steam started coming off of his body. His time was running out.
Wade carried Bakugo's unconscious body and said. "Sorry, Bakugo, but I'm not leaving your ass behind. Not this time!" He yelled.
All Might watched his successor run away. It was unbelievable. Wade could have easily passed through the gate and passed the exam for them both. He coughed blood into his fist again. "You hit me with everything you had, huh, kid?"
He shouldn't be surprised. This was Wade Walker being who he's always been. He's driven by a primal calling inside of himself to save those in trouble. Even if they aren't asking for him to help. And at times like that, there aren't any obstacles that'll stop him. That's the kind of hero he's always been.
After 10 minutes of fierce combat, Wade Walker stepped over the finish line. Passing the exam. Everyone watching in the monitor room began cheering happily for their classmates. Mina and Ochaco hugged Momo as they watched their crush beat seemingly impossible odds and pass the exam. Further fueling their admiration and their feelings for the boy.
[Team Walker and Bakugo have passed the exam! All Matches for the practical portion of Class 1-A's final have now been completed.]
"SMOOOOOCH~!
Recovery Girl finished using her Quirk to heal the injuries done to Wade's body. "Thanks, Recovery Girl." Wade groaned as he sat on the edge of the bed. "I know you said you weren't going to heal my injuries…"
"That's only for self-inflicted injuries." Recovery Girl said, before turning her fury towards All Might, who was still in his hero form. "All Might, you really don't know how to hold back! You'd hit these boys any harder, they'd have permanent damage! Wade's back was also horribly broken. You're lucky he was tough enough to take the impact."
Recovery Girl sighed and looked at Bakugo. The explosive boy was still passed out on the bed beside Wade's. His injuries weren't as severe as they could have been. "Bakugo probably won't wave up for a while. For now, the two of you should stay here and rest."
"I think I'll be able to walk for a moment." Wade said, standing up. He then glanced at Bakugo before looking at the adults. "Actually, do you think I can have a moment alone with him?"
"He's not going to be up for a little while." Recovery Girl reminded him.
"I know, but I think this is literally the only time I can do this without him shouting his head at me." Wade said with a shrug. "I just...need to talk to him."
All Might and the school's nurse looked at one another, knowing just how much Wade disliked the ash blonde, the Symbol of Peace knew that it must have been important. Nodding to Recovery Girl, the two of them walked out of the room, giving Wade the privacy he asked for.
With no one else in the room, Wade turned towards his rival and walked over to his bed before sitting next to him. Bakugo looked peaceful as he slept.
"...Katsuki," Wade said, calling by his first name in what had to be a long time. "I don't know if you can hear me. I would have waited for you to wake up and then tell you. But then again, I highly doubted you would have let me. So, I figured this was the only way to do it."
Taking a breath and clenching his hands together, Wade started.
"You really are the biggest pain in the ass of my life, Katsuki. You've always tried being better than everyone around you. You picked on me and others who were Quirkless until I was basically the only one left! You used to make my life miserable, all for your sick kicks, and when I was finally given my powers, you just went off the deep end. Always trying to make yourself be number 1."
Wade's scowl fell as he looked at his rival with a sad expression. "And honestly...I...wish things were different between us, Katsuki."
Bakugo still didn't wake up as Wade finally told him what he wanted to tell him.
"I never hated you, Katsuki. I never wanted the two of us to be like this. Honestly, I kind of hoped that we were friends. But I guess it was inevitable. Us constantly at each other's throats. Perhaps if things were different, we could have been different. I don't know what it was that made you hate me so much, but it doesn't have to continue. I'm not sure that it's possible for us to really be friends. Maybe it is. We don't have to continue this cycle anymore."
He placed his hand on his bully's shoulder and said. "We don't have to hate each other, Katsuki."
Outside of the room, All Might was leaning against the wall next to the door. Smiling as he listened to his successor trying and make peace with his rival, despite knowing that it would possibly not happen. Wade really has changed, and he's gotten so much that it's hard to believe he's still the same boy. He'd even say the say to Bakugo. Deep down, All Might hoped that the explosive boy realized that he was able to smile in the face of defeat. He can't wait to see how much stronger they both get.
So much happened this school year for these Heroes of Tomorrow. Some of them found their own weaknesses and learned to move past them. Some of them learned what it really took to be a Hero. Some of them tasted failure. They struggled with their own powerlessness, then they moved towards bright new goals.
And so, with these bitter feelings, the final exams ended. But little did they know, their enemies were gearing up for the third round. Every time they drive them back, they return stronger.
Soon, war will be coming to the Heroes of Tomorrow.