Chapter 20: First Internship's End
DAY 4 OF THE INTERNSHIP
Izuku, Iida, and Todoroki sat stiffly outside the conference room in the police station. The dim overhead lights cast sharp shadows on the walls, adding to the weight of everything that had happened the night before. Across from them, their mentors—Edgeshot, Gran Torino, Endeavor, Frostflare, and Manual—were undergoing questioning regarding the Hosu Incident.
Though relieved that Iida was unharmed thanks to Izuku's Cell Surge, the weight of the situation still pressed down on them. They weren't supposed to be involved in combat like that. And yet… they had fought.
Todoroki leaned back slightly, his mismatched eyes studying Izuku. "So," he started, "Iida said you took down Stain in three seconds. That true?"
Izuku blinked and rubbed the back of his neck. "Well… yeah, I guess you could say that."
"Incredible," Iida muttered, still adjusting his glasses as if trying to make sense of it all. "Stain barely had time to react before Midoriya incapacitated him. His movements were—" He hesitated, remembering the sheer speed Izuku had displayed. "—inhuman."
Todoroki frowned slightly, tilting his head. "And you tied him up before he managed to cut himself free… only to end up saving you?"
Izuku sighed, adjusting in his seat. "I speed-blitzed him, healed Iida and Native, and then…" His voice trailed off as he recalled the moment Stain had broken free, yet chosen to protect him from the incoming Nomu. "You know the rest."
Before Todoroki could question further, the door to the conference room swung open. A strong presence filled the hallway as Chief Kenji Tsuragamae stepped out, his canine features set in a deep frown. His sharp eyes swept over the three students, his tail flicking once.
"You three," he said in a gruff voice. "Inside. Now."
The tension in the air thickened instantly.
The students exchanged glances before rising to their feet and following the chief inside. As they stepped in, their mentors stood near the back, their expressions unreadable. Even Endeavor, who usually carried himself with an air of dominance, had his arms crossed in a reserved stance. The weight of their actions was about to hit them in full force.
The room was quiet, save for the faint ticking of a clock on the wall. Chief Tsuragamae let out a slow breath before stepping forward.
"Let's get one thing straight," he started, his deep voice laced with authority as he looked at Izuku and Iida. "You two may have stopped a dangerous criminal, but that doesn't change the fact that you acted outside the law. And Todoroki, I know you didn't fight him but included you for one reason."
Izuku clenched his fists, his stomach tightening.
Tsuragamae continued, his sharp gaze never wavering. "If this were made public, you two along with your instructors—would be facing serious consequences. Unregistered heroes are not permitted to engage in combat. Injuring others, even in self-defense in some cases, is a direct violation of that statute."
Todoroki frowned but didn't say anything. He understood why he was included—he had been there. Even if he hadn't thrown a single attack, he was still a witness, a participant in a situation that spiraled far beyond what students were meant to handle.
Tsuragamae's eyes remained sharp as he walked forward, his every step calculated, his posture commanding. "This law exists for a reason. Untrained individuals rushing into battle create liabilities. You could have been killed. Or worse—you could have made the situation more dangerous for others. Do you understand how reckless this was?"
Izuku gritted his teeth. He understood. He really did. But at that moment, letting Iida die hadn't been an option. Letting Stain continue to run free hadn't been an option.
"Yes sir," said Izuku. Iida adjusted his glasses as he looked at the officer. "Sir, if I may. Izuku would not have gotten involved if it wasn't for recklessness. I know it doesn't mean much, but I am sorry."
The room was silent for a long moment. Tsuragamae exhaled through his nose, his sharp eyes watching the students with scrutiny. Finally, he let out a low hum and turned toward the pro heroes standing at the back of the room.
"Regardless of your intentions," he continued, "the fact remains that the public cannot know students interfered with this case. The law is absolute in these matters. Because of that, the credit for apprehending the Hero Killer will go to Endeavor."
Edgeshot and Gran Torino didn't react, remaining still as the decision was laid out. Manual gave Iida a knowing glance, but Endeavor—who until now had remained silent—finally stepped forward, his presence dominating the room.
"As it should be," he stated, his deep voice carrying an air of finality. "No one will question it." Not in an arrogant way but in a firm way.
Tsuragamae nodded. "However," he continued, looking back at Izuku and Iida, "though you may not receive public recognition, we—" He stopped for a moment, then bowed his head slightly, his ears twitching. "—we thank you."
Izuku and Iida's eyes widened slightly.
"You saved lives," Tsuragamae admitted, straightening. "And for that, you have my respect. But do not mistake this for approval. This will not happen again. Understood?"
Izuku swallowed hard before nodding. "Yes, sir."
Iida nodded as well, his hands clenched at his sides. "Understood, sir."
Todoroki simply gave a small nod, his expression unreadable.
Tsuragamae let out a deep breath. "Then that is all. You are dismissed." He looked at Izuku and looked at him curiously. "Three seconds huh kid," he asked woofing.
"Yes sir. No jokes," said Izuku nodding with Iida backing him up.
Tsuragamae let out a short huff, his canine features twitching as he studied Izuku more intently. "Three seconds," he repeated, his tail flicking once. "That's quite the claim. Even for a student with exceptional talent, I find it difficult to believe."
Izuku stood firm under the chief's scrutinizing gaze, his emerald eyes unwavering. "No exaggeration, sir," he replied. "Iida was there to witness it."
Iida adjusted his glasses with a sharp nod. "It was nothing short of astonishing. Stain had no time to react—Yagi struck him down before he could even counter."
Tsuragamae hummed thoughtfully, crossing his arms as he glanced back at the pro heroes. Gran Torino merely smirked, while Endeavor's sharp blue eyes flickered with a brief look of interest before settling back into their usual unreadable glare.
Edgeshot was the one to break the silence. "I reviewed the scene myself," he said in his usual calm, precise tone. "The evidence supports their claim. Stain was incapacitated in an instant. Not even his reflexes could compensate for that level of speed."
The police chief's brows furrowed slightly. "Hmph. Most heroes struggle against him. Even experienced ones." His eyes settled back on Izuku, unreadable yet tinged with curiosity. "If you can really move at those speeds… then you're far more dangerous than you realize."
Izuku stiffened slightly at those words.
Tsuragamae let out a low breath before shaking his head. "Regardless, we'll keep this under wraps. You three should return to your internships and stay out of trouble. Consider yourselves lucky."
With that, he turned away, signaling the end of the discussion.
Edgeshot stepped forward, his gaze steady on Izuku. "We should go. This matter is settled."
"Yes sir." He turned to Iida and Todoroki and nodded at them. "See you guys in a few days when the internships end."
Todoroki gave a small nod, and Iida, though still solemn, managed to smile. "Yes. Let's make sure we return stronger than before."
With that, Izuku followed after Gran Torino and Edgeshot, his mind racing. The conversation with Tsuragamae had left him with more questions than answers, but one thing was certain—this was only the beginning. If he could reach those speeds now, what would happen if he truly pushed himself further?
EDGESHOT'S AGENCY 3 HOURS LATER
Izuku sat on the floor of the training room, his back against the wall as he let out a slow, controlled breath. His muscles still tingled from the earlier fight, exhaustion creeping in despite his best efforts to ignore it.
Edgeshot stood a few feet away, arms crossed, studying him with an unreadable expression. The agency's headquarters was quiet, a stark contrast to the chaotic events of the past few days.
"You're still thinking about what the chief said," Edgeshot noted. It wasn't a question.
Izuku looked up, meeting the hero's gaze. "Yeah," he admitted. "I get why the law exists. I understand why they have to cover up what we did. But it still feels… strange." He clenched his fist. "Stain was dangerous. If I hadn't stepped in, Iida—"
Edgeshot raised a hand, cutting him off. "You don't need to justify it to me," he said. "You acted on instinct, and in the end, you saved lives. That's what matters. But the chief wasn't wrong, either."
Izuku exhaled through his nose, his mind still spinning with everything that had happened. The fight, the conversation with Tsuragamae, the look Endeavor had given him—like he was something to be evaluated, measured. And then there was the way Tsuragamae had said it.
"You're far more dangerous than you realize."
The words stuck with him.
"You moved faster than Stain could react," Edgeshot continued, walking closer. "That level of speed is rare, even among top heroes. It wasn't just your power, either—it was your decision-making. You didn't hesitate. You saw an opening and took it without second-guessing yourself."
Izuku sat up straighter, his eyes narrowing slightly. "You have to be mad though, right? At me, I mean. For… stopping the Hero Killer."
Edgeshot sighed, glancing off to the side where Gran Torino was watching Izuku closely. "Yes and no. I'm mad that you made Gran Torino have his teaching license suspended for the time being. No, I'm not mad that you ran to save Iida's life. Yes, I'm also mad that you didn't consider the bigger picture when you made that move. No, I am not mad that you stopped a killer that had killed several dozens of people and hospitalized hundreds."
Izuku took a deep breath, absorbing Edgeshot's words. There was a heavy weight to them, something that felt like a truth he had been trying to avoid, but it didn't make them any less difficult to hear. The fact that Gran Torino's teaching license had been suspended because of his actions hung over him like a cloud, and he could feel the guilt gnawing at him. It wasn't just about his decisions—it was the ripple effect those decisions had on everyone around him.
"I didn't think about the consequences," Izuku muttered, looking down at his hands. "I just… I had to act. I couldn't let Iida die." Edgeshot was silent as he looked at Izuku waiting for him to speak.
"I get it," Izuku said after a long pause, his voice heavy with regret. "But it didn't feel like there was time to think. I saw an opening, and I took it. But now, I'm just... I'm wondering if I made a huge mistake."
Gran Torino spoke up then, his voice surprisingly serious. "Kid, you're gonna make mistakes. We all do. What matters is what you do after. You learn from it. You don't let it define you, and you don't repeat it. But don't start second-guessing yourself too much. You've got something most heroes never get. That instinct, that ability to act when it counts. We can help you shape it, make it sharper, but it's there for a reason."
Izuku nodded, though the knot in his chest didn't loosen. He didn't want to disappoint anyone—especially Gran Torino, who had been like a mentor to him, even though things had taken an unexpected turn.
"I'll try to do better," Izuku said quietly, meeting Gran Torino's gaze.
Edgeshot gave a short nod. "That's all we can ask for, Izuku. Try to be more calculated. Think before you move, and don't act just because you can. Heroes don't just stop villains; they protect people. And that includes considering what your actions could do to the people you care about. Now. Let's go do some training," said Edgeshot standing up and leading Izuku out of the room. Gran Torino sighed as he looked out the window down at the streets below.
"For someone who wasn't…looked at by your father kid. You sure act a lot like him," he said to himself.
WITH BAKUGO AND ICHIRO
Ichiro tapped his finger on the table as he looked out the window of Best Jeanist's Agency. He couldn't stop thinking about what his father had told him about that day after the Sports Festival.
FLASHBACK
Toshinori looked at his eldest son and sighed, looking more disappointed than angry. "Ichiro. What you did to Young Ibara was wrong. That was too much. There is a point where you go too far and that was one of those moments."
Ichiro looked shocked at the fact he was being scolded for something he did than anything. "But Dad, you don't get it. This was a match in the tournament. I use my quirk to defeat her and go to the next round."
Toshinori rubbed his face, visibly frustrated. "But, you did it in an aggressive and unsafe way, and you know it. I don't care if it was a match, Ichiro. Your actions could have caused her serious harm. You're not supposed to be just using your quirk to win at all costs. You're supposed to be thinking about the consequences. As a hero, your goal is to protect people, not destroy them."
Ichiro clenched his fists, his mind racing. He could feel his temper rising, but he bit his tongue. He didn't want to argue with his father, not like this. "I was trying to be better. I am trying to show that I can be someone who is strong."
"But Ichiro. You can't do it like that. You don't see me beating the hell out of Endeavor to show everyone I am strong, but enough of that," he said getting slightly more serious.
"Have you done anything to talk to Izuku at all? To fix anything between you too? Because Inori has," he said crossing his arms. Ichiro looked at him and crossed his arms as well. "No. I haven't."
"And why not."
"Because I don't want to. Nor do I need to," said Ichiro annoyed thinking of his younger brother.
Toshinori's expression tightened, his disappointment growing. "Ichiro, this isn't about needing to. This is about making things right. I know things between you and Izuku have been tense for a while, but avoiding it isn't helping anyone, especially you. You're carrying around that resentment, and it's affecting you more than you realize."
"Tch. I think I will be fine Dad," he said gruffly. Toshinori stared at Ichiro with a blank look on his face and sighed uncrossing his arms.
"I'm disappointed in you. Ichiro. I really am," he said quietly walking to the door. "Get out. Go back to the dorms."
Ichiro stood in the room, feeling a heavy weight settle in his chest as Toshinori left the room. The door clicked shut behind his father, but the silence that followed seemed louder than ever. He clenched his fists, trying to fight the sting of the words. Disappointed in you, his father had said. Those words cut deeper than any of the physical blows he had endured during training.
He got up not looking at his father in the eyes and walked out of the door slowly. He looked to his right to see Izuku and Inori sitting on a bench with Inori having tears go down her face. They were clearly talking about something important. He turned away from them walking away. He couldn't look at them. Not now.
Was he an asshole? Was he a disappointment now? Since when? Was this Izuku's fault? No? Maybe? Yes. This was Izuku's fault. This wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for him. But what if it was his fault and not Izuku's? So many questions. He was so confused.
FLASHBACK END
Ichiro sat across from Bakugo at the lunch table, poking at his food without much interest. The buzz of conversation around them seemed distant, his thoughts still tangled in the conversation with his father. He couldn't shake the feeling that everything had spiraled out of control.
Bakugo, on the other hand, was eating with his usual ferocity, clearly unconcerned with the chatter around him. He paused mid-bite and narrowed his eyes at Ichiro, noticing how quiet and distracted the younger boy was.
"What the hell's got your panties in a bunch, Ichiro?" Bakugo asked, his voice gruff, but there was a flicker of curiosity behind it. He wasn't one to pry, but seeing Ichiro like this, brooding and quiet, wasn't normal for him.
Ichiro didn't look up immediately, his eyes still fixed on his untouched meal. "Nothing," he muttered, shrugging as if it didn't matter.
Bakugo snorted. "Yeah, sure. Looks like 'nothing' to me." He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table, and studied Ichiro closely. "You've been acting weird ever since we started the internship."
"I said it was nothing Kacchan. Get out of my ass," he said eating his food now shaking his head.
Bakugo raised an eyebrow at Ichiro's sudden snap, unfazed but sensing that there was something deeper going on. The last thing he wanted was to drag it out of him, but it was clear that Ichiro was trying to bottle up something that was slowly eating away at him.
"Whatever, I'm not gonna push," Bakugo grumbled, shoving his tray aside and leaning back in his chair. "But don't act like I don't know when you're full of shit, idiot."
"Yeah, whatever," he said quietly.
WITH TOKOYAMI AND INORI
The two of them sat quietly on the roof of a building as they were told to wait there by Hawks himself. Hawks had noticed there was an unsettling tension between the two of them and thought it best for them to hash it out by themselves. It was fine by him.
Inori had her legs dangling over the edge of the roof as she looked over at Tokoyami with a frown. "You know. We can't resolve the conflict between us if we don't talk."
Tokoyami grunted out a response. "There is nothing to talk about. Not with you."
"Oh, my good lord. Tokoyami, please. Can you let me in on something so that we can at least work together without bickering like kids? The sooner we do this the sooner Hawks will come back," she said desperately to try and fix a relationship between herself and one of Izuku's friends.
Tokoyami hit his head on the concrete wall of the building but went and sat at the edge of the roof same as she was but a good way away. He turned to her and talked with a bit of disdain.
"Alright. I will speak and you may ask questions at the end of when I am done talking. Understand." Inori nodded and Tokoyami took a deep breath.
"When I was 12 years old. I was a kid with little to no friends," he said summoning Dark Shadow. "Dark Shadow would be the only person I talked to. Everyday. Multiple times a day. Most kids and children saw me as a villain. As a ghost. As someone who wouldn't do good for society," he said thinking of himself a few years back.
"But, then came along a kid named your brother, Izuku Yagi. The first day I met him was when we were all on that UA tour together. At the end of it all, we exchanged numbers and kept in touch. Now yes there was Shoji, Shiozaki, Yaoyorozu, and Jiro who stayed in contact with me, but it was different with Izuku. He always would talk to me. Everyday. It made me feel…strange…It was the first time I ever had a friend outside of Dark Shadow," he said smiling slightly.
Inori listened intently, her frown softening as she heard Tokoyami's story. She could feel the weight of his words, realizing just how much Izuku's friendship had meant to him, especially when Tokoyami had felt so isolated before.
Tokoyami continued, his voice was a little quieter now as if the memories were surfacing more clearly. "Izuku didn't treat me like a freak. He didn't call me weird or treat me like I was less than anyone else. He accepted me. But then everything changed when I found out he had two siblings that treated him like filth and parents that neglected him," he said disgusted.
Inori nodded as if she had waited for him to say something like that. "You Inori. Pissed me off. I normally am levelheaded, but you really made me angry."
"Tokoyami…" she began, her voice tentative as she tried to choose her words carefully.
"Just wait a moment…" he said quietly. "Something that you need to realize is when I found that out. I started to see Izuku as a brother. To fill in the void of darkness left by the two of you. He may not know, but I swore to myself that I'd be like a brother, that I'd be there for him in the way that his own family wasn't," Tokoyami said, his voice dark with emotion. Dark Shadow rumbled beside him, its form shifting as if mirroring the turmoil in his heart. "You ask me…we are family in all but blood. But something that I do is hold grudges and I hold them well. Dark Shadow does too. But I've seen you try. Don't get me wrong," he said softly.
"I am somewhat sorry for the fact that I am still holding that grudge because you haven't even done anything to Izuku. I say somewhat because you still bullied him Inori," he said glaring at her. Tokoyami studied her for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Dark Shadow, hovering beside him, muttered something unintelligible before settling down. "I still don't like you," Tokoyami finally said. "And I don't trust you."
Inori gave him a small, sad smile. "That's fair. I don't blame you. I understand."
That response caught him off guard. He had expected her to argue, to try to defend herself. But instead, she accepted his words without hesitation.
Inori sighed looking up. "I'm being better. Actively, I mean. I will not expect anything from you like forgiveness. I just want to be able to work together and let me show you that I am changing. Please," she said standing up and looking at him.
Tokoyami studied her for a long moment, his crimson eyes unreadable in the dim glow of the city. Dark Shadow shifted restlessly beside him, whispering something only he could hear. Then, after what felt like an eternity, he exhaled sharply.
"Fine," he muttered. "We work together. That's it."
Inori's shoulders relaxed slightly, but she didn't let herself feel relieved just yet. "That's all I ask," she said sincerely.
4 DAYS LATER END OF THE INTERNSHIPS
Izuku stood outside of the Edgeshot Agency with a smile. These had been a very fruitful seven days just a starting point for him. He looked at his two mentors with a big smile as he shook both of their hands.
"Good job kid," said Gran Torino. "Just be sure that you are not fighting top-tier villains like you did with Stain without a license."
Izuku laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head as he looked at Gran Torino. The old hero had been gruff and impatient throughout the internship, but Izuku could tell that beneath the tough exterior was a mentor who truly cared about his growth.
"Yes, sir," Izuku said earnestly. "I didn't exactly plan on fighting Stain… things just kind of happened."
Gran Torino scoffed, shaking his head. "That's the problem with you brats—always jumping into the fire before checking if there's a way around it. But…" He eyed Izuku critically before nodding. "You handled yourself well. Just don't let it get to your head."
Edgeshot, standing beside them with his usual calm demeanor, crossed his arms. "You showed remarkable adaptability, Yagi. However, experience is still something you lack. Training will only take you so far—real battles are unpredictable."
"Yes, sir," said Izuku as Edgeshot pulled out the power-up device from his back pocket. Alright, power up for me one last time to see where you are at." Izuku did just as he asked, and when the device beeped, it read 2.35 seconds. "Great job, Yagi. You came here and could power up in 2.6 seconds at the beginning of the week, and now that it is down to 2.35, great work."
Izuku's eyes widened slightly as he saw the numbers on the power-up device. A 0.25-second improvement in just a week. It might not seem like much to some people, but to him, every fraction of a second counted. In battle, speed could mean the difference between victory and defeat, between life and death.
Edgeshot nodded approvingly. "You've worked hard. Keep refining your technique, and you'll continue to improve. Your quirk is powerful, but true mastery comes with precision, not just strength. Also, remember not to be too hard on yourself. You are strong and you are a good kid with a good heart."
Izuku clenched his fists, feeling a rush of excitement and determination. "Thank you, sir! I'll keep training and pushing myself!"
Gran Torino grunted. "Hmph, don't get too excited. The real test starts when you're back at U.A." He jabbed a finger at Izuku's chest. "Remember, this internship was just a taste of what pro heroes face daily. If you think this was tough, you're in for a rude awakening."
Izuku nodded. "I understand. I still have a long way to go."
Edgeshot gave him a final nod of approval before stepping back. "Then go forward with that mindset. Keep sharpening your skills, Yagi."
Izuku bowed deeply, gratitude filling his chest. "Thank you for everything, Edgeshot! Gran Torino!"
Gran Torino just waved him off. "Yeah, yeah, get going already, brat."
With one final bow to his mentors, Izuku turned and made his way toward the cab driver, and he waved at them before he was driven to the train station. He was glad things were calm now. Iida was on the way back to being a true hero. Speaking of which. He furrowed his brow as he pulled out a book. It was the words Stain had said to him. Some of them anyway. He had wondered what he meant. A True Hero. Stain had some…strong morals and convictions but he used them the wrong way. He started to write down about what happened that night as he got closer to his destination.
WITH THE LEAGUE OF VILLAINS AND GIRAN
In a dimly lit underground bar, the glow of a flickering television screen cast shadows across the smoke-filled room. Giran, the broker of the underworld, leaned back in his chair, a cigarette hanging from his lips as he scrolled through his phone. Business had been booming lately—villains were restless, and chaos always brought opportunities.
But tonight, the atmosphere was different.
The TV crackled, broadcasting a video that had taken the criminal world by storm. Stain's message.
The screen cut to the infamous Hero Killer, his piercing gaze and bloodied armor giving him an almost fanatical appearance. His voice was raw, seething with conviction as he spoke.
"The current society is false. Heroes are nothing but frauds, driven by greed and fame. True heroes… are rare. And those who call themselves 'heroes' yet only seek personal gain… I will purge them."
His ragged breathing echoed through the speakers as he continued, his intensity unwavering.
"Only All Might is worthy. The rest are nothing but pretenders, leeches feeding off a corrupt system."
The video ended abruptly, cutting to a montage of news clips. The public response was immediate and overwhelming.
Giran exhaled smoke, watching the screen with a smirk. This video had done more damage to hero society than most villains ever could.
"Heh," he chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "That guy really shook things up, huh?"
He took another drag from his cigarette before picking up his phone and dialing a number. It rang twice before a familiar voice answered.
"You saw it too, right?" Shigaraki's voice was calm, yet something sinister lingered beneath his words.
"Oh yeah," Giran replied, glancing at the TV. "Your League just got a whole new wave of potential recruits. This Stain guy? His message is spreading like wildfire. Kids, villains, hell—even regular civilians are questioning the system now. I'll look for some of them. To see if they meet your qualifications."
Shigaraki chuckled. "Good. Let them stew in doubt. Hero society's days are numbered."
Giran grinned. He had a feeling that things were just getting started.
"You got it. I'll get started on that right away. I got about 5 that will be good," he said starting to walk off. As Giran walked out Shigaraki looked at the three pictures on the table as All for One was about to speak to him as the screen lit up. "So, master you mean to tell me the names of these three are Izuku Yagi, Inori Yagi, and Ichiro Yagi. Is there anything else I should know? You sound different when talking about them," he said as the screen lit up brighter.
"Oh no. Just know you will be told later about these three. They have a purpose," as he grinned behind the screen. "I won't tell him now otherwise Tomura will act brashly. But it is strange I never found out that All Might had three kids. If only my doctor wasn't sick that day. I would have found out years ago. No matter. This will work out perfectly."