Honestly? The rest of the internship was pretty chill. Every day looked almost the same. In the morning, we arrived at the agency, Hawks gave us brief instructions, and then we headed out into the city. Occasionally, we helped someone out, sometimes we stopped a petty criminal, and most of the time, we just observed our surroundings and learned how to properly react to situations that could arise during a routine patrol.
It wasn't some grand spectacle, no life-threatening battles, and we didn't even need to use anything larger than strictly necessary a single time. Over those few days, I was beginning to understand why Hawks said that most of a hero's work isn't about fighting. Most of the job was simply about being in the right place at the right time.
Today, when I arrived at the agency, Tokoyami was already in the training hall, going through his morning routine.
"Good morning, Mephisto," he greeted me when he noticed my presence.
"Good morning."
I set my things aside and watched him for a moment. Over the past few days, it was clear he had improved—especially in the areas Hawks had pointed out on the first day.
"Looks like you've gotten used to it."
Tokoyami glanced briefly at Dark Shadow.
"Hawks is a peculiar mentor. His way of working is very different from what I expected."
"Sounds about right."
Just then, the door opened and Hawks walked in—holding a coffee, of course, with the expression of a man who had just decided to start bothering everyone first thing in the morning. "Good morning, my favorite shadow division."
"Good morning," I replied.
Hawks stopped and looked at us. "So, how about it? Ready for the final day?"
"Yes."
"Excellent." Hawks smiled and eyed us up and down a few times. "So, no special training today. We're heading straight out on patrol."
"Surely you didn't think I'd let you rest today?" Tokoyami said nothing, but from his expression, it was obvious that was precisely what he had been thinking. I merely offered a faint smile.
"So, another normal day."
"Pretty much," Hawks replied, taking a sip of his coffee.
A few minutes later, we were already on our way. Hawks moved through the air above us while we traversed the streets below. It was really no different than the previous days.
The first few hours passed completely as usual. We walked down several streets, checked the busier parts of the city, and stopped a few times whenever we noticed a problem. Once, we helped an elderly man who managed to drop several shopping bags right in the middle of the sidewalk. Another time, we assisted a police officer with traffic control after a minor accident. Nothing that required major intervention.
Tokoyami stayed close to me during the patrol, and Hawks flew a few meters above us most of the time. Occasionally, he explained something, but otherwise, he let us work independently.
"This is precisely the part of the job that nobody tells you about at the festival," Hawks called down as we walked past one of the main avenues. "Everyone wants to see the grand battles and famous heroes, but most days look exactly like this."
We kept moving, and for the next hour, virtually nothing happened. After a while, we stopped on the roof of a building. Hawks was checking his phone while I leaned against the railing.
Everything was normal—until a notification came through, and Hawks instantly perked up, his expression darkening. "What?" Hawks frowned.
I raised my head. "What's wrong?"
"Some trouble in Hosu."
"What kind?" Hawks was silent for a moment. "An attack on a hero..."
Hosu—the name alone was enough for me. I knew what was starting over there. And I also knew that if I waited, it might be too late.
"I'll go check it out." Hawks turned to me immediately. "What?"
"I'm just going to see what's happening."
"Mephisto, wait."
But I was already moving. "I'll be back."
"Mephisto!" This time, I didn't listen to him. Shadows surged around my feet, and in a single moment, I vanished. A few minutes later, I emerged in one of Hosu's side alleys.
I heard the noise right away. Something was broken, and voices echoed from a distance, so I broke into a run toward them. The closer I got, the clearer it became that a fight was underway.
And then I saw them—Midoriya, Iida, and Todoroki... and facing them was Stain. I arrived right as the situation was reaching a breaking point. Iida was exhausted and injured. Midoriya was trying to force himself back up, and Todoroki was keeping Stain under pressure.
Stain, however, was still capable of moving. "So you can still fight..." His voice was calm, yet an unsettling aura emanated from him.
Midoriya forced himself to his feet. "I won't let Iida die!"
Stain looked at him. "You..."
In that moment, I stepped into the alley. "Well, this is quite a mess." Everyone turned toward me. Midoriya's eyes widened instantly. "Mephisto?!"
"Yeah."
"What are you doing here?!"
"The same thing as you." I looked at Stain. "Trying to keep anyone from doing something stupid."
Todoroki glanced at me briefly. "Are you here with a hero?"
"No."
Iida gasped in surprise. "Then why are you here?"
"That doesn't matter right now."
Meanwhile, Stain raised his head. His gaze locked onto me. "Another one." He stood up slowly. "Another hero who thinks he has the right to decide who is worthy of the name."
"I'm not a hero."
Stain paused.
"I'm just a student." Silence fell for a moment, and then Stain attacked. His movement was swift, but I evaded him effortlessly. I spun around and stepped back a few meters.
Midoriya looked at me. "Mephisto, he's dangerous!"
"I gathered as much."
Stain readied himself for another attack. "A student..." His focus remained entirely on me. "Then why stand in my way?"
"Because I'm already here." A simple answer.
Stain charged. This time, I stood my ground. And right as he reached me, I moved. The shadow beneath my feet expanded. I reappeared behind him. Stain turned, but it was too late. I repelled him to the side, forcing him to fall back.
"You three," I said, looking at Midoriya, Iida, and Todoroki. "Are you still able to fight?"
Midoriya stood tall. "Yes." Iida tried to pull himself up. "I am as well." Todoroki simply nodded.
"Good."
I looked back at Stain. "Then let me finish this." In the distance, sirens were already wailing, approaching rapidly. Stain looked toward the main street for a second.
Then back at us. "So, more heroes are coming."
I smiled. "This time, you won't have anywhere to run."
Stain gripped his weapon tightly.