The Symbol of Peace and Justice

Chapter 22 – Cause and Consequence

"Eighteen!"

A vicious roundhouse kick sent a screaming man sailing through the air and smashing headfirst into a pillar.

"Nineteen!"

Another man was launched across the room courtesy of a side thrust kick, colliding with a pile of metal containers that quickly collapsed on top of him.

"Twenty!"

A woman was booted in the gut so hard she went straight through a metal table full of oddly coloured beakers, which fell to the ground and shattered, making the concoctions within ooze out and fizzle.

Mirko beamed as she admired her handiwork, her hands resting on her hips. "I got twenty! How you doing, kid?"

A short way away, past a ruined conveyor belt, Gohan was engaged in hand-to-hand combat with several crooks, while an array of bodies lay scattered around him. "Twelve, thirteen, fourteen," he counted, casually dispatching a trio of goons with three well placed chops to the back of their necks.

The last crook still standing – a shark heteromorph – dropped his metal pipe and tried to make a break for it, only to run into a fist with his gut. Eyes bulging and spittle flying, he slumped to the floor. "Fifteen."

Gohan then leapt to the side as a massive machine exploded beside him, and a hulking, blue-haired behemoth of a man jumped out of the wreckage. Somehow, this guy had managed to attach five of his buddies to his arms, legs and head. "You're dead meat, little man! My Big Emperor mode is gonna squash you like a bug!" he taunted.

Gohan scowled, instantly picking up on the resemblance… and as someone who adored the Power Rangers, this twisted bastardisation of a Megazord would not be allowed to stand.

Cackling maniacally, the Megadoofus lashed out with a wild haymaker, but Gohan ducked low and slid forward, and launched it into the air with a mule kick. He followed up by jabbing the air, shooting out a gust of wind that propelled it towards the roof, where it slammed against the ceiling, then plummeted back to the ground.

Catching the descending Megadoofus with one hand, Gohan dumped it onto the floor, where it split apart into six motionless crooks. "Umm, twenty-one?"

"Oh, hell no! That still only counts as one!" Mirko called out from across the room.

"Is that so? Then why do I count six subdued bad guys right in front of me?" Gohan fired back.

The faintest groan slipped out of the blue-haired crook, but that was enough for Mirko to leap over the conveyor belt and punt him like a football, sending him crashing into the far wall and sliding to the floor, unmoving. "Twenty-one! Ha! I win!"

"Hey! He was already down for the count!" Gohan protested.

"Doesn't count if he's not out cold," Mirko chided with a smirk. "For all we know, he could've had one final trick up his sleeve that would've taken out not just us, but the whole city block."

Gohan frowned. That… made sense. "Nothing to it then. It's your win, sensei."

"Hell yeah, it is! But hey, don't sell yourself short, kid! You kicked a lot of ass, too!" Mirko praised, punching him in the shoulder.

Scratching the back of his head, Gohan surveyed the chaotic scene around them: various machinery sputtered and crackled; conveyor belts were ripped apart; the walls had multiple human-shaped dents in them; shattered glass littered the floor, as did unknown substances that melded together and bubbled ominously… it was wild to think that all this damage had occurred over the space of five minutes.

Gohan didn't know what the process of cleaning up a destroyed drug production factory entailed, but he sincerely hoped the poor bastards tasked with such a job had a lot of help.

"Come on, kid, let's leave this dump. I need to give the cops a ring… this is gonna be good!" Mirko giggled, guiding him through a broken section of the wall; there used to be a door there, but she'd kicked it down to announce their arrival.

A whole squad of police officers arrived within minutes, led by a burly fellow with a handlebar moustache. As his team swarmed the warehouse, he took one look inside and paled, making Mirko chortle.

Now visibly fuming, he stormed over to the hero and shook his fist at her. "Damn it, Usagiyama! Look at this mess! I thought since you'd gotten yourself an intern, you'd finally show some goddamn restraint!" he snarled.

"Lay off me, chief! I had to show Gohan here we do things in this city!" Mirko retorted, a cheeky smirk forming on her features. "Besides, if you think I'm bad, wait till you see the kid's handiwork!"

Gohan's jaw dropped. "Hey! Don't throw me under the bus! You were responsible for at least ninety-five percent of the damage in there!"

Mirko chuckled. "Maybe so, but what about that incident at the burger place where that dude set himself on fire? Or when we took down those thugs who were beating people up with yo-yos? Or when that whacko tried to blow up that Ferris wheel? Or when those museum-"

"Ok, ok, you've made your point!" Gohan conceded, feeling the heat rise to his cheeks.

"See, chief? We're like two peas in a pod!" Mirko chirped, clapping him on the back.

The chief's thick moustache bristled, masking his expression. "So, you're Son Gohan, huh?"

"Yes, sir. Pleased to meet you," Gohan greeted, bowing his head. He'd always had a healthy respect for law enforcement.

"Well, at least you've got some manners, unlike Usagiyama here," the chief replied, making Mirko blow him a raspberry. His eye twitched. "Anyway, you impressed a lot of us down at the station, kid. You got serious potential. Just don't let Usagiyama drag you into anything you're not comfortable doing. Her brain doesn't work like a normal person's."

"Hey! I resent that!"

"Don't worry, sir. I trust Mirko-sensei's judgement," Gohan assured with a smile.

The chief gave him a stern stare, but accepted with a huff. "Alright then. Just keep what I said in mind. And you!" he growled, shoving a finger in Mirko's face. "Try to keep the environmental destruction to a minimum! Remember, you're supposed to be setting an example here!"

"Sorry, did you say something?" Mirko asked nonchalantly, picking her ear with her pinkie. "You'll have to speak up; my brain's not working like a normal person's."

The chief's jowls quivered, like a bomb about to burst. Before it could go off, though, he threw his hands up in defeat and slumped off, drawing a snicker from Mirko.

When he was out of earshot, she placed her hand on Gohan's shoulder. "Thanks for sticking up for me, kid. You didn't have to, but it means a lot that you did."

"It wasn't nice of him to say something so rude," Gohan reasoned, frowning at the retreating police officer.

"Aww, the chief's not so bad. He means well. He's just a stickler for doing things by the book, and he absolutely hates having to do paperwork 'cause of me," Mirko explained, sounding rather proud of the fact.

Gohan still didn't think that justified such a cruel comment, but if Mirko was ok with it, he wouldn't press the issue. "If you say so."

He felt a squeeze on his shoulder. "Come on, let's go get something to eat. My treat, for a solid day's work."

His stomach instinctively rumbled, breaking him out of his funk. A hand flew to scratch the back of his head. "Umm, sorry about that. I guess I'd forgotten how long it's been since I've eaten."

Mirko barked out a laugh. "Well, there's only one way to fix that! Come on! I know a really good steakhouse not far from here."

Gohan's felt his mouth begin to water, so he swallowed thickly lest he start drooling. As Mirko guided him away from the crime scene, he glanced back and saw a squad of officers clad in hazmat suits storm the warehouse. Just what in the world were they making in there?

Once the warehouse was out of view, Mirko clasped her hands behind her head and let out a deep, content sigh. "I dunno whether you're a magnet for bad guys, or my lucky charm! What are the odds of us finding a whole ass drug factory on your very first patrol?" she preened.

"I'll take either one, as long as I can keep doing what I'm doing," Gohan stated.

Mirko side-eyed him strangely. "You're really not phased by any of this, huh?"

"Honestly? Not really," Gohan admitted. Despite having only known Mirko for less than a day, he felt oddly at ease with her, to the point that he wasn't afraid of sharing his genuine feelings.

She whistled, impressed. "I gotta say, kid, if all sidekicks were like you, I would've gotten one years ago."

Gohan felt a sudden warmth well up in his gut, and couldn't help but crack a grateful smile. "Technically I'm an intern, not a sidekick."

"Oh yeah," Mirko grumbled. Her eyes then lit up. "In that case, how about you ditch U.A. and come work with me? It'll be fun! Just think of all the mayhem we could raise together!"

"As tempting as that sounds, I'm afraid I'm going to have to decline," Gohan replied. "I'm still a few years away from getting my full hero license, and I can't exactly do anything without one."

Mirko was undeterred. "Screw it! We'll get you a forged one! I know some guys who owe me a few favours! No one'll be able to tell the difference!"

Gohan laughed. "I appreciate the gesture, sensei, but we'd get found out straight away. You're way too high profile, and I have a ton of media attention on me because of the sports festival."

"I know, I know, I just think it's dumb," Mirko conceded with a huff. "You can handle yourself better than most of the pros I've worked with, and you've got a better attitude than any of 'em. I get that you're still a kid, but exceptions should be made in cases like yours."

"Thanks, sensei," Gohan remarked, genuinely touched by how much faith she had in him.

Mirko shot him a smirk. "You can thank me by not popping a stiffy next time we spar. There aren't many pros out there who can keep up with me, and I want to see exactly what you're capable of."

That made the smile slide right off Gohan's face. "S-sensei! Can you not say that out in public?" he stammered. "You never know who could be eavesdropping!"

"Bah, don't worry! If anyone tries to snoop, I'll hear 'em from a mile away!" Mirko boasted. "Buuut, you're probably right. I'll save the teasing for when we're in private. We're here, anyway."

Eager to have an excuse to scrub the mortifying reminder from his mind, Gohan followed Mirko's gaze and saw an enormous queue of people lining up for… something. He couldn't see what it led to, as the line snaked around a building, but it did make him wonder whether they were going to have to line up, too.

His question was answered when Mirko led him all the way to the front of the queue, where a tall, bespectacled man in a tuxedo stood at the foot of a small staircase. Behind him was a large rectangular building painted in dark colours, with a flashing neon sign that said 'Wagyu Empire'.

Upon noticing Mirko, the tuxedo-clad man flashed her a bright smile and bowed. "Miss Usagiyama, it's a pleasure to see you again. And with a guest, this time? How unexpected."

"Hiya, Toshi," Mirko chirped. "This is Son Gohan, my new intern."

Toshi's eyes widened in recognition. "Ahh, the winner of the sports festival. How fitting. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr Son," he greeted with another bow.

"Likewise," Gohan replied, fighting to keep his composure. He really wasn't liking all the curious gazes and grumbles being sent their way; that line was enormous.

Toshi typed something into his tablet and beamed at the duo. "You two may head inside, where Koto will look after you. I hope you have a lovely meal."

"Appreciate it, Toshi. Come on, kid," Mirko gestured, and Gohan was only too happy to oblige. He caught wind of a couple disparaging comments from the more disgruntled people in the queue, but he honestly couldn't blame them. They had to have been waiting for hours.

Just past the entrance, a raven-haired waitress – Koto – greeted them with a bow. "Miss Usagiyama, Mr Son, if you would follow me, please," she beckoned.

The lighting in the restaurant was quite dim, but that didn't stop the heroes from standing out like a pair of microwaved pizzas at a foie gras tasting.

"Whoa! That's the seventh-ranked hero, Mirko!" a woman whispered not-too-subtly. "I heard she comes here, but I thought those were just rumours!"

"And that guy with her is Iron Son Gohan, from the U.A. sports festival!" a man exclaimed, sounding just as giddy.

"Wow, you're right! What a team up!"

That got several of the other patrons worked up in a mild frenzy, but Gohan paid them no heed as Koto led them through the dining area, up a flight of stairs, and through another dining area, eventually reaching a private room in a secluded corner of the restaurant, far away from prying eyes and ears.

She smiled brightly at the pair and gestured for them to enter, so they did: Gohan taking a seat on the right side of the table and Mirko on the left. Two menus were placed before them. "I shall return in a few minutes to take your orders. In the meantime, can I get you something to drink?"

"I'll grab an Asahi," Mirko replied.

"Just a water, please," Gohan added.

Koto nodded. "Very well. Please excuse me."

Once she left the room, Gohan let himself relax and take in the comforting silence. He did feel a bit uncomfortable getting the VIP treatment, especially to the detriment of everyone else, but he supposed it was a necessary part of the job, and something he'd just have to get used to.

Glancing over at Mirko, he caught a curious glint in her eye. "Sensei?"

"Iron Son?" she queried with a raised brow.

Gohan grimaced. "A name the kids came up with for me on social media. I was really hoping it wouldn't take off."

Mirko chuckled. "That's all? It could've been a lot worse."

"You're not wrong there," Gohan conceded, shuddering at the thought.

"Kids are harmless. Just be glad you haven't gotten on the media's bad side," Mirko warned, casually flicking through her menu. "Those bastards love nothing more than building someone up, only to tear them down the moment they get a whiff of blood. That's what gets 'em the most views."

"You don't say," Gohan grumbled. The Golden Blur didn't even have the luxury of being built up; he'd been on the media's shitlist since day one, all because they couldn't unmask him. Hopefully Son Gohan would receive better treatment.

Figuring it was time for a change of subject, he flipped his own menu, only for his jaw to instantly hit the floor. "S-sensei, are you sure about this?"

"About what?"

"Paying for me," Gohan clarified. "These prices are outrageous."

"Sure I'm sure! I said it was my treat, didn't I?"

Gohan frowned. "Yeah, but I wasn't expecting it to be this expensive, and I feel bad-"

"Alright, I'm gonna cut you off right there before you really start to piss me off," Mirko interjected, her tone turning serious.

Swallowing thickly, Gohan set the menu down and gave the hero his full attention.

"I like you, kid. You genuinely don't understand how much I'm looking forward to working with you this week. But, you need to chill the hell out and stop! Being! So! Goddamn! High strung!" she enunciated.

"High strung?" Gohan repeated.

"High strung," Mirko confirmed. She stroked her chin and leaned forward. "I wouldn't exactly say I'm an expert at reading people, but you strike me as the kinda guy who would do anything for others, but wouldn't want others to do anything for him. Am I right?"

Gohan opened his mouth to respond, but nothing came out.

Mirko smirked. "Thought so. You just give off that vibe, ya know? I'm also going to assume you have a small circle of close friends and adults you trust, and that you don't really interact with people outside of that circle."

"Umm, I guess?" Gohan tentatively agreed. While he got along well with most of his classmates, it was true that he only really close to a small handful of them. As for adults, the only one he trusted wholeheartedly was Doctor Shuzenji. "I'm not sure what that has to do with this, though."

"Everything!" Mirko asserted. "It tells me you've lived a very sheltered life, and there's a good chance no one's ever called you out on this particular personality flaw."

"And I suppose you're going to rectify that?" Gohan asked, now moderately perturbed.

Mirko grinned. "Absolutely! So listen close, because I'm only going to tell you this once! First!" She raised a finger. "Who cares if some kids post stupid shit about you on the internet? Embrace it and laugh at it; it's not hurting anyone! Now, if the media starts hounding you, then you have a problem, but we'll cross that bridge if we ever get to it.

"Second!" She raised an additional finger. "Why does it bother if you if random strangers chat shit behind your back or look at you funny? They're probably just jealous of you, and wish they were in your position. I get that it's uncomfortable, especially to an introvert, but that's just human nature, and nothing's ever gonna change that.

"Third!" Another finger shot up. "Why's it such a big deal if someone buys you a gift or wants to treat you to something nice? Just let them do it! It's their choice, and their way of saying thanks. Trust me, you'd be offending them a lot more if you turned them down."

Gohan felt his gaze wither; everything Mirko was saying made perfect sense, but having it laid on him all at once was… confronting, to put it mildly, and he genuinely didn't know what to say. He felt a churning sensation in his gut, and it wasn't because of hunger.

Mirko's expression softened. "Look, Gohan – I'm not telling you to stop being you. I'm just telling you to… not be so uptight over everything you're not comfortable with, ok? All you're gonna do is worry yourself into an early grave.

All Might didn't become the best just because he's strong. He became the best because, in addition to being strong, he's charismatic, and always has a smile on his face. That's also why that sourpuss Endeavour's never gonna reach his level, no matter how hard he tries."

Sucking in a deep breath, Gohan exhaled sharply and steeled his features. "I know, sensei. I'll work on it, I promise."

"Good man!" Mirko praised, reaching across to clap him on the shoulder. After leaning back in her seat, her right ear twitched, and a light smile spread across her lips. "You can come in, Koto! I know you're out there!"

The door slid open, and a scarlet-faced waitress stumbled in. "Forgive me, Miss Usagiyama! I wasn't eavesdropping! I just heard loud voices and didn't want to intrude!"

Mirko laughed. "Easy there, Koto, I wasn't accusing you of anything! We're good – right, kid?"

"Yeah, we're good," Gohan agreed, managing to muster a smile. He knew it wouldn't be easy, and there were some things he couldn't not worry about, but he'd make a genuine effort to follow Mirko's advice. She wasn't wrong: he did need to loosen up.

Sighing in relief, Koto placed a tray on the table and handed them their drinks. "Are you both ready to order?"

"I am!" Mirko chirped. "I'll have an A5 wagyu tomahawk, medium rare. What about you, kid?"

Gohan quickly scanned his menu. "I'll have the same," he confirmed, figuring she knew what was good. While he had a solid idea of what most of the menu entailed, many of the options just sounded obnoxious. He did enjoy a bit of fancy dining every now and then, but as far as food went, rustic homecooked meals were his first love.

"Excellent," Koto exclaimed. "I'll be back with your meals shortly." With a bow, she was off.

Grabbing her beer, Mirko slowly poured it into a glass and watched giddily as a bed of foam bubbled to the top. There was still a bit left at the bottom of the bottle, so she held it out to Gohan. "You wanna polish this off?"

"No thanks!" he quickly replied.

Mirko chuckled. "Good answer."

As she slurped down what was left in the bottle, Gohan took a sip of his water and scrunched his face. He tasted something earthy in the liquid, as though it had been siphoned straight out of the ground. 'Huh.' Even the water in this place tasted expensive.

"So, you ready for a debrief?" Mirko queried.

Gohan nodded. "I'm all ears."

"Great!" Mirko grinned. "I'll start off by saying, you did some damn good work out there today. We helped a lot of people, and took out a lot of crooks. Hell, that was the most productive day of work I've had in years."

"I'm glad I could be of help," Gohan revealed. "It felt so good to finally be able to go out there and act like a hero."

"I know the feeling, believe me," Mirko remarked with a wistful sigh. "How the hell did you get so strong anyway?"

"A mixture of genetics and brutally tough training," Gohan declared.

Mirko raised an eyebrow. "Good attitude. Talent without hard work is just wasted talent. Having said that…" A devilish grin split her lips. "You handled yourself really well out there. I thought the only ones who could keep up with me were the top three, maybe top four, but you completely shattered my expectations."

"I, ahh, appreciate the kind words, sensei," Gohan mumbled, scratching the back of his head. He didn't like where this was going…

"It also makes me think you may have been holding back on me during our spar this morning," Mirko pressed, her scarlet eyes narrowing ever so slightly.

Gohan fought to keep a straight face. "Is that so?"

Fortunately, her features relaxed, even if the smirk never left her face. "Don't worry, you're entitled to your secrets. Just means it's up to me to draw out what it is you're hiding," she proclaimed, smacking a fist into her palm.

"R-right," Gohan stammered, opting to chug more of his water. One thing he'd realised about Mirko was that she didn't really dwell on her emotions. She'd address what she was feeling, then quickly move on as soon as something else caught her attention. It was quite admirable, in a way. He could never be that carefree.

Unfortunately, Mirko wasn't yet done with her interrogation. "Also, what was up with those love taps you were dishing out today?" she queried. "I know you could've sent those guys flying if you wanted."

"You're not wrong," Gohan confessed, setting down his glass and lacing his fingers together. He sighed. "I didn't want to cripple them, so I was aiming for their pressure points. I'm also trying to figure out the least amount of force needed to incapacitate someone. It's… a work in progress."

He wasn't lying. He'd become so used to zipping around as the Blur, that taking out goons in his base form while restricting himself to regular human speed, required a level of finesse he had yet to master.

He also didn't want to make it look too easy, which was something he never had to worry about as a Super Saiyan moving at untraceable speeds; he still had several years to go before he could operate independently, so he had to keep the scope of his strength in check lest he arouse suspicion.

"I figured that might be the case. You're too nice, ya know that?" Mirko accused, though not angrily. "Fair enough if that's how you wanna roll, but I hope you know you're just making things harder for yourself. Plus, you might not always have that luxury."

"I'm aware," Gohan confirmed with certainty. As long as innocent people's lives weren't at stake, he was content to take his time dispatching run-of-the-mill thugs.

Mirko scoffed, but smiled nonetheless. "I respect that. You got a good head on your shoulders, kid. I just hope that kindness doesn't come back to bite you in the ass."

"We can only hope," Gohan mused, returning her smile.

In a spot of good timing, Koto chose that moment to stroll back into the room with two plates balanced on her arms, which she placed before them.

Eyeing his with curiosity, Gohan found his gaze immediately drawn to the enormous slab of meat shaped like the axe it was named after. He also took note of a small portion of generic-looking salad, and a handful of thickly cut fries.

"I hope you both have a lovely meal," Koto expressed, bowing to the pair before departing.

Mirko wasted no time, grabbing her steak by the bone and ripping out a hefty chunk of meat with her teeth. Gohan, meanwhile, clapped his hands together and mumbled a quiet "itadakimasu."

With the formalities out of the way, he snagged a fry off his plate and popped it in his mouth. After two bites, his eyes lit up; the crispy, golden-hued exterior was perfectly seasoned, breaking apart with ease and giving way to a light, fluffy interior that melted on his tongue. He liked it a lot.

Grabbing his knife and fork, he opted to go for the steak next, cutting off a small piece and tasting it; his teeth easily broke through the crust, then met zero resistance from the buttery meat within. He tried to chew thoroughly, hoping to savour every ounce of flavour, but the meat was so tender it dissolved almost instantly.

Was this what made wagyu so special? The last time he'd eaten it had been at one of Bulma's parties back in the day, but that was so long ago he barely remembered the taste.

"What do you think?" Mirko asked.

Gohan swallowed, then paused momentarily to compose an answer. "It's… nice, I guess? I can see why it's so highly regarded, but I definitely don't think it's worth such an exorbitant price tag."

Mirko chuckled. "Me neither, but hey, welcome to fine dining in the heart of Tokyo. I wanted you to get a taste of what it's like to be at the top, 'cause you're gonna be here too one day."

Gohan's heart melted at the compliment. This woman was an absolute gem. "Thanks, sensei. And thanks for having so much faith in me."

"Anytime, kid," Mirko replied, flashing him a grin. "Now, eat up. We got a big day tomorrow, starting at eight on the dot! That means no more sleeping in – capiche?"

"But… you're the one that slept in," Gohan countered.

"Oi! I'm going for the serious sensei vibe here – stop trying to ruin it!" Mirko snapped.

"My apologises," Gohan remarked, raising his hands in a placating manner. "As you were, sensei."

"Too late! The moment's gone! Just shut up and eat your steak," Mirko grumbled.

Gohan couldn't help but chuckle as he dove back into his meal. She didn't need to tell him twice; who knew the next time he'd come to a restaurant this bougie.

Day two of the internship went much the same as day one, minus an incident on the scale of the drug bust. Gohan and Mirko sparred in the morning – with no embarrassing incidents, thankfully – then went out on patrol, where they handily dealt with a number of lower-level crimes.

Of everything that went down that day, the most notable occurrences included taking down a gang of luxury shoe thieves, exposing a fake psychic trying to swindle the masses, and stopping a deadly game of air hockey with an exploding puck – over a rental dispute of all things.

Day three was marginally less eventful, so Gohan and Mirko finished up their patrol early and returned to her apartment for a bout of late afternoon sparring.

They'd been going at it for about ten minutes when a thought crossed Gohan's mind. "If I didn't know any better," he began, weaving his way around an assortment of kicks trying to rearrange his face, "I'd think the only reason you wanted me as an intern was to have a sparring partner."

Halting her assault, Mirko gasped at the accusation and clutched her chest. "Gohan, I am offended! That's only sixty percent of the reason!"

Gohan laughed. "Knew it."

He was then forced to duck a spinning heel kick, dodge a side thrust kick, and dart away from a spinning back kick. "Stay still, you little- whoa!"

Going on the offensive, Gohan pressed forward with a series of precise punches aimed at Mirko's upper body; she dodged most of them, but a few hit their target, and the moment her guard wavered, he drilled a left hook into her gut. She gasped – for real this time – and dropped her hands.

His opening secured, Gohan stepped in with his right leg, bent low, and drove a right uppercut into Mirko's exposed chin; she managed to tilt her head up just enough to dilute the worst of the impact, but the force of the blow still sent her soaring.

To her credit, she somehow composed herself enough to backflip to her feet, albeit with a shaky landing. Huffing in mild exertion, she cracked her neck, then shot Gohan a feral grin, a bit of blood dripping from her mouth. "Not bad, kid! That one packed a wallop! Guess that's my fault for getting impatient, huh?"

"Pretty much," Gohan confirmed. That was the first time she'd ever lost her cool in one of their spars, and he couldn't help but capitalise on her mistake.

Mirko chuckled. "So that's your plan, eh? Cheeky brat! Let's see how you handle this!" Priming herself like an Olympic sprinter, she cartwheeled towards him, then lashed out with a vengeance. "Luna Ring!"

Like a human buzzsaw, her feet kicked out with such force she could have bifurcated a regular human, but the motion was quite linear, and all Gohan had to do to dodge was simply step aside.

However, the cartwheel was a feint; Mirko's next move was to plant her hands on the ground and drill a kick into his gut. "Luna Rush!"

Gohan blocked the initial strike, then parried the resulting flurry, and because his feet were rooted to the spot, Mirko was unable to gather enough momentum to push him back. Feeling her onslaught start to taper off, he shuffled forward and clenched his fist, only for his heart to skip a beat when a foreign ki signature pricked the edge of his senses.

"Luna Fall!"

Something smacked him from above, but he paid it no heed.

"Ow! Goddamn! What the hell is your head made out of?"

Gohan remained mute, his jaw hanging open and his eyes bulging as he sensed a further five, six, seven- no, twelve distinct ki signatures, making thirteen in total. What the fuck was going on?

"Hey, kid, you good? I didn't scramble your brain, did I?"

The genuine panic in Mirko's voice made Gohan blink, snapping him back to reality. Swallowing thickly, he turned to face her. "I'm sorry, sensei, but I have to go! I just sensed a bunch of strange ki signatures!"

"Wait, what? The hell are you talking about?" Mirko quizzed.

Gohan scrunched his face in frustration; he had to make this quick. "Do you remember the Nomu attack at the U.S.J.?"

Mirko crossed her arms. "Yeah, I read the report."

"Somehow, Nomu was able to use elements of my Quirk," Gohan explained, making her eyes widen. "I still have no idea how, but it allowed me to sense its energy. Now, I'm sensing thirteen different energy signatures, all similar to Nomu's.

All the colour drained from Mirko's face. "Shit, that's not good. Where at?"

"Hosu."

"Fuck. That's where Stain's been sighted."

Gohan's frown deepened. "I didn't even consider that, but now you know why I have to go."

"I do, but you ain't going anywhere without me," Mirko declared.

"You sure?"

Letting out a sigh, Mirko shook her head. "I get that you're freaking out, but use your brain, kid. If you go there by yourself, you'll land the both of us in deep shit."

Gohan grimaced. "Right. Of course. Sorry, sensei."

"Don't worry about it. Just give me a moment to get ready and then we'll head off."

Gohan nodded. "Of course, sensei. Thank you."

As she sped off, he left the gymnasium and threw on his cape and shoes. Stepping out onto the balcony, he inhaled as much fresh air as he could, then slowly let it all out. It was time to lock in; he couldn't afford to lose his cool.

Just then, Mirko pulled up beside him, clad in her hero gear with her hands on her hips. "You ready?" she asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Gohan exclaimed, steeling his features. "Follow my lead, ok?"

"Look at you taking charge! I like it!"

Bending his knees, Gohan took a short run up and leapt over the balcony, landing with ease on the building below before taking off in a sprint. Glancing back, he saw Mirko was hot on his heels, and when he leapt off the edge onto another building, she seamlessly followed suit.

By now he had a solid idea of her speed and manoeuvrability, so he could easily lower his own speed to match what she was capable of. Fortunately, as far as pro heroes he'd seen in action went, she was easily the fastest.

The world became a light blur as they bounded across rooftops under the fading light of the sunset, stopping only to sprint across construction beams suspended by cranes. He'd opted for the aerial approach because there was minimal traffic to get in their way, and because they were in the densest part of Tokyo, where skyscrapers were numerous. It was the next best thing to flying.

By the time the urban sprawl came to an end, they were close enough to Hosu that Gohan could spot several plumes of smoke in the distance. Cursing under his breath, he accelerated and descended upon the road, blitzing past pedestrians and vehicles fleeing the carnage.

His heart was racing too, but he didn't have time to quell it, his sole focus being on reaching the nearest ki signature and making sure no one was hurt.

Then, he saw it: a Nomu-like creature with an exposed brain hovering above a crater, surrounding by burning cars and broken-down buildings. An honest-to-goodness ki blast was flying from its mouth, its target being a terrified family of four huddled in front of a wall.

Picking up speed once more, Gohan blurred in front of the beam and backhanded it into the sky. Before the Nomu could process his arrival, he appeared above it and slammed a devastating kick upon its head, mercilessly driving it into the ground.

For good measure, he channelled some ki in his fingertips, then jabbed several spots on the downed Nomu's back, where he knew there'd be pressure points on a normal human's body. He had no idea whether it would actually be effective, but he had to try something to incapacitate these freaks.

Meanwhile, the ki blast he'd smacked away exploded in the early evening sky, briefly coating the street below in a bright orange hue.

A panting Mirko also appeared, hunching over to catch her breath. "Sheesh, kid! Give us a warning next- holy crap! That thing's ugly as hell!"

"Sensei, if this one's anything to go by, these guys are weaker than the Nomu from the U.S.J., but they can fly and shoot energy blasts," Gohan explained hurriedly. "I don't know what their regenerative capabilities are, but expect the worst."

Standing up straight, Mirko wiped the sweat off her brow and smacked a fist into her palm. "Don't worry, I'll make sure those bastards get what they deserve. You got a plan of attack? And remember, you're not alone here. Whatever you decide, I got your back."

Furrowing his brow in concentration, Gohan did a quick scan of the area. "There's a cluster of four Nomus right over there," he directed, pointing to the four closest ki signatures. "You deal with them, and I'll deal with the ones farther away."

Mirko nodded, a subdued yet still competitive smirk adorning her features. "Got it. Good hunting, kid."

"You too, sensei."

Once Mirko left, Gohan hastily assessed the defeated Nomu, and was pleased to note he could feel a faint yet unwavering energy. That meant his plan of clogging up its pressure points with ki had worked. The family he'd saved had also run off, meaning he had one less thing to worry about.

He didn't let himself rejoice, though; his work was far from finished. Risking a little more speed, he took off along a totalled highway and quickly spotted a pair of Nomus: one big and fat, and wielding a giant, fleshy hammer; and the other small and limber, carrying a blood-soaked spear.

The bigger Nomu had just smacked away a hero in a hockey mask, while its smaller brother was attempting to impale a horned and shirtless red-haired hero, who looked to be running on fumes. Not far away from the carnage, an octopus heteromorph lay immobile amidst the wreckage of a bus.

Immediately seeing a way to nail two targets at once, Gohan subtly altered his trajectory and rammed his shoulder into the bigger Nomu, knocking it into the smaller one, and sending them smashing into a house. A muffled crash was heard, and then the house – already on its last legs – quickly collapsed on top of them.

The masked hero staggered over to Gohan and clapped him on the back. "I don't know who you are, but thanks for the save!"

"Hey, I recognise you! You're Son Gohan from the sports festival!" his horned ally exclaimed.

As though a switch had been flipped, the masked hero went pale. "A kid?! Are you nuts? Get the hell out of-"

An ear-splitting roar had the three of them clutching their ears, before the remnants of the house exploded, and the two Nomus flew out, faint white auras coating their coal-black figures. Their weapons had been discarded, but their arms were extended, and holes had opened up where their hands used to be, making it look as though they had cannons attached to their bodies.

Sure enough, several ki blasts came shooting out of these holes, making the masked hero to cry out in panic. "Son! Look out!"

He tried to push Gohan out of the way, but the demi-Saiyan stepped forward and held out his hand. "Ha!"

The incoming ki blasts instantly dissipated, and the two Nomus were blown back by the force of the kiai. Speeding towards them, Gohan drilled an elbow into the smaller one's head, then leapt up and nailed the bigger one with an axe kick.

When they hit the floor, he dropped low and peppered the pair of them with a gatling gun-like barrage of ki-imbued finger strikes to their pressure points.

Once he was satisfied, he turned towards the two stunned heroes. "Make sure these two are restrained, then take care of your comrade. I'll go handle the others."

The masked hero frowned. "Now hold on a-"

"Don't argue with me!" Gohan snarled. "We don't have time for this!"

The horned hero placed a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder. "He has a point, man. Those things were tearing us to shreds, but he took them down like it was nothing. He can handle himself."

The masked hero pursed his lips in frustration, but ultimately relented with a tired sigh. "Fine. But don't you dare go and get yourself killed. I don't need a kid's death on my conscience."

Gohan nodded, then disappeared, weaving his way through a series of dilapidated streets while trying to keep track of what has happening elsewhere. Two ki signatures from where he'd sent Mirko had dwindled to almost nothing, while another, more distant ki signature, had vanished entirely.

He didn't have time to ponder who was responsible, as he quickly found the next Nomu: a hulking, four-legged monstrosity that was more beast than humanoid. Saliva dripped from its gaping maw, and its furry black body shook with anticipation as it stalked a short-haired blonde hero with a red scarf. Her arms were raised in a rudimentary guard, and she wore a look of resolute defiance, but the way her limbs trembled as if they'd been made of lead showed she'd already reached her limits.

Seeing the Nomu's forelegs bend, Gohan sped up yet again; the world around him slowed and his surroundings became a mild blur. He leapt atop a collapsed truck, bounded onto a streetlight, then launched himself directly above the Nomu.

The moment it pounced, he struck, slamming a palm strike to the back of its head and driving it into the ground. The cement cracked, then collapsed, creating a small crater and scattering debris in the air.

This particular Nomu may have been more animal than man, but its back looked close enough to its brethren that Gohan felt emboldened to go for the pressure points again, and within a few seconds, he was done. Shifting into a handstand, he flipped out of the crater and landed before the blonde hero, who gaped at him with bulging eyes. "You ok?" he asked.

"Y-yeah! Fine!" she stammered.

"Good. Go down the highway and you'll meet up with three other heroes," he suggested, pointing to where he'd come from. "Stick with them until things calm down."

The blonde nodded. "R-right. Thanks."

Then, Gohan was off. The next closest ki was by far the largest of this lot. It wasn't on the level of the Nomu from the U.S.J., but it wasn't too far off either.

Mirko had snuffed out another Nomu, but so had whoever was operating on the outskirts of Hosu. Now, there were four Nomus still standing, and one of them – the weakest of the bunch – was zipping around the city, its ki relatively steady. Gohan decided to leave that one for last.

Just then, a piercing shriek almost shattered his eardrums, but he clenched his teeth and shook it off. He couldn't let anything delay him – especially not now. Soon enough, he saw a wall of flames up ahead, and could faintly make out a large outline through the fire. Flaring his ki ever so slightly, he burst through the flames and screeched to a grinding half, finding himself inside a large plaza.

A thunderous roar instantly drew his attention to the centre of the plaza, where a massive, bipedal monster of a Nomu bellowed menacingly while beating its chest with two burly arms. So that was the bastard that had almost rendered him deaf…

It was big – at least twice the size of the Nomu that had attacked the U.S.J., and was covered from head to toe in an armour of bulging black muscles. Atop its elongated neck rested a head that resembled a lizard's more than anything, with a pronounced snout and razor-sharp teeth that seemed to be too big to properly fit in its mouth. Like the other Nomus, its brain was on full display, and had melded with a pair of thin, lidless reptilian eyes that were permanently narrowed into slits.

Craters of varying sizes dotted the cracked pavement, vehicles of all sorts had been flipped over and totalled, and a ring of fire raged around the outer edge of the plaza, trapping anyone unlucky to be within it.

Fortunately, there were no civilians present.

Unfortunately, there were heroes that were, and they were struggling.

"Fly! Watch out!"

The Fly – a hero with two wings that grew from his arms – looked up in fright as he crawled out of a hole in the ground, only to see a ki blast that the Nomu had spat out heading right for him. Then, it exploded.

"Fly! Nooooo!" a masked hero in a yellow suit cried out, sinking to his knees.

"Don't worry, I got him," Gohan assured, setting a shaking Fly down beside him.

The suited hero stared at his friend's saviour in shock. "H-h-h-how?"

With speed, of course – not that Gohan had time to answer, opting instead to rush over to the Nomu and stare the monster down. "Hey, ugly. How about you take me on for a change?"

Three other heroes had surrounded the beast – a guy made out of string, a guy with a red mask, and a white-haired guy in a black singlet – but they were bruised, bloodied, and struggling to even stand. They'd put up a valiant effort given the circumstances, but their fight was over.

"Son Gohan?"

"From U.A.?!"

"Get out of here! It's not safe!"

"How about you take your own advice for a change?" Gohan snapped at the white-haired hero, instantly shutting him up. What was up with these guys always telling him to go away, even after he'd saved their asses? Did they not see that he was perfectly capable of handing himself?

The Nomu didn't care, though, roaring in fury and raising its right fist like a hammer to smite Gohan where he stood.

"Son! Move!"

As the arm descended, Gohan grabbed it by the wrist, channelled ki into his fist, and jabbed the Nomu in the middle of its triceps.

Its right arm went limp, and it let out a bloodcurdling screech, forcing Gohan to grit his teeth. It trembled, and then a shockwave of invisible ki gushed from its body, sending the three heroes flying and making Gohan's cape flutter in the wind.

Still shrieking like a lunatic, the Nomu floated up to the sky and pointed its left hand at Gohan, then let loose a barrage of ki blasts; extending his own hands, he deflected each and every one of them as though playing a simple game of table tennis, peppering the Nomu full of holes with its own attacks.

When he saw its sinews start stitching themselves back together, and fresh flesh grow over the wounds, he couldn't help but mutter a curse under his breath. Regeneration was such a pain in the ass…

Still, he kept deflecting, and before too long, the Nomu was blanketed by a by a cloud of thick, grey smoke. Its onslaught stopped, but then it screamed, instantly dispelling the smoke. Flaring its aura and bending its legs, it descended, but all it stomped was the pavement; Gohan had leapt to the left, then struck out with a thrust kick that landed just below its quads.

Its right leg went limp, and it dropped to one knee. Roaring once more, it raised its left hand, forming a ball of ki, but Gohan grabbed its wrist and twisted hard, then pierced its triceps with another ki-imbued punch.

The Nomu spasmed, then went slack, and Gohan halted his assault. Was it… over? It couldn't have been! All he'd done was take out three of its limbs! These freaks could cop a lot more punishment than that, and this one in particular-

His nose twitched, and his vision became fuzzy; his instincts screamed at him to move, and he listened, leaping back from the Nomu just as a cloud of purple smoke erupted from its pores. Poison!

Extending his hands, he clapped them together, generating a gust of wind that both blew away the toxic fumes and staggered the devious creature responsible for them.

Unfortunately, he wasn't yet in the clear, as he quickly spotted a glowing, bulbous sphere travelling up the Nomu's serpentine neck. He stared at the thing, stunned, then felt his eyes widen upon sensing the building ki. "Everyone, run!" he roared.

"I-I can't!"

Gohan's gaze snapped to the voice, and his jaw dropped. Manual?! What the hell was he doing here?

Indeed, the Normal Hero was slumped on the ground, resting against a collapsed fire hydrant. A piece of rebar had pierced his leg clean through, and was now embedded in the flesh like a spear.

Gohan felt a flash of panic; if Manual was here, then Iida must've also- no! He had no time to dwell on that!

Bending his knees, he sprinted over to the downed hero and slung him over his shoulder, then leapt away just as the spot he'd been sitting was set ablaze by a blistering white energy, punctuated by a high-pitched screech.

With Manual now safe, Gohan turned to the Nomu and saw a literal laser beam of searing hot ki emitting from its mouth, carving a trench of pure destruction wherever it touched.

Realising this needed to end now, he muttered a silent apology to Manual, then charged forward; he ducked a horizontal sweep of energy, hopped over a second sweep, then sidestepped a vertical sweep and pounced, driving a kick through the Nomu's left patella and bringing the beast to its knees.

The laser beam fizzled out, and the Nomu's head dropped. Setting Manual down, Gohan strode over and locked eyes with the creature now that it was on his level. It snapped and snarled but otherwise remained silent, clearly incapable of any form of speech. Meanwhile, the fires it had started raged angrily in the background.

A punch was drilled into its sternum, the sides of its head were clapped to scramble whatever brains it had left, and a chop thumped the back of its neck, felling the Nomu for good.

"Wow!" Manual mumbled breathlessly. "How on earth did you manage that?"

"If an enemy insists on war, then you take away their ability to wage it," Gohan muttered, staring at his foe's downed form lest it tried to mount a comeback.

Despite his injuries, Manual chuckled. "You get that from a movie?"

"No. A martial arts master by the name of Toguchi Chozen."

"Huh. Never heard of him."

Finally satisfied that the Nomu was out cold, Gohan turned to Manual. "Is Iida around here?"

The man winced. "Unfortunately. He's gone after the Hero Killer."

"Stain?! Shit!" Gohan spat. "Do you know where exactly he went?"

Manual shook his head. "I don't. Sorry. We got split up the moment those things attacked."

Scrunching both his face and his fists in frustration, Gohan willed himself to calm down. Losing his cool right now wouldn't help anyone. Exhaling sharply, he locked eyes with the wounded hero. "Will you be ok here?"

Manual glanced past Gohan's shoulder, then shot him a shaky thumbs up. "I'll be fine. Help's on its way. You just focus on making sure Tenya's safe."

Following his gaze, Gohan saw four of the heroes from earlier rushing towards them, with the yellow-suited one carrying the Fly on his back. The white-haired hero raised his hand. "Son! Wait up!"

But wait Gohan did not – for now he'd unlocked a whole new level of urgency.

Speeding out of the plaza, he leapt atop a building and booked it towards the larger of the two remaining ki signatures. All the Nomus in Mirko's area had been taken down, and the one he was currently chasing was wavering. He didn't know who had engaged it in combat, and he doubted Iida was there, but the sooner he tied up all his loose ends, the sooner he could properly search for his friend.

The world slowed to a crawl as he hopped across four buildings, dove through a clocktower, and bounced off a church, letting the momentum propel him through the air until he landed on a residential complex just above his target. Peering over the edge, he saw a torrent of flames literally incinerate the Nomu, and stepped back in shock.

Endeavour was here too?! Did that mean Todoroki had tagged along? Endeavour was alone down there, but if he knew Todoroki…

Suppressing the sinking feeling in his gut, he swivelled around and set off for the final Nomu at breakneck speed; he'd just hopped across two buildings, when he felt its ki spike! That was the first time it had spiked all evening!

Gritting his teeth, he accelerated, allowing the white aura of his ki to cloak his form as though he were a shooting star.

Then, he saw it: a small, gargoyle-like creature fleeing the scene, something small and green trapped in its talons. His eyes narrowed in confusion, and his heart skipped a beat. "M-Midoriya?!"

Spreading his fingers like a claw, he shot forward like a rocket and dug his digits into the Nomu's back, piercing its flesh and mercilessly driving it into the ground; he snatched Midoriya away with his free hand, and then the Nomu smacked down like a meteorite, skidding along the road and carving a trench through the cement.

When the debris had settled, Gohan set his friend on his feet and looked him up and down: his hero costume was torn in several places, his skin was dotted with bruises, and his right arm hung a bit lower than the left, but his emerald eyes still blazed with determination.

"S-Son?" Midoriya mumbled.

Unable to help himself, Gohan cracked a small smile. "Hey, bro. Fancy meeting you here."

"Son! I can't tell you how relieved I am to see you!"

Wait… Iida?

"You sure took your time getting here."

And Todoroki, too?

Sure enough, just a few metres down the road were a bloodied Iida on one knee, struggling to even stand, and an exhausted Todoroki slumped against a brick wall.

And, if that wasn't enough of a shock, not far off was the goddamn Hero Killer himself, tied up and clearly unconscious, and being guarded by a man dressed like a Native American.

What felt like the weight of the world slid off Gohan's shoulders, and he breathed a long, deep sigh of relief. The only thing keeping him from sinking to his knees was a sudden surge of frustration. "For Kami's sake, guys! You have no idea how worried I was about you! Seriously, Iida – what the hell were you thinking, going after Stain all by yourself?"

"My humblest apologies, Son!" Iida remarked, staggering to his feet and bowing his head. "I let my emotions get the better of me, and for that, I am truly sorry!"

Gohan felt a migraine forming and wearily rubbed his temples. "I know you wanted revenge, man… I get it. Believe me. But why didn't you talk to any of us? Why didn't you talk to me? I would've helped."

"Forgive me, my friend! I knew my actions were most irresponsible and unheroic, and I didn't want to burden anyone with my problems!" Iida confessed, choking up.

Gohan twitched. 'Didn't want to burden anyone?' Now why did that sound so familiar?

Sighing once more, he shook his head and strode over to his bespectacled classmate, clapping him on the shoulder. "It's fine. I'm just glad you're safe. All of you, for that matter."

"Y-you're too kind!" Iida blubbered.

"Honestly, we're lucky to have got off as well as we did," Midoriya admitted, coming to stand beside Gohan.

"Yeah. Even with the three of us teaming up, we still barely survived," Todoroki added, sounding none too pleased. "It was only when Stain screwed up and got careless that we were able to take advantage."

"So you guys really did take him out, huh?" Gohan asked rhetorically, walking over to the defeated Stain and casting a cursory glance over their handiwork. "Wow. That's seriously impressive. This guy was no joke."

"Your friends also saved my life, and for that, I will be forever grateful," the man guarding Stain proclaimed.

"This is Native," Midoriya introduced.

"Pleased to meet you, sir," Gohan greeted, holding out a hand which Native promptly shook.

"The pleasure is all mine, young man."

"I hate to admit it, but we could've used your help, Son. What took you so long?" Todoroki inquired.

Gohan was confused. "Huh? What do you mean?"

Todoroki eyed him oddly. "Did you not get Midoriya's text?"

"Text?" Gohan repeated. He whipped out his phone, and true enough, there was a message from Midoriya with these exact coordinates. "Well I'll be damned. Sorry, I didn't even think to check my phone."

"I see. I'm guessing you were busy fighting Nomus?" Todoroki extrapolated.

"Yep."

"Of course you were. And that one you just took out – is he…"

"Dead? Nah, just knocked out," Gohan informed him. "I'm not a murderer. I'm also holding out hope that whatever was done to these guys can be reversed, and they can go back to normal. They're victims too."

"I see."

Native cleared his throat. "You boys look like you have some catching up to do, so I'll go see if I can get in touch with both an ambulance and the police," he stated, pausing briefly to stare warily at their captive. "I don't think he's going to be waking up anytime soon. I've been watching him like a hawk, and he hasn't so much as twitched. I'll be back as soon as I can."

Midoriya flashed the man a smile. "Thanks, Native. See you in a bit."

"Hmm," Gohan mused, leaning in to assess the damage done to Stain. "Frostbite, burns all over, a broken leg, what looks like a fractured wrist… ahh, a broken jaw, too. I'm guessing he also has some internal bleeding."

Stepping back from the defeated villain, he couldn't help but frown. "I know this guy's a massive scumbag, but if he doesn't get medical attention soon-"

"Who's a scumbag?"

Gohan's eyes widened. "Wha-"

The ropes binding Stain snapped, and the Hero Killer got on one knee, each of his limbs trembling with exertion. "I was just waiting-"

"No! Stain!" Iida roared.

"Son! Get back!" Midoriya screamed.

Even Todoroki was panicking. "Hold on! I'll be-"

"Stay back!" Gohan demanded, holding out a hand to stop them from getting closer.

"- waiting for the perfect time… to escape!" Stain ground out through gritted teeth, blood seeping out of his mouth.

"This guy's on death's door," Gohan observed, watching Stain shakily rise to his feet. "He's no threat to anyone anymore."

"Death's door? I can't die here… not until… not until I've… completed my purge!" Stain screeched, his ghoulish face contorted in agony.

"Purge? What purge?" Gohan pressed.

A bloodied knife slipped from Stain's hands. "There are too many… fake heroes in this world… who only care about… only care about money and fame!" Stain stammered, staggering forward on unsteady legs. "Too many… criminals… who only care about… petty mischief! For the sake of… of a better society… I must… drench the streets… in their blood!"

Gohan couldn't believe the kind of depravity this guy was spewing. "Are you insane? What gives you the right to kill anyone who doesn't fit your narrow-minded definition of a hero?"

"Kill?" Stain repeated, swinging left and right. "Until I… complete my purge… the only ones I'll let… I'll let kill me are… All Might and… the Golden Blur!"

Having finally reached his limits, he fell forward and smacked face-first into the pavement.

Gohan stared at the unconscious villain in stunned silence, unable to believe what he'd just heard… it was only the sight of blood pooling beneath Stain's body that snapped him back to his senses. "Shit! He's gonna bleed out if he doesn't get help soon!"

"Wh-what do we do?" Midoriya stammered as Iida and Todoroki hobbled over.

"First I'll move him into the recovery position, so he doesn't choke to death," Gohan exclaimed, leaning down and shifting Stain onto his side, only to pull back his hands and see they were caked in red. "He's still losing too much blood though! Damn it!"

"It's everywhere, too," Todoroki observed.

"We have to make a tourniquet!" Iida supplied.

Gohan's eyes widened. "Of course!" Ripping off his cape, he tore out a chunk and put it up to Stain's body. It fit! "I don't have anything to disinfect the wounds, but this'll have to do for now! I'll need you guys to hold him steady while I tie this around his body! Quickly! We're running out of time!"

"On it."

"Of course!"

Gohan nodded as the pair moved into position. "Midoriya – I'll need you to tear off strips that are big enough to cover each of his limbs!"

"R-right!"

With his classmates' assistance, and liberal use of his cape, Gohan was able to individually bandage up Stain's torso, arms and legs, leaving him looking like he'd come straight out of an ancient Egyptian sarcophagus. The bleeding temporarily quelled, he moved Stain back into the recovery position, and only then did he let out the breath he'd been holding.

"Thanks, guys. I wouldn't have been able to manage that without you," he admitted, wiping the sweat off his brow.

"No, Son… thank you," Iida mumbled. "I thought I wanted Stain dead, but when he started bleeding out, I-I felt disgusted with myself! I couldn't stomach the thought of being responsible for another person's death – even someone as despicable as Stain!"

"Don't ever lose that humanity, Iida," Gohan consoled, flashing his friend a gentle smile.

"Don't worry. I won't."

"I can't believe he was still standing despite all his injuries," Todoroki commented.

"Me neither," Midoriya added. "The three of us hit him with everything we had, but it still wasn't enough to beat him."

Gohan shook his head. "Nah, you guys definitely did enough damage to take him down. It's just that his strength of will kept him going long past his limits. By the end of it, he was running on literal fumes."

"What a frightening man," Iida muttered.

"Indeed," Gohan concurred. Just then, his ears caught wind of something in the distance… voices, perhaps? Of people arguing? "Hey, can you guys hear that?"

"I do hear something," Midoriya acknowledged.

The four students paid rapt attention, and just as Gohan thought, two distinct voices became clear.

"- completely irresponsible!"

"Oh, lighten up! Just because back in your day they fought with sticks and stones, doesn't mean you have to be jealous of kids today!"

"Wha- sticks and stones?! I'm not even seventy yet!"

"Ya sure? Could've fooled me!"

A wide grin split Gohan's lips; only one person he knew was that unabashedly gifted at getting under people's skin… and sure enough, she came round the corner with two others in tow. "Mirko-sensei!"

"And Gran Torino!" Midoriya exclaimed.

"Of course Endeavour had to be with them," Todoroki groaned.

"Hiya, kids!" Mirko chirped, flashing them a cheery wave. "Who's the mummy?"

"Stain," Gohan stated.

Mirko's eyes widened slightly, while Gran Torino's jaw hit the floor. "Whoa, for real?! Did you take him out, too?"

"No, they did," Gohan revealed, pointing at his classmates.

Mirko whistled appreciatively. "Seriously? Goddamn. Talented crop this year, huh?"

"Talented… but irresponsible!" Gran Torino snapped, dashing forward with a speed that belied his advanced age and burying his foot in Midoriya's face. "Did I not tell you to stay in your seat?"

"S-sorry!" Midoriya stammered.

"Well, at least you're still alive," Gran Torino grumbled, hopping back down and crossing his arms. "Damn kids these days… all full of piss and vinegar."

Mirko chortled. "Piss and vinegar? Really? And you wonder why I say the things I do."

"Shaddap!"

"Shoto, are you well?" Endeavour asked his son.

"I'm fine," Todoroki snapped, unwilling to look his father in the eyes.

"Is it true you had a hand in the Hero Killer's defeat?"

"Yes."

A barely perceptible flash of something crossed Endeavour's face, but Gohan wasn't able to make out what it was. "I see. Good job," the second-ranked hero praised, only for it to fall on deaf ears.

Iida, meanwhile, was observing their interactions with concern etched on his features. "Have any of you seen Manual?"

"Oh yeah, he's fine," Mirko assured him. "Has a giant hole in his leg that he had to get patched up, but he'll live. He said he'll come see you in a bit."

Iida sunk to his knees, exhaling in relief. "Thank goodness."

"Speaking of which…" Mirko began, strolling over to Gohan and jabbing him in the ribs with her elbow. "I took a tour of the city and had a look at some of your handiwork. Impressive stuff! How many Nomus did you take out in the end?"

"Six," Gohan answered.

"Nice!" Mirko beamed "I absolutely tore through those four you told me about! Bastards didn't even know what hit 'em!"

Gohan smiled. "Good job, sensei."

"How about you, Endeavour?" Mirko queried, shooting the man a cheeky grin. "How many did you get?"

Endeavour chose not to respond, opting to walk away from the group with his hands shoved in his pockets.

"Well someone's grouchy tonight," Mirko muttered under her breath. "I wonder what crawled up his ass and died."

"I think it's because he only took out three Nomus," Gohan whispered in her ear.

Mirko snorted. "Oh yeah, that's right! There were thirteen of those freaks! Good job, kid! You beat the Number Two!"

"So did you."

Just then, an excited Native sprinted out of the alleyway, proudly holding a phone aloft. "Hey, guys! I got in touch with-"

He froze, his eyes darting from Gohan and Mirko, to Midoriya and Gran Torino, to Endeavour, and finally to Stain's mummified body, lying in a pool of blood. The phone slipped from his hands and shattered on the cement.

"Wh-what on earth happened here?" he stammered. "It hasn't even been ten minutes!"

Midoriya let out a nervous chuckle. "Y-yeah, umm, about that… you'd better sit down for this. It's kind of a long story."

A couple of hours after the Nomu attack, Gohan found himself in a hospital room with Midoriya, Iida and Todoroki, the trio looking significantly gloomier than the last time he'd seen them; he figured it due to the adrenaline from earlier having long since left their bodies.

The three of them sported a variety of bandages, while he was still clad in his hero outfit, sans the cape. There had been a whirlwind of activity following the evening's events, and he didn't have the opportunity to go back to Mirko's for a change of clothes.

Scanning his wounded classmates, he suppressed the urge to frown. All of this could've been avoided if Iida had just come to him for help.

Still, he'd already said his piece on the matter, and dwelling on it further wouldn't be of help to anyone. "How you guys holding up?" he asked.

Midoriya gingerly shook his right arm. "I may have pushed myself a bit too hard against Stain, but the worst I got was a fractured wrist. I also have a leg wound, but it's nothing to worry about."

'Thank Kami for that,' Gohan mused, glad his protégé had some sense. The last thing he needed was for him to go back to blowing his arm up just to juice up his Quirk.

Iida lowered his head, looking worse off than the others as both of his arms were in a sling. "I'm not sure what the extent of the damage is. They'll need to do further tests."

Gohan frowned, his earlier frustration evaporating. "I'm sorry, bro. Hopefully it's nothing too serious." When Iida stayed silent, he turned to the last of the trio. "How about you, Todoroki?"

"I'm fine," the heterochromic boy muttered.

Gohan blinked, taking note of the large bandage covering his left wrist. "Alright." He wouldn't pry further.

"Not that I don't appreciate the concern, but why are you here?" Todoroki queried. "You clearly don't need medical attention."

Gohan scratched the back of his head. "Honestly, I don't have a clue. Mirko-sensei just told me to come chill with you guys, and that they'll be up shortly."

"Who?" Todoroki pressed.

All Gohan could do was shrug. "Dunno."

Midoriya pursed his lips. "I have a bad feeling about this."

"As do I," Iida added, looking rather sullen. "I would assume it's in regards to our punishments for unlawful Quirk use."

Gohan palmed his face, grimacing. "Of course." What else could it have been?

"You don't seriously think they're going to punish us, do you?" Todoroki asked, now sounding a tad agitated.

"Rules are rules," Iida mumbled.

"But we took out Stain, and Son took out a bunch of Nomus!" Todoroki spat. "They should be giving us medals!"

"M-m-maybe you're both jumping the gun?" Midoriya suggested. "Let's just wait to see what it's really about."

Fortunately, they didn't have to wait long, as the door opened to reveal Mirko, Manual, Gran Torino, Endeavour, and an absolute unit of a man with the head of a dog, who Gohan didn't recognise. Suddenly, he felt a mild queasiness well up in his gut; the room had become awfully crowded…

"Tough bunch of brats we got here, huh?" Mirko greeted with a grin. "I figured at least Specs would be out like a light!"

"Now come on, Miss Mirko, isn't that a bit insensitive?" Manual chided.

Before she could bite back, Gran Torino cleared his throat. "Now, now, you two, we're here on business. Let's try and keep things professional."

"Gran Torino's right. Let's get this over with over with so we can all go home," Endeavour grumbled.

Mirko stuck out her tongue at him, but was promptly ignored.

"Gentlemen, this is Tsuragamae Kenji, Hosu City's chief of police," Gran Torino introduced, gesturing to the dog heteromorph.

Gohan grimaced. 'Ahh, crap.'

"So, you're the U.A. students responsible for taking down the Hero Killer," the chief barked, his beady brown eyes scanning over the three bedridden boys. "I'll start off by saying that he's currently in intensive care, receiving treatment for burns, frostbite, broken bones and internal bleeding. Had it not been for that makeshift bandage job, he might very well have bled out and died. Still, he's a remarkably sturdy individual, and the doctors expect he'll make a full recovery."

The trio shared a look, and it wasn't a celebratory one. The vibe in the room was… off.

If Chief Tsuragamae noticed, he didn't comment. Instead, he cleared his throat. "When Quirks first appeared, the police chose not to use them as weapons in order to maintain the status quo. That left a void that would eventually be filled by professional heroes… provided they had the necessary qualifications.

"Authorising the use of Quirks as weapons was heavily criticised at first, but it proved to be the right decision, and quickly garnered public support – and it has maintained that public support, all these years later, because your predecessors acted morally and upheld a strict code of ethics.

'Quit pontificating and get to the point already!' Gohan growled in his mind, not liking where this was going.

"But," the chief barked, "using Quirks without permission, and hurting others without the necessary qualifications, would constitute a serious violation of the law… regardless of whether it was against a petty thief, or the Hero Killer himself. In light of tonight's events, you three, as well as your mentors – Endeavour, Manual and Gran Torino – must be dealt with strictly and impartially."

Gohan's heart sank.

"Now hold on a minute!" Todoroki exclaimed, hopping off his bed.

"Shoto! Sit down!" Endeavour snarled, but to no avail.

"If Iida hadn't acted, Native would've been killed, and if Midoriya hadn't shown up, both of them would've died! No one even knew Stain was there!" he lectured sharply. "Should we have let all these people die, just to follow your stupid law?!"

"That's enough!" Endeavour roared.

"Isn't it a hero's job to save innocent lives?! What's the point of using our powers for good in times of crisis if all it results in is us getting punished?!"

By now Endeavour looked close to erupting; the temperature in the room had raised at least ten degrees. "That! Is! Enough!"

"Oi, take it easy! The kid has a point!" Mirko scolded.

"That's quite enough, Endeavour," Chief Tsuragamae warned, raising his hand. Todoroki was still fuming, but the chief remained composed. "Your spirit is admirable, young man, but you still have much to learn about how the world works. Everything I've just told you… is the official stance of the police department."

Todoroki's scowl softened, but only marginally. "Huh?"

Gohan was similarly confused.

The chief rubbed his chin. "The real question is whether or not to deal with this issue publicly. If we let the real story out, you three will be lauded as heroes, but you won't be able to avoid punishment.

"On the other hand, we could say Endeavour was the one to defeat Stain. His burns would support this story completely, and we could pretend you weren't involved. This does mean you won't receive the accolades for having taken down a notorious villain, but you'll be able to go on with your lives as normal."

Flashing the trio a dog's equivalent of a smile, the chief spread his hands invitingly. "I'd like to think I'm a fair guy, and I'd hate to punish three promising young heroes for an impeccable display of heroism… even if it was an admittedly major violation of the law. What do you say, boys?"

Gohan couldn't believe what he was hearing! A cover-up?! Even Mirko looked perturbed.

Todoroki scoffed. "Can't say I'm happy about letting this guy take credit for our hard work, but if that's what it takes, so be it."

"Don't for a second think I'm happy about this either, boy," Endeavour growled, finally looking to have calmed down. He crossed his arms with a huff. "This isn't the way I do things."

"I accept," Iida proclaimed, bowing his head to the chief.

"Me too," Midoriya added with a bow of his own.

Chief Tsuragamae nodded. "Excellent. I'm glad to hear that. Now, there's one final matter we have to deal with…"

Gohan gulped as everyone in the room turned to face him. That queasiness in his gut from earlier had morphed into something malicious, making him feel genuinely sick, but he steeled his features, unwilling to show even a hint of weakness.

"The prodigal Son Gohan, champion of the U.A. sports festival," the chief lauded, locking eyes with the demi-Saiyan. "You've already made quite a name for yourself. Hasn't he, Mirko?"

"He's the real deal, alright," Mirko chirped.

The chief sighed and stroked his snout. "You've left us in quite a predicament, my boy. The Hero Killer incident – we could easily sweep that under the rug because there were no eyewitnesses. Your actions, on the other hand, have been all social media… and as I'm sure a youngster like you is aware, once a story takes off on the internet, it's almost impossible to suppress it."

"I see," Gohan replied. What else could he say to that? This was the twenty-second century; anything and everything was connected to the internet in some capacity!

"Let's see now… there are blurry photos of you fighting Nomus, the testimony of a family you saved, a news crew captured your fight against that giant Nomu, a couple of heroes have given interviews praising your assistance," the chief ticked off. "Oh! There's also a short clip of you talking to the Hero Killer. We're quite not sure how that got out."

"So what now?" Gohan asked, his countenance stern, even if on the inside his stomach was churning.

The chief frowned. "To put it bluntly: your actions earlier this evening have been the most egregious violation of Quirk regulation laws I've seen in my forty years on the force, and that… just can't be ignored."

"Now wait just a minute!" Mirko snarled, storming over to stand beside Gohan and placing a hand on his shoulder. "All the kid did was follow my orders!"

"S-sensei?" He felt a gentle squeeze.

"I'm the one who told Gohan we should split up to go fight those Nomus! I know what he's capable of, and I trusted him wholeheartedly to go off on his own and give those freaks a beating – and he did! He embarrassed the hell out of them and saved several lives along the way – including Stain's! He should be getting a key to the goddamn city for everything he's done!"

The chief's expression turned grave. "Mirko, are you admitting to sending a child without even a provisional hero license, off on his own to fight several highly dangerous villains?"

"Hell! Fucking! Yes I am!" Mirko grinned defiantly. "And I don't regret it for a second – because Son Gohan is a more competent hero than ninety-nine percent of the pros you've got roaming the streets!"

The room was dead silent; not even a breath could be heard. Endeavour's eyes were wide, the other heroes' jaws had hit the floor, and Gohan's classmates looked stunned… as for him, all he could do was stare at Mirko in shock, his heart racing a hundred miles a minute.

Then, an epiphany struck: no matter the time, day, planet or dimension, he vowed to protect this woman with every fibre of his being. Anyone… anyone at all who sought to do her any kind of harm, would face the full scope of his wrath – and he would not be merciful.

Chief Tsuragamae rubbed the bridge of his nose, looking every bit the grizzled veteran he claimed to be. "This… does change things, but that doesn't make my job any easier," he grumbled. "It's true that what he did was against the law, but it's also true that he helped save many lives. Plus, because of his skill and restraint, none of the Nomus died.

"If we were to… punish him, there would no doubt be a massive backlash, and we'd take a major PR hit. However, rules are rules, and letting such behaviour go unpunished would set a bad precedent. Just because Son Gohan may be a one-in-a-million prodigy, doesn't mean there won't be impressionable young children out there wanting to emulate his behaviour."

Gohan frowned. That… wasn't something he'd considered, but then, one could extend that level of cautiousness to just about anything. He didn't think it was fair to single him out, all because of one hypothetical scenario.

"That being said, Mirko's confession does change things," the chief mused, giving Gohan his full attention. "Given the circumstances, I think the fairest outcome would be to cancel your internship and place you on house arrest for the remainder of the week."

'What?!'

"Of course, you'll still be allowed to leave your apartment for grocery shopping and exercise. You're not in prison or anything. Consider it a… vacation of sorts, for a job well done," the chief reasoned, trying to sound kind but failing miserably. "Your guardian will be notified of these developments."

"That's bullshit, and everyone here knows it," Todoroki spat.

"Shoto…" Endeavour warned.

"It's ok, Todoroki," Gohan interjected, flashing his classmate a sad smile. "I accept my punishment."

Todoroki crossed his arms with a huff, still visibly unsatisfied, but placated for the moment.

Clearing his throat, Chief Tsuragamae turned to Mirko, and his brow furrowed. "As for you, Mirko… you'll be able to resume your hero duties as per usual, but you'll have to pay a hefty fine for negligence and breaching your duty of care. Furthermore, you'll be banned from taking interns for two whole years."

"Is that all? Wow, I sure got off light, huh?" Mirko joked, grinning at the dog man. "Hey, how about you take my house too, for good measure? Just really drive the point home, ya know?"

"Don't push it, Mirko. Consider yourself fortunate that you're as popular as you are," the chief warned. "We could do without any more negative press."

'Negative press?!' What the hell kind of twisted system was this when public relations and archaic regulations took precedence over doing what was morally just?

Gohan's mind was now an absolute mess of emotions; he'd gone through the stages of anxiety, grief, reluctant acceptance, and now, a burning fury that threatened to engulf him – all in the space of a handful of minutes!

Still, he fought to hide every single ounce of rage he was feeling, schooling his anger behind a mask of submission.

Clearing his throat again, Chief Tsuragamae addressed the room. "I apologise for keeping you all up so late. I know you must be exhausted. Don't worry, we're almost done. Now…" He turned towards Midoriya, Iida and Todoroki. "As someone whose main priority is protecting the innocent, I would like to thank you gentlemen for putting an end to the Hero Killer's reign of terror. I apologise that you won't be able to receive your just rewards, but such is the world we live in. In order to keep the peace, we must all make concessions, whether we like them or not."

Then, he bowed, much to the trio's surprise. They still didn't look pleased, but nodded nonetheless.

Finally, the chief locked eyes with Gohan and tilted his head. "And for you, Son Gohan, I would also like to extend my sincerest and most heartfelt thanks for your exceptional displays of bravery and heroism. You helped save my city and its citizens – and for that, I will be forever grateful."

He bowed once more, but Gohan cared little for it. When he stood back up, his beady brown eyes had narrowed ever so slightly.

"However, it would be remiss of me to not give you fair warning, too. At the end of the day, you still broke the law – that is non-negotiable. You were fortunate that Mirko was the one at fault this time, but you won't have that excuse to fall back on should it happen again… and should that be the case, the consequences will be far more severe."

Gohan nodded. "I understand, sir."

"I'm glad to hear it," the chief replied. "Now then, I bid you all a good evening, and I hope our next meeting will be under far more pleasant circumstances."

With that, he was gone, Endeavour hot on his heels. Gran Torino and Manual went over to chat to their interns, and Mirko leaned closer to Gohan. "How you holding up?" she whispered.

"Horrible," he admitted.

She chuckled mirthlessly. "That's the cruel reality of the world we live in, kid, but you can't let it break your spirits. Accept it, move on, focus on the things within your control, and try to be the best hero you can be."

Gohan had nothing to say to that, so Mirko gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze.

"I'll give you a moment with your friends. Come see me outside when you're done."

She then left the room, with Gran Torino and Manual following suit, leaving the four boys in silence. Gohan didn't know what to say, Midoriya looked downcast, and Iida looked absolutely devastated. Todoroki was simply staring at the ceiling, but that wasn't too unusual, given he was by far the most reserved of the group.

It did, however, make it all the more surprising when he ended up being the one to break the silence. "Son."

"Hmm?"

"How much of what Mirko said about giving you orders was true?" Todoroki asked.

"None of it," Gohan confessed. "She put me in charge, and I called all the shots."

Todoroki smirked. "Thought so. You picked a good hero to intern under, Son."

"The best," Gohan corrected.

"I'm sorry, Son. It's not fair you're being punished for doing the right thing," Midoriya muttered.

"No, it most definitely is not," Iida concurred with a weary sigh. "The past few days have given me much to think about."

"Try to get some rest first," Gohan suggested. He nodded towards Midoriya and Todoroki. "The same goes for you guys, too. I'll see if I can come visit tomorrow. As it so happens, my schedule for the rest of the week has just opened up."

That drew a small laugh out of Midoriya, which was good enough for him. Bidding his classmates a final farewell, he was off.

Outside the room, he found Mirko leaning against a wall with her arms crossed. Upon seeing him, she perked up and walked on over. "How'd you go in there?"

"I'm sorry, sensei."

Mirko looked puzzled. "Sorry? For what?"

"For getting you in trouble and making you pay a fine," Gohan replied. "I know how much you were looking forward to the internship. I was too, for what it's worth."

"Aww, it's ok," Mirko reassured him, displaying a tenderness he'd never seen from her before. "Trust me, kid, these past three days have been the most fun I've had in years!"

That caught him off guard. "Really?" Even after all the years she'd been one of the top pros in Japan?

"Hell yeah!" she confirmed. "You're an absolute hoot to have around!"

"But… the fine, and the ban-"

"Are irrelevant!" Mirko finished for him. "I don't care about money, and the only intern I'd ever want is you! No wonder those pencil pushers wanted to nerf us! They couldn't handle our combined badassery!"

Despite himself, Gohan smiled. "You're not wrong there, sensei." Although, he wasn't sure badassery was the word he'd use; carnage seemed more appropriate in this context.

Mirko grinned and ruffled his hair. "That's what I like to hear! And hey, for what it's worth on my end, I don't regret our internship for a second. And I meant every word I said in th- oof!"

"Thank you, sensei," Gohan mumbled into the fluffy collar around her neck, having engulfed her in a hug. "Thank you so, so, so, so much!"

"Can't… breathe…"

"Oh! crap!" He let go instantly. "S-sorry, sensei!"

Mirko chuckled. "Don't be! You just saved me a trip to the chiropractor!"

Feeling the heat rise to his cheeks, Gohan averted his gaze and scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, I just… let my emotions get the better of me. My bad."

She smirked. "Hey, at least you didn't pop a boner this time."

"Senseiiii," Gohan groaned, only for her to burst out laughing so hard it looked like she'd shed a few tears.

Once she recovered, she wiped her eyes and beamed at him. "You gonna be ok to get home on your own?"

He nodded. "I'll be fine."

"Good. Give me a buzz if you need anything, yeah? You have my number."

"Likewise," he replied, catching her off guard. "Goodbye, sensei."

"Take it easy, Gohan. Go home and get some rest. I'll have someone deliver you your bag in the morning."

"Thank you. And I'll try," was all he could offer, knowing he was far too wound up to make any promises.

He thought he caught a flash of something in her scarlet eyes – concern, perhaps? It went as quick as it came, though, and with a wave, she was off, down the hallway and out the window.

Now alone in the cold, sterile hospital hallway, he could faintly make out the muted wailing of police sirens in the distance. It made him frown. The last thing he wanted right now was to think about the police. He was sure there were cameras all over this place, so he'd go out the front door, find a secluded alleyway, and then take to the skies. With any luck, he wouldn't encounter a single soul.

Before putting his plan in motion, he spared a thought for his three wounded classmates, who were stuck in the dump despite the bedlam outside. He knew if he was in their position, he wouldn't manage to get even a wink of sleep. Hopefully they'd have better luck.

That night found Gohan splayed out on his apartment's roof, staring aimlessly at the starless sky above. The air pollution must've been particularly dense tonight, which was a bummer. He'd always loved stargazing, especially as a means to clear his head.

Still, at least he didn't have his phone on him. He had no doubt the damn thing been blowing up all evening, both with concerned messages from his friends and notifications from various news apps, but he'd turned it off shortly after his confrontation with Stain. He knew there'd be an absolute furore over the Nomu attack, and that was not something he wanted to deal with at that moment.

He did feel marginally bad for leaving his friends out of the loop, but honestly, he deserved to be a little selfish every now and then. Besides, Midoriya, Iida and Todoroki would assure everyone he was fine. If his friends really wanted to hear from him, they could wait until the morning.

A long, deep sigh slipped from his lips. Why did the world have to be so unfair sometimes? All he wanted to do was help, because he knew he had the capacity to help! And what did he get for it? House arrest! And had it not been for Mirko taking the fall for him… he didn't even want to imagine what his punishment would've been.

It was enough to make him want to scream into the abyss with all his might. Why did the laws have to be so goddamn stupid?! And why did that blasted dog man have to be so frustratingly unrepentant about it?!

Another sigh slipped out, this one far more muted. "Nothing to it," he muttered, kipping up to his feet and walking over to the edge. He peered down and saw only darkness; not even a streetlight could be spotted. Were he to hazard a guess, he'd say it was just past one in the morning. That worked to his benefit.

If there was one lesson Mirko had imparted upon him during their brief internship, it was to always try and look at the positives, no matter how bleak a situation seemed. Dwelling on negativity would only serve to make him even more miserable.

Oh, he was absolutely livid at his internship being suspended and Mirko being punished for it, but one opportunity lost was another one gained. If Son Gohan was out of action, then the Golden Blur would have to pick up the slack – and this time, it was personal.

He didn't know where those blasted Nomus were being manufactured, or how the hell they were able to use ki, but he would find out. It didn't have to be tonight, or even tomorrow night, but he would find out, and when he did, there would be hell to pay.

In the meantime, anyone who felt emboldened to stir up trouble by Stain and the Nomus' attack would quickly come to regret their decision.

Pulling up his hood, Gohan transformed, finding comfort in the familiar golden warmth of his Super Saiyan form. If there was one thing in the world he could always rely on… one thing that never let him down… it was this.

It made him feel invulnerable, like he could accomplish anything, and on nights like tonight, that was exactly what he needed.

Cracking his knuckles, he stepped off the ledge and descended, his shimmering form sinking into the darkness. Then, in a flash of bright golden light, he was gone.

AN: And so the story continues. Dunno how this ballooned to over 15k words but eh, happy Monday, I guess. Next up: the aftermath of the Hosu Incident… and one more bonus. What will it be? Guess you'll have to wait and see. Or you can try and guess, that works too. I'm curious if anyone can get it. Some of you guys are very observant.

This is another one of those chapters I've been looking forward to writing for ages, before that cursed sports festival sapped my creativity. Hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. What changed compared to canon? More Nomus, stronger Nomus that can use ki, and a stronger, more experienced Deku, meaning Stain took a lot more damage in their fight.

I didn't want to go overboard with the changes, but I figured these made the most sense. As always, feedback would be very much appreciated. I'd also love to know what you all thought of the fight scenes; I've been trying to make them. flow as smoothly as possible, while still being clear and easy to understand.

I'd also like to give a special shoutout to HerooftheNorth, who's been posting awesome drawings on his DeviantArt page of the Golden Blur stopping various crimes. I enjoyed them a lot, so do check out his page if you're curious.

Thanks as well to everyone who's favourited, followed and reviewed thus far. Your support is the main thing that motivates me to keep writing, and I am immensely grateful to all of you.

Until next time!