Hiccup and the last of his class were just staring in admiration at the Big Three, they were the best that Berk's Hero Course had to offer.

"The best of the Hero Course," said Tuffnut.

"The Big Three," said Dogsbreath.

"Oh, wow!" said Ruffnut excitedly.

"Of all the talented students here they're the ones at the top," said Speedfist.

"They're on a different level still in school, but practically pro heroes," said Astrid.

"If there is good as I hear, then they are the students we should be chasing after," said Ingrid.

"They don't look all that special to me," said Clueless. "Except the girl, she's pretty hot."

Angar had noticed this as well and was looking straight at her and already he was drooling.

Hiccup looked at the guy he saw a few days ago. "The guy from outside… I can't believe it." Hiccup can believe that he didn't recognise his face earlier. 'I could only see his face then siding recognise him, but I know who he is. He was in the Thawfest Festival last year, the one I watched on TV. He didn't do very well, but he certainly made an impression.'

Hiccup remembered that somehow his close just slipped off him, which caused quite a stir. He could only imagine the guy's embarrassment as he appeared naked on TV, that was being watched by billions.

His eyes then turned to the others. 'If I remember correctly the other two didn't take any medals home either. And yet there Berk's Big Three. I wonder how they got that title?'

"Get to it," said Eret looking at the three of them. "Introduce yourselves briefly, let's start with Asmund."

Asmund was the guy with black hair and he gave them a very intense look, which shook them to their very core.

'What with that lock?' Dogsbreath stared.

'So much intensity in a single glance,' said Speedfist.

However, he wasn't exactly giving them the intense stare on the grounds they believed. As it turned out he was trying to imagine their heads as potatoes as he had a very large nervous disposition.

"It's no good," he said shaking nervously. "You two go, I just can't. Even when I'm trying to imagine as potatoes, I can see their human bodies. I know that their still people, no words are coming out, my mind is blank and my mouth is dry. I can't say anything, I want to go home."

He then immediately turned his back on them much to everyone's surprise.

"Uh, are you really one of Berk's top students?" Sven frowned.

"Come on, Asmund, you need to have the heart of a lion, not a kitten, you know even though your human," said the girl joyously. "Get what I mean?" She merely smiled and then looked back at the class. "This is our kitten, Asmund Rockface and my name is Ase Brighson, I'm supposed to talk about work studies. Your first years have a really exciting time ahead of you."

Her eyes then blinked and she immediately approached back this. "Hey, why are you wearing a mask? Is it because you're feeling sick or just trying to look cool?"

Magnus had no way to respond, this was the first time someone had asked him about the mask. "Uh, well…"

Before he could give an explanation her eyes immediately turn towards Hiccup. "Oh, hey! You're Hiccup, where did you get that scar on your chin?"

Hiccup blinked. "I don't like—"

"Agnar are those balls your hair or what?" Ase asked turning towards him. "I don't get it."

'My balls?' Agnar blinked.

"Oh, my goodness there's so much I want to know about every one of you," she said excitedly. "Let's have a Q&A."

"She's a total ahead, even cuter," said Clueless dreamily.

"All those questions make a sound so young?" Heather frowned.

"She wants to know everything about my balls?" said Agnar excitedly. "I'll spill my secrets! Come up close in person!"

"Calm down," said Astrid, who was restraining the need to strangle him.

"Hey, Sven can you support your entire body weight with that tail of yours?" Ase asked looking at Sven.

"Uh, well, you see…"

"Come on tell me, I really want to know."

Eret was starting to get annoyed at this them. "This is completely irrational."

"Oh, there's no need to worry, Trapster," said the other boy. "I'm up next and I'll get the audience refocused."

"Is it me or are each one of them a complete weirdo?" Calder whispered.

"Then we're in good company, I mean we're hardly normal," Ragnar reminded him.

"Okay, you guys look like you have no idea what's going on," said the guy. "I guess we are third years that just showed up in your classroom to explain a program that is completely voluntary. I can see how you can be confused by that. You guys manage to get your provisional licences as first years, right? Ha, this batch of new students has proven to be energetic. If that's the case then my plan is simple…"

Asmund looked at him. "Don't do it."

"How about all you guys fight against me at once?" he suggested.

Everyone just stared at him dumbstruck.

"You want to fight us?" Dogsbreath stared.

"You mean like now?" Tuffnut asked.

The guy just looked at Eret. "Well, if you want them to have them experience our experience this is a pretty irrational way of doing it then. Right, Eret?"

"Do whatever you want," said Eret.

Moments later they got changed into their tracksuits and made their way to the gym. Ranger was the only one not joining the others as he decided to stay with Eret.

The rest of the class just looked at the guy as he began doing stretches.

"Is he serious?" Tuffnut asked.

"Oh, it's real," said the guy.

"Macario, your impossible," Asmund warned as he stared at the gym wall. "It would have been simple enough to just tell them. This is what it's like… This is how we learn from it… Not everyone has your level of drive, plus think about how bad it'll look if some of them can't recover after fighting you. No one wants to spend the next few years in the hospital bed."

There were few small concerns among Class A they began to wonder whether he was serious.

"I bet he's just trying to psych us out," said Dogsbreath.

"Hey, listen up, it's storytime," said Ase. "Long ago a student got frustrated in class and quit being a hero, and it was terrible for everyone. Did you know that? So, Macario, I know our job is tough, but you better make sure you know what you're doing. Be careful okay."

Ragnar looked at Macario. "Let's think about this, you're obviously much further ahead of us, but we fought pros before."

"Not to mention we took down some legitimate villains," Dogsbreath added. "I don't think you have to worry about hurting us. We're not a bunch of wannabes."

"Heard, but you're going to have to show me that's the truth," said Macario. "Now who is going to start this party?"

"I will," said Hiccup as he stepped forward.

Astrid was rather surprised, then she remembered that Hiccup had been behind in class and he felt as if he needed to prove himself.

"View this as a learning experience!" Eret called out. "It's a good opportunity for you."

"The son of Skullcrusher," said Macario looking at him. "This is perfect, I hear that you've got plenty of fire in ya."

'The top student at Berk,' said Hiccup as he braced himself. 'If I'm going to spar with someone, he's the best opponent I can ask for. How will I fear against him at my level, how much distances between us.'

He then looked at everyone else. "This is the plan guys, the close combat team will surround him and the rest of you hang back the support."

"Sounds like a plan," said Dogsbreath as he and the rest prepared for battle. "We've got ourselves a new mentor, thanks for the opportunity man… the opportunity to kick your butt!"

Hiccup then immediately charged at Macario at full speed. That when something unusual happened, Macario's close just slipped off his body and he stood there completely naked in front of them.

Ingrid screen immediately covered her eyes.

"Why did your clothes fall off?" Tuffnut asked.

"Whoopsy," said Macario as he began to pull on his pants. "My power is kind of tricky."

Hiccup decided to use this as an opportunity to strike while he was busy getting changed. 'Bad move, you're open!'

He then immediately swung his fist at Macario just as he raised his head, but it went straight through him. Hiccup spun around and landed behind him completely astonished that his attack had absolutely no effect.

'So that's it, his power allows things to pass through him,' he said. 'It is an amazing power. What should I do?'

"Straight at the face, huh?" Macario smiled looking back at him.

The twins and Olaf then immediately unleashed their attacks upon Macario, but just like with Hiccup their attacks went through him. Hiccup, on the other hand, it not had such a power so he was forced to jump out of the way before getting blasted moments later they struck the wall causing a smokescreen hiding Macario from view.

"What's this?" Speedfist stared. When the smoke finally cleared they found that Macario was nowhere to be seen. "Where did he go?"

"I think I'll start by taking other long-range fighters!" Macario yelled as he appeared directly behind Ingrid.

Ingrid and immediately screamed as he appeared in front of her completely naked.

"He warped?" Magnus stared.

"His power isn't just living through things!" Calder yelled as he and Dogsbreath rushed towards him.

"How did he luck out with such awesome power?" said Dogsbreath.

"You're wrong," said Asmund, who was still standing in the corner. "Macario's power is not should be jealous of… you should be envying his skills. That is what sets him apart, first years. Macario did a work-study with a hero but didn't stop there he built himself up."

Ragnar was the first one to react immediately stretched out his arms to grab him, but he disappeared once again. Seconds later he appeared right in front of Ragnar and punched him hard in the stomach, before he even had a chance to react. Tuffnut tried to grab him with a burst of slime, but Macario vanished once again and appeared behind them taking them out instantly with a powerful punch along with Agnar.

Olaf, Ruffnut and Heather then unleashed their attacks hoping to overpower him, but their attacks had no effect. Then just like with the others, he punched him hard in the stomach knocking them out.

Magnus, Ingrid, Clueless and Astrid formed a small circle trying to predict where he would come out next. He then appeared right in the middle of them and when they turned around he immediately struck them in the stomach. His fist even went through a shield that Astrid had created to block his attack.

"Power!" Macario yelled as he grabbed his pants and put them back on.

Hiccup and the other close-range fighters were completely astonished by what they had witnessed. In no time at all Macario had managed to take half of them down in less than a minute and what was more astonishing was the fact they did even land a single hit on him.

"Macario Fade, in my opinion, he's the person that closest of taking the spot of number one hero, that including the pros," said Eret.

"He got more than half of them in an instant?" Ranger stared. "A student, but close would be number one than most heroes."

"You're not going to fight?" Eret asked, somewhat surprised. "You must be interested in taking the top spot, yourself."

"I didn't even get my provisional licence, though."

'Well, he certainly calmed down.'

"I think that's it for the long-distance fighters," said Macario looking at half of Class A, who were clutching their stomachs in pain. His eyes then turned towards the rest of Class A. "All that's left of those who specialise in close-quarters combat."

"I had no idea how he just did that," said Dogsbreath.

"It's one thing to be able to phase through things, but warping too?" Fishlegs frowned.

"He's unrivalled," said Sven. "Do we stand a chance?"

Macario took up a fighting stance and looked at them. "Hold the flattery."

Asmund just continue to watch. ''Unrivalled?' Just that one word and I can tell what level you are all at. Like how an ordinary person who may think that a pro wrestler is impressive but lacks the ability to figure out why. If you can't tell how much hard work Macario has put in then you'll never be able to match him.'

"There's more to his power than what was seen," said Hiccup and everyone looked at him. "I don't know whether his true power is slipping from matter or whether he is able to warp himself through space, either way he is still landing his attacks directly. We should be able to counter him in the moment that is about to make contact. Even if we can't tell what he's doing, we should theorise what we do know and use that knowledge to find a way to beat him."

"Yeah, you said it," said Dogsbreath. "House arrest in put a damper on your fighting spirit."

Macario then ran towards them. "Let's see how you can figure out a way to win."

All of them braced themselves keeping a close eye on all of his movements, hoping to find an opportunity to land a blow. He faded right through the floor losing his pants in the process.

"He went under!" Calder yelled.

'Then I bet he'll probably come up…' Hiccup then immediately turned around at the same time Macario launched himself out of the ground. '…there.'

Macario was actually surprised. 'He wasn't surprised?' Hiccup then immediately performed a spinning kick and aimed directly towards his head. 'He predicted this is where I'll be, pretty smart.'

He then suddenly extended his hand and immediately went straight through Hiccup's kick. "Watch this, let's leave you can defend yourself against something you can't see!"

Before Hiccup could respond Macario faced his hand through his head preventing him from seeing anything. This left him wide open as Macario slipped underneath him and then dealt him a devastating punch in the stomach.

"I've discovered that most people try to launch a counter-attack just like you do," said Macario as he began phase back into the ground. "So naturally I trained to work around such moves, nice try though."

Hiccup then fell to the ground.

"Hiccup!" Speedfist yelled.

Macario then suddenly appeared behind him before Speedfist had a chance to react of him he was struck in the stomach.

"Damn!" Dogsbreath cursed.

Even his hardened body was not immune to Macario's fists and then he started to continue taking out the rest of the class.

"Power!" Macario yelled as he took up a victory pose.

"Hey, check out Macario, he's gotten superpowerful lately," said Ase as she approached Asmund. "Are you even watching?"

"Macario has been strong since we were little kids, the problem is he needs to learn how to hold back," said Asmund.

All of Class A were in agreement as they were hugging their stomachs trying not to throw up. Never in their life had they been hit that hard even when they were facing against villains or the pros.

"I try to make it so that you won't see my willie, sorry if you got a peek," said Macario apologetically. "But anyway that's a taste of what it's like to fight me?"

Taste was a bit of an understatement, even after 10 minutes they were still recovering from their stomach pains.

"We all just got a punch in the stomach without even knowing what was going on," Hiccup groaned.

"Right, so what do you think? Is in my power strong?" Macario smiled.

"Yeah, it's too strong," said Tuffnut.

"That's not fair! Mine is nothing in comparison!" Helga yelled.

"How can you slip through things and warp?" Ruffnut asked. "Do you have two powers like Hiccup does?"

"Nope, just the one," said Macario.

"Just one?" said Hiccup and he took note on the scars on his forearms, it was obvious that he went through intense training just like he did.

"I'll tell you what his power is!" said Ase excitedly and she looked at Macario. "Hey, hey, can I say it?" Before he could reply she immediately looked back at them. "It's density shifting, cool, right?"

"Ase, let Macario explain his own power," said Asmund, who had his back towards them.

"That's right my power is density shifting, what you guys for there was a warp was just simply alternative application of that power," he said proudly as Ase pulled on his shirt with her cheeks puffed out in annoyance. "Oh, sorry Ase."

"So how exactly does it work?" Hiccup asked curiously.

"I activate my power in my entire body, then I can pass through anything that I want no sweat and when I mean everything I mean everything, including solid ground," he said as he tapped the ground with his foot.

"So there was you falling through the floor of the gym?" Fishlegs blinked.

"That's right I went deep underground and then whenever I release my power when I'm falling, something super strange happens. Apparently, things with mass can't overlap, that's called physics, so I get repelled upwards. Think of it this way, the ground spits me out and I fly up into the air that is how my warp works. By adjusting the direction I'm facing or the pose I'm holding, I can change the angle where I out at so I can aim at different spots."

"So you're able to avoid any attacks and you can move when you want in an instant?" said Heather looking impressed. "You were born with a very strong metapower."

"Not true. My power is only strong because I needed that way, while my power is activated my lungs cannot take in oxygen. Even if I believe in the air will just pass through, in the same way my eardrums don't work and light can't go through my retinas. I can pass through everything, but that means I can't feel anything while I'm in that state.

"Even though I have a body I can't stop falling, I could probably keep on going down forever. That is why when I want to go through something, like say, a wall I have to concentrate really hard. I'll activate everything except one leg, then I release the other leg and land on it and in the last leg is the last one to go through. Even a simple action like that there's a bunch of little steps involved."

"Oh man, if I was in a hurry I would mess that up every single time," said Clueless.

"Seriously, if you can't feel anything how are you supposed to move?" Agnar frowned.

"Growing up I was always behind as you might suspect, in no time I dropped dead last," Macario continued. "I dropped my pants a lot too. In order to get the top with this power, I couldn't just hope that things would get better. I had to think, I had to make combat decisions and pick up a few new tricks, but above all, I predicted what happens next. And what made those predictions possible in the first place was experience, I based my predictions with what I learned.

"This was a kind of roundabout way to get the point across, but that's why I wanted to fight… to show you through experience rather than words. In our Work Studies, we are not treated like guests liking our internships, we are regarded as one of the sidekicks or even as a pro. That can be super scary, pros can get hurt, and sometimes they end up watching people die. But every scary and painful thing you go through is an important experience that you can't get inside a classroom, even at Berk. I transform the experience I got from my Work-Study into power, that is how I got the top spot and that's why think they're worth it even if you're scared. Are you with me, first years?"

'Turn experience into power,' said Hiccup.

"He even gives pep talks like a pro," said Sven as he and the rest of the class clapped.

"I can't believe he went through all of this for us even though he could have just explained it," said Astrid.

"So these really are different," said Clueless. "I did kinda feel missed out on stuff on my internship."

"Yeah, they try not to let us do anything too dangerous," Ingrid agreed.

"Guess it won't be that way during Work Studies," said Fishlegs.

"Now that we've got our licences, we will be treated like pros once we're on the scene," said Speedfist.

"We've got to prepare ourselves for that," said Calder.

"It's just what I wanted," Dogsbreath smiled as he punched his palm with his fist.

"Yeah, this is great. All of us came to Berk because we want to be pro heroes, right?" said Helga looking at the others.

"That's true," Magnus nodded.

"We have to keep climbing," said Ragnar.

"And go beyond our limits," Wartihog added.

Ranger just stood there in silence. 'I need to get my Provisional Licence soon or I'll be left behind.'

"Let's get back to class now," said Eret. "Say thank you."

"Thank you very much," said everyone.

With that, the Big Three left the gym.

"So, do you think we got the point across?" Ase asked.

"I'm just glad that I didn't have to do anything," said Asmund sounding relieved. "Let's be grateful to Macario."

Hiccup just stood there thinking about Macario and how his powers reminded him of him trying to master his superstrength.

'At first his power was something that held him back, but still, he made the most of his power,' he said to himself. 'He got as much experience as he could and learn how to predict people's actions. He is not standing at the top of Berk because he was born strong, he worked incredibly hard to get to that point. Macario Fade… third-year.

The big three hsd now changed were now making their way back to class.

"Say, so we thought that you heard some of them by accident, you know," said Ase looking at him. "But no one was injured so I think you did a good job. Way to go, Macario… A+."

"It was pretty close a few times and they saw me naked," Macario pointed out.

"Yeah, but did anyone surprise you? I want to know, come on spill."

Macario thought back to Hiccup, who managed to protect his surprise attack. "Well, I mostly defeat people using the element of surprise. It's my basic strategy in a nutshell, but Skullcrusher's kid analysed my first rounds of moves and then predicted what I'll do. I bet, sir, would love to meet him."

Later that afternoon, Class A made their way back to the dormer where Snotlout was waiting to collect their trash.

"If you've got trash bring it over here right now," he demanded.

"Snotlout, thanks," said Dogsbreath as he rushed towards him with a trash bag.

"I've got some as well," said Speedfist.

"Me too," said Clueless.

"Don't forget about me," said Tuffnut.

"This is heavy," said Agnar as he dragged a large trash bag across the floor.

"Thanks, man," said Calder.

"Merci," said Olaf.

"Yeah, thank you," said Sven.

Snotlout glared at them. "You bastards, it's like you've been hoarding this for weeks!"

The girls, on the other hand, had gathered in the common area and began to discuss their fight with Macario and the speech he made.

"I have to say, Macario's story about how he got from last to the top was amazing," said Helga.

"I'm getting really looking forward to getting into a work-study now," said Heather.

"I hope we get the chance, I think they're still trying to figure out what to do with us first years," said Astrid.

"Nothing to do except wait until we get the green light from Mr Eret," said Ingrid.

Hiccup meanwhile was thinking back about what Eret had said about work studies, more specifically on whether or not they'll get one.

'You learned about work-study is from the big three,' he said to them. 'But it hasn't been decided yet whether or not you'll be allowed to do one. That will be talked about until the faculty meeting and if we are going to approve this then will have to think about how we'll handle the media. That's all I can tell you for now.'

Hiccup then pulled out his phone. 'I need to take the initiative, I can't just sit and wait.'

He called his mother, who was busy assisting the police with their investigations.

"Hiccup, it's good to hear from you," she said cheerfully.

Hiccup then began to explain that they might get some work-study and she listened to him carefully.

"Work studies?" she asked.

"I was wondering whether you will be able to take someone on the programme, Mum?" Hiccup asked.

"I'm sorry, son, I'm working on something else right now," she said apologetically.

"Oh, I see," said Hiccup sounding deeply disappointed. "I was hoping that maybe you could help me out. Recently I've discovered that I'm still nowhere near becoming dad's successor and I was wondering whether you point me in the right direction."

"In that case why don't you ask your father about it instead of calling me?" Valka asked. "Now that he's retired he should be able to help you a whole lot more."

"But Mr Eret said that we should use the connections that we use in our internships?"

"You don't have to take that route, don't you think that your father can point you to some pro heroes? The first one that comes to mind as his former sidekick."

Hiccup's eyes widened.

In the dead of night in Detroit, a young woman with blue skin immediately burst into a room.

"Sir! I have news!" she blurted out.

Sitting at a chair facing the laptop was a dark-haired man in his late 20s wearing a finely pressed suit.

"Let's hear the report and make it quick," he said.

"Yes, sir. One of the persons we're investigating is on the move, Grimmel, the head of the Cleanse."

"And what do you think he's doing?"

"We believe that he has made contact with the League of Villains."

Meanwhile, Twice was guiding Grimmel towards the rendezvous spot with the League of Villains.

"This is your base?" he said. "Looks pretty unsanitary."

"Like we show you where our main bases, this one is just a meeting place," said Twice.

"Ridiculous, the air is practically made of dust here. It's going to make me sick."

"Join the club, the guys inside have been sick for a while." Twice then began opening the large doors. "Hey, guys! I'm back and I brought that dude! He said that he wanted to talk to you so here we are! He's quiet but pretty cool. He seems like a real creep."

Waiting inside was Krogan and Viggo and with them were, Compress, Magnar and Tabi.

Krogan looked at Grimmel and smiled. "Well now, you brought us a pretty big catch, huh, Twice."

'Just like we were, being one step closer to become real heroes, so too were the villains leading deeper into the darkness. The interested successor and the successor released into the wild soon they would meet.'