Stolas watched as the various blooming students shined brightly, excited and celebrating how close they were to the end. Smiles and tears adorned their faces, bonds forged in survival. Now they danced and drank, non alcoholic of course, they had Balam search the cases.

"I was so close to winning."

"Bullshit, you were legs behind and you know it."

"Did we really build our own nation from the ground up?"

"Let's make our own country! Screw the Adults, the kids are running the show now!"

"All hail Empress Koopa!"

"Empress Koopa?" The group turned, and she was smiling brightly. Here came her favorite student and his group. "What did I miss fighting monsters all the time?" Asmodeus spoke up.

"You don't question that, I don't question the ad." The 'Empress' in question blushed. "Let's just say I might not be the sane one in the group anymore."

"Eh, sanity is overrated." Eiko Oni shrugged. "We wouldn't have so much fun if we were all sane."

"Yeah, sanity is boring! Chaos is fun!": Clara Valac shouted loudly, laughing as she ran around. The girl had so much energy.

"Look everyone, it's our lord and savior, One For All!" Walab shouted, dressed in a dark robe for some reason holding a notebook of some kind. "Hail the hero! Hail the Love Bunny!"

The boy in question, looking like a green Skvader, just sighed. "I'm never walking it off. Just another title to the collection of insanity I have to live with." What was wrong with being a bunny? It just made him look cuter.

"Praise the Love Bunny! Praise him in all his sexy glory!" The grey eyestalk student, Donsanko, trailed the group from behind, bowing to him as if he was some sort of deity. "I never thought I could meet my equal in lewd and seductive passion until now!"

"Get out of my way, skank, I found him hot before he was cool!" And now Azuki was bowing also, holding what appeared to be a doll of Izuku in her hands. Where'd that come from?

"Okay, I'm not able to do anything about Gaako, but i'm sure as hell I can question THAT!" Asmodeus asked with a very confused look on his face.

"Can we wait till tomorrow, we still need to turn this in." He raised-oh my … the legendary leaf. She started gasping and making inetligable noises, causing others to look at her in confusion. She needed to say it.

"The Legendary Leaf!" Or Dalton could, that worked too. "Incredible, the honor student actually did the insane thing and got it!"

"So incredible! That's my prized pupil for you, Mew!" She shouted, hugging the boy tight.

"This is the second time in my life I've received so much praise and appreciation from a teacher. Maybe today hasn't been so terrible after all." Wow, okay, seriously needed to have Kalego look into that.

"Well of course we'd praise you, you went and got out the one thing only Demon King Delikra got!" Dalton exclaimed. "That's amazing!"

"Wait, the Demon King's the only one who's found it before?" Izuku titled his head.

"Yeah, didn't you hear the announcement Kalego-sensei made?" Lied poked Izuku in the shoulder. "First place in the Harvest Festival makes you a candidate for the Demon King essentially. Isn't that why you made your declaration on top of that vine?"

"I … guess … I mean it was mostly rampant emotions filled with the desire to just run forward fast and hard." He admitted. "But regardless, we're turning in the leaf." Of course.

"So how are you splitting up the total?" Stolas decided to ask the important question here. "The leaf in question is worth a hundred thousand."

"Right, we still haven't decided how we were doing this." Izuku went into that cute little mutter mode he turned on so quickly. "Eiko is already disqualified so that just leaves me and Lied on our team, but Clara, Azz, and Gaako helped bloom the leaf too so we can split it evenly five ways…"

"Shax and Izuku have the seed. It's their win." Asmodeus pushed the two boys forward. "I hunted enough points on my own. I'm fine as it is, Izuku."

"Yeah, Izuku-kins did it, Izuku-kins gets it!"

"I just want to forget the Harvest, do what you want." Gaako waved off.

"Dude, do you know what this means?!" Lied shook her star pupil. "We have fifty thousand points each! That's the requirement for winning!"

"Sad to say though, you still won't make it to first." Dalton admitted.

"... What?" The entirety of the Calamity Cult asked in confusion.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE WON!?" Eiko Oni shouted, pointing at the screen.

Orobas looked at the screen, his name up on there. Koto Orobas … first place. What he wanted all this time was finally given to him, after all the hard work and effort we're putting into it. It paid off, and now he was in first.

"Fifty eight thousand!" Asmodeus shouted. "I've been around dangerous high point monsters this entire time, how did he accumulate so much!?"

"He came back with a pile of rare and quality items. Added up all together creates quite the sum total." Balam-Sensei explained to the Calamity Cult.

"He's been attacking every Misfit this whole time." Oh, it seems the others arrived, with Elizabetta speaking. "How did he have the time to gather all of them?" He really had to thank Ocho, it was a miracle that the man came into his life. Even said he'd do it all just to see the smile on his face when he won …

But he wasn't smiling. This entire thing felt off. Like some fundamental construct of winning was flawed, damaged, bitter.

"Damn it." He heard the honor student cry out. Small swells of tears could be seen across his face, the frustration and disappointment evident as day. "After all that we went through…" The boy looked two seconds off from exploding.

"Izuku-kins…" Valac held her ally's hand tightly. "It's alright. You worked harder than anybody I know. No one could ask you to do more than that."

"You grabbed the legendary leaf, that alone was more than just working hard. You should be proud … and besides, you'll still rank up, it's a certain number of people at the top that gain the ranks." Asmodeus comforted the boy.

"You stopped me from attempting a mass slaughter. That's pretty heroic in my book." Koopa placed a hand on the boy's soldier.

"You didn't reach for the stars, but you landed on the moon, Izu." Oni wrapped her arms around Midoriya. "No one can say you're not special. That's an absolute fact now."

All those people surrounding him, and what-say him? Ocho left to grab something he lost, and now he sat on an empty throne, alone. The closest person he could actually call a companion was Midoriya, out of sheer frustration with their world. And fair victory … it wasn't, he just targeted them out of frustration rather than an effort to gain points.

He didn't deserve this, an unwanted crown, and unwanted first place. He wasn't free of the number two, because it just left him feeling like the loser at the end. "Hey everyone!" The students and teachers of Babyls turned to Andros, the first student he took out, who looked upon them all with a savage grin. "You forgot to count up the points for the pot."

… What? Every student just looked baffled. "Oh, right, pot's worth points." Shax spoke up. "Almost got killed for it."

"That's-that's right!" Stolas-Sensei was quick to go back to the chart. "It isn't an ingredient, but it's worth twenty-thousand points itself!" The numbers on the board started to change and shuffle around. "Since no one's ever found the legendary leaf before, we almost forgot to include it!"

"Alright, and assuming you guys want to be fifty-fifty like before, that puts you at …" Dalton trailed off as the numbers rose higher and higher before Midoriya and Shax's names overtook his own, placing him in … third. That felt right, he wasn't even second this time around, but it felt right.

"Sixty-thousand points!" Stolas-sensei cried out. "That means the winners of this year's Harvest Festival, and the title of Young Kings goes to Izuku Midoriya and Lied Shax!"

"We won …" Midoriya's tears began to form. "We won!"

"Oh my Devi, the dopamine is kicking in, I'm feeling the biggest thrill of my life!" Shax cackled like a mad man. "Is this what Plus Ultra is like!? I've never done anything like this before! Is this why you're always going to an eleven with everything, Izuku? I can see the appeal! It's addicting!"

Midoriya had no response and he took Shax's hand into his own, and raised them up high. The Calamity Cult and the Misfits like swarming them, praising them, and they deserved it. 'That's why I was so obsessed. I didn't hate them, I didn't want to beat them...I've respected them this entire time. I've admired their passion, their growth...they truly are number one.'

He had to rectify this. "Midoriya!" He hopped off the stage, ignoring the cheering for the misfits or everyone's shock at Orobas for being third. "I-I'm sorry! I-I took my grudge too far! I didn't see the effort you put in, I let my jealousy overwhelm me and I hope you can accept…"

He was cut off with a punch to the face, causing everyone to be quiet and stare in silence. Midoriya just looked at him with a blank face, before breaking out into a smile. "Now we're even, I'd like to be your friend." He raised his own hand out in an attempt to shake. He didn't know why, but the term friend seemed nice.

"Sorry Orobas, I know how much you wanted to get second." A student from his class said.

"No, it's fine, I worked hard and this is what I got." He spoke off-handedly. "Soon I'll reach first."

"Wait, you're just naturally this badass! Awesome!"

'Is that all it took!?" The stupidity of the school was still baffling. "Midoriya, how could you deal.." He turned, looking at the boy, still being swarmed by his companions. 'Is that what it takes? Finding close companions who understand you?'

"Wait a second!" One guy spoke up. "Third place, a single rank up would make him Gimel(3), and the Calamity Cult he's around originally had three members …" No. "He's the number three guy now!" NOOOOOOO!

"Three cheers for Love Bunny and Number Three guy!"

"There's no escaping it for us, Orobos. There's no escaping it." Midoriya patted his shoulder. Truer words have never been spoken until now.

Ameri ran up to the boy after the crowd finally dispersed. "Izzy, you did it. You went and did the impossible!" She shouted with a bright smile. She took the few minutes he was surrounded to squash the jealous section inside her head.

"Ameri! I did it! I'm a young king, just like you were." Izzy managed to squirm from his class's grip on him. "Now all I need to do is match your rank and we'll be completely equal."

"Still aiming to go beyond everyone's expectations, aren't you?" She tried to hide her blush.

"Yeah, but I couldn't do it without everyone." He smiled. "Lied and Eiko really helped me through the whole thing, oh, and Narfra too. Sorry we overlooked you buddy."

"Nagayo." The little demon waved off.

"Oh, I see you've met my newest Student Council Member." Ameri explained, seeing the shock on Izzy's face. "He's a first year I scouted earlier in the year. He essentially took your place when you didn't join the first time."

"Wait, she's a student council member!?" He looked shocked. Wait, she!?

"You never told me you were a girl!" Ameri glared.

"Nagayo." Nafra shrugged with what was essentially 'you never asked'.

"Right, their goal was to lay in waiting until rescued, then water the legendary leaf once planted." Ameri explained. "Saving Nafra was an essential part of getting the leaf. Luckily, you just so happen to be a natural born hero whose first instinct is to reach out your hand in assistance." Although Ameri was now starting to hate the idea of leaving Nafra alone in a dark cave with Izzy-kun

"Wait, so the entire thing could have failed if anyone failed to just, not bring Nafra with them?" He asked in confusion. "Seems a little much, but there was worse. I think a student actually got killed from one of those djinn before I went in." Okay, first identify the body, then explain to the family that it was a freak accident.

"Anyway, I'm really proud. Look at all you've accomplished, growing a tree, stopping a war, getting the leaf." She smiled as she pulled him into a hug. "Babyls is lucky to have you." Ameri was lucky to have him.

"I say. These rules get pretty tricky." An unknown voice called out to them. Turning, she and the rest of the Misfits turned to the source...the Legendary Leaf? "They're wickedly annoying. Good job though."

"YOU CAN TALK?!" Lied shouted from his corner.

"Of course I can talk, I have a mouth." The Legendary leaf spoke, still keeping it's dopey expression. "It's not uncommon for plants to talk. How many flowers in this jungle alone have mouths they use to devour other students?"

"Plenty, but they don't talk." Ameri blinked in confusion. Well at least this was weird even by Demon Standard.

"Well you must not have listened hard enough." The leaf huffed. "We have feelings too. No need to be ignorant."

"B-but you're so plain looking!" Lied exclaimed. "How can something so plain looking actually be something so amazing!?" He turned to him. "Ah, no offense Izuku." Clara brought out the mallet as Eiko got out a missile. He really needed to talk about them with over reacting, he was really plain looking.

The leaf didn't seem offended, if it could be? "The reason I look so plain is because the thought process went into thinking it would be really hard to find me, after all, the full test is translating a riddle song within animal speech, going into two dungeons and beating djinn in either tests of strength beyond teacher levels or intelligence of unexpected variety, a secret test of grabbing the one student with the watering can, meeting up, planting the seed, watering it, then shouting Quam-Quam with a massive stockpile of mana, coupled with a bit of a magical accelerant."

The students blinked, before Izuku turned to Ameri. "Is this the reason for the crazy laughter?"

"Yes, the moment I learned the steps into blooming the leaf, I went a bit mad and tried to murder Kalego."

Wow, she really DID become insane. "Who'd be psychotic enough to take on Kalego head-Oh right, Opera."

"It matters not, everyone who spends their whole time searching for the leaf and learning the steps goes a bit insane." Balam told the group.

"It's not like I'm designed to bring people to the brink of madness, it's just my design for the test isn't made for your standard demon. Anyone else was just too big of a pussy to handle it." The Leaf continued. "The specific conditions are a bit laughable, but the main purpose was to find a demon who'd show compassion without asking for anything in return…"

"Like Izuku-kins!"

"Seems like the test was made for you." Ameri grinned.

"..changing the absurd into fun…"

"Oh boy, that's totally you, dude. You make no sense at all and make everything fun!" Lied swung his arm around him.

"I question the definition of fun, but you sure end up changing absurd situations into workable ones." Asmodeus agreed from his spot.

"...and listening to one's own desires and fighting for them without giving up or tiring."

"Did you read an Izuku biography, or one of his journals at some point before this?" Gaako raised a brow.

"One For All. Fighting for everyone as they share their strength with him." Eiko gleamed.

"In other words, I made it to find the least demon-like demon." The leaf concluded. Izuku starred in silent awe. "Have to say, I didn't expect I would bloom again. I didn't think anyone outside of Derkila could've managed it. And now I've been brought back by a love bunny." Izuku didn't even flinch.

"The least demon-like demon … so-" He was cut off.

"And now, I will show you all a flower that doesn't belong anywhere else in the netherworld." The flower breathed in a huge gulp of air, before popping off it's stem, floating upward like a balloon. "YOU'VE FOUGHT WELL YOUNG DEMONS! NOW I SHALL REWARD YOU WITH THE BIRTH OF YOUR NEW YOUNG KINGS!"

The leaf exploded in a dazzling flash of life, blinding everyone, until a soft glow of fuzz pink filled the air. It felt warm, it felt famitar…

"Wait, isn't this just what Izuku made in Diabonty Class?" Lied pointed out.

"Yeah, you're right!" Asmodeus shouted. "This is a rip-off! How is this legendary?"

Izuku felt tears run down his eyes. This was something from home … something that the least demon-like demon would know about … only a human could have won. Izuku began to cry harder, a warmth inside of his chest.

"Izuku-kins is crying, the tree disrespected him!" Clara shouted with an axe.

"It's not evenly colored, the shame!" Eiko cried out with a blow torch.

Only a human could have … only he could have … he's never been so proud to be himself.

"Burn it in the name of the Love Bunny!" The grey Eyestalk girl cried out with a torch. "It's branches shall be used in a bonfire of cleansing to repent for its sins!"

"In the name of our hero and the lord and empress who made a beautiful castle, kill the impersonator!" A pink haired girl called out with vengeance.

As he watched Stolas-sensei try to stop the mob of students from destroying the tree, he never felt happier about himself. 'I'm glad … I was born human.'

"Izzy-kun.." Ameri stayed by his side, placing a hand on his head, before he hugged her tightly. "It's alright, get it all out.."

"I...I'm happy." He said to her in a low voice only she could hear. "I'm happy I'm human."

Lied watched the chaos and flames with an impartial view. Sure it was lame, but everyone was overreacting. At the very least the pedals would look good over the place."Hey everyone, we've been giving Izuku too much credit." Everyone turned to Elizabetta, who was giving him a smile that sent a tingle up his spine. "Lets not forget there are two young kings this year."

Lied blushed as the praise as everyone cheered. "Right, of course, how could we forget?" Someone called out. Wow, he was in the spotlight! "How could we forget One For All's sidekick?!" Wait what?

"Yeah, every hero has a sidekick!" A blue haired girl shouted. Wait a second, he was an equal!

"Yeah, the cute but not as good looking plucky young ward!" A pink haired girl cried out.

"We're the same age! And I'm not plucky!" Not as good looking!? He didn't have a plain face! How was he less attractive than that?

"Hey, i'm not a side-"

"Three cheers, for the sidekick of One For All, Lied Shax!" A blond shouted.

"Lied Shax! Lied Shax! Lied Shax!"

"Sidekick! Sidekick! Sidekick!"

"Come on, Izuku, back me up!" He pleaded to the man.

"Come on guys, don't be ridiculous." Thank you. "We have to figure out his hero name first." You jerk!

"Come on, Game Boy, don't be so sour." Eiko chuckled evily right by Izuku. "Enjoy the attention while it lasts. After all, you're sharing the spotlight with MY Izu!" You didn't have to launch that rocket to stop Orobas! That was all on you, crazy wench!

"Three cheers for Game Boy, the sidekick!" Lied listened to the cheers in utter horror, Asmodeus approaching him with … a pat on the shoulder.

"I know what it's like to be called lesser, when in fact you're an equal." He admitted with eyes of empathy. "A massive misconception about your reputation? That's a staple of the Calamity Cult we've all been through. Welcome to the club."

"I think I already joined when we stopped a war with seduction." Lied idly muttered, ignoring the bafflement … Well, at least he was in the spotlight. Thanks Elizabetta, he'd always find her pretty, even if she only thought of him as a friend.

"You know, I happen to find the cute sidekick more attractive." Said girl spoke from behind him, her hands planted on his shoulders as the height difference between them was made all the more evident. "While everyone crowds the hero, I can have you all to myself." Wait what? "My cute little Game Boy." A kiss was planted on his cheek … oh, so this is what it was like for Izuku at the Walter Park celebration. He could feel his own heart stop too.