That night, Izuku lay on his bed. His mind was still going over what happened in the clubroom earlier. The way that Riser treated Rias more as a trophy than an actual person infuriated him. He took some comfort in Momo and Kyoka's prank, but it wasn't enough to ease his thoughts. 'This'll be our first Rating Game.'

Rias had told him that Riser has fought a total of 9 Rating Games and only lost twice, and both times he lost on purpose out of respect for the households his family was close to. This would be difficult. The stakes were high, as not only was Rias' future at stake but everyone else's. If the marriage were to go through, then the bylaws state that Rias and Riser will gain authority over the Peerages of the other. And Riser made it very clear what he intended to do once they married and he gained control over Rias' Peerage.

Izuku gritted his teeth. He and everyone else simply cannot afford to lose! 'Buchou saved me. Now I have to save her.' With renewed resolve, Izuku got up and made his way to the bathroom. He had already informed mom that he and the others will be out of town for the next ten days, having told her it was last-minute training before U.A. As such, she had gone out to buy them some new clothes for the trip as well as some food.

Taking off his shirt, pants and finally boxers, Izuku opened the bathroom door… And immediately froze. There, just about ready to step into the warm, bubbly water, was a naked Ibara. "I-Izuku-san?"

Izuku's mind went blank, having now realized he failed to see if anyone was already in.

"Kyah!" Izuku screamed in a high pitch, turning around as his head turned a deep shade of red, covering his privates. "I'M SO SORRY! I should've checked first!"

Ibara stood there for a moment, before her face erupted into a bright blush, having now realized what she saw. "I… I saw it…"

"I-I'll l-l-leave n-now." Izuku stuttered. But before he could leave the bathroom, Ibara used one of her vines to grab Izuku's arm. "Huh?!"

"I-I'm sorry. Th-This is the first time… I've seen a boy's, um… I'm sorry."

"Th-There's no reason for you to apologize. I-I should have checked first before coming in here. I'm sorry I saw your… E-e-e-everything. Can you let me go now?"

Ibara's grip seemed to tighten a little. "We've been living here for about six months now, but this is the first time something like this happened," Izuku dared to look back at Ibara, taking care to only look at her face. "I've read that… Nude encounters like this can help people get closer. So… Do you want to have a nude encounter with me?"

Izuku's face paled from shock, trying to process what she just asked. "Huh?"

Next thing he knew, Izuku had found himself sitting in the tub, his face as red as a tomato as he did everything in his power to not pass out. Behind him, Ibara was washing his back, her face red as well. 'This is… awkward…' they both thought.

They stayed like that for about a minute, both unsure of what to say or do. Finally, Ibara spoke up. "Izuku-san… What do you think will happen if we lose?"

He had a good idea but chose not to say it. "…I promise, we won't lose," Izuku reaffirmed. "I'll protect you, Buchou, Ochako-san, and everyone else."

Then, before he could process it, he felt a pair of arms wrap around his back and pull him close. "I'm scared about what'll happen, but I'm glad that you're here. I know that you can do it, Izuku-san." He heard Ibara's voice, his face turning hot red as steam permeated from him. Not only was Ibara hugging him tightly while they were naked, but he could feel a soft pair of pillows pressing up against his back. An interesting reaction happened.

"I-I-I g-gotta g-go!" Izuku stood up, Ibara still wrapped around him

"Izuku-san, wait!" Ibara let go but slipped. "KYAH!"

She grabbed onto Izuku for support, but that only caused the boy to fall as well. The two crashed with a loud thud, with Ibara on top of Izuku. Before the two could react, however, the door flew open. "Ibara-chan, what's wrong?!" Ochako asked… only for her face to glow bright red at what she saw. Ibara lying on top of Izuku, his DRAGON in plain view!

"KKKYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!"

One horribly awkward night later, outside of Musutafu was a mountain, and beyond that mountain was a private villa that was owned by the Gremory family. It oversaw a wide field that was perfect for training purposes. While either Rias or Mizu could have just teleported the ORC to the villa, the peerage and sorcerer simply hiked there as a means to increase their strength and stamina. Mizu wasn't carrying any luggage, saying she didn't need anything, while Rias, Momo, and Ibara's luggage was not very heavy. However, most of the gear was assigned to Izuku, Ochako, Yuuto, and Koneko.

"I know we're gonna stay here for the next ten days…" Izuku huffed, struggling slightly with his part of the luggage, "But is all this luggage really necessary?"

"Actually, the baggage you're carrying weighs around 40 kg each," Rias replied, looking back at him over her shoulder, "Can't have you slacking off, you know."

"Huh?! That's all the weight I'm carrying?!" Izuku exclaimed, exasperated.

"Oh, suck it up," Koneko said, walking past him with her share of the luggage. Koneko's luggage appeared to be about the size of a car, and yet, despite her small size, the white-haired girl wasn't struggling at all.

"This isn't so bad," Ochako said as she walked past also, carrying luggage that was the same size, if a little smaller, than Koneko's. She was a Rook after all.

Yuuto's baggage was slightly smaller than Izuku's, so he had an easier time. It helped that, while Knights were normally frail, they had strong legs. He glanced at Izuku as his friend almost stumbled on the stone steps that led to the villa. "Hey, Izuku-kun. Are you all right? You look like you're having some trouble."

"I can… manage…" Izuku huffed, looking pained.

"Just hang in there, Izuku. We're almost there," Rias said, "Just a few steps more." Sure enough, their destination came into view. "We're here." It was a two-story complex with white and beige walls with blue floor tiles, balconies on all sides, and trimmed bushes, with white-steel window frames for each window frame. There was a tunnel-like driveway on the left-hand side that leads around the back where there was likely a garage.

"It's so beautiful," Ibara gushed at the sight of the villa.

"Your family gave you such a big place like this just for training?" Ochako asked, looking at the place in awe, "They must be seriously rich!"

"Oh, this? It really isn't that much compared to my home. You'll get to see it eventually," Rias said, almost boasting. "Now everyone, your names have been posted on the doors, so once you find them get changed and unpack. We will start training once everyone is ready."

"Yes, ma'am!" everyone obeyed.

After cleaning up the house to clear out the dust that piled up from the time it wasn't in use, everyone went into their respective rooms to change into their gym and tracksuit clothing. After that was taken care of, Mizu instructed them to meet outside for sparing sessions, saying it be a good way for her to judge where they all need to improve. Yuuto was first, standing some distance away from Mizu, each holding wooden practice swords called bokken, each magically enhanced to withstand hard impacts that would normally cause the wood to break.

"Don't hold back, Kiba," Mizu said. Her confidence sure wasn't lacking, as the sorcerer's grin could rival All Might's.

Standing by were Rias, Momo, Ibara, Ochako, Izuku, and Koneko. "Mizu-oneechan sure looks confident," Ochako said.

"I know Yuuto-san is good with a sword, but I don't think he can beat Mizu-san," said Ibara, Izuku nodding in agreement.

"I'm sure Yuuto's got this," Rias nodded. She rose her hand up into the air. "All right, are you both ready?"

Yuuto took a stance, while Mizu simply raised her bamboo sword, "Ready!"

She swung her hand down, "Begin!"

Yuuto moved in a quick dash, his speed rendering him near invisible. As soon as he reappeared at Mizu's face and moved the bokken at the sorcerer's neck. But Mizu raised her sword and blocked the Knight's attack. Jumping back, Yuuto charged again with another strike, a stab this time. Mizu parried the blade and went onto an offensive on his own thrusting his sword downward. That attack came too quickly for the blonde to do a counter-strike, being forced back by several meters.

Rias looked on in surprise. She was expecting Mizu's swordsmanship to be good, but so far she hadn't even moved from her spot and was holding her own against her Knight. No, it seemed as if Mizu was holding back, given she was only using one hand so far.

Yuuto seemed to smirk, enjoying the challenge coming from the fight. He decided to release his restraints just a little more, running all over the place as he zipped all around Mizu. Mizu didn't even bother to keep track of Yuuto's movements though as the Knight appeared at her side and swung for an attack. Quickly, Mizu blocked it with the bokken and counterattacked, aiming her bokken at Yuuto's legs. The Knight didn't have time to properly react, the bokken knocking him off-balance. He didn't have a chance to get up either as Mizu aimed her bokken at his neck.

"Not bad," Mizu offers a hand to Yuuto, who accepted. "Tennen Rishin-ryū, right?"

"Yes," Yuuto answered. "I was taught that and kenjutsu by my master."

"Sirzech's Knight," Mizu said to herself.

"Mizu-oneechan, you were amazing!" Ochako gushed, "You too, Yuuto-kun!"

"That was far more one-sided than what I was expecting," Rias said.

"You still have plenty of room to improve," Mizu lectured. "Your speed is your greatest advantage, but it may also be your greatest weakness. You have a tendency to charge in and then fall back, a predictable strategy. And if an opponent can match or even surpass that speed, all they need is one good hit and the fight's over," Mizu then turned her attention to everyone else.

"That's true for each of you. I noticed that, as a whole, you all rely too much on overpowering your opponents. That Smash Midoriya used during the exams against the Zero-Pointer is a good example. Yes, it's good for when you're in a bind, but what happens if you miss? What happens if your opponent is stronger? Now that you're weak and tired, they can easily finish you off. Remember the fights you had against those villains and the Port Mafia? If any of them were taking it seriously, I doubt you'd all still be here."

Everyone in the Gremory peerage clenched their fists, remembering those fights well. "What do you suggest?" Rias asked.

"For now, we focus on broadening your skills and strengths. Kiba, I'll let you borrow this," Mizu tossed the Yukinoha at Yuuto, who caught it with a fumble.

Yuuto stared at the Yukinoha, then at Mizu, then Yukinoha again, then back at Mizu. "You're… letting me borrow a Kamar-Taj relic?" He asked in disbelief.

"She took quite the dislike for Riser, so she's willing to help," Mizu explained. "Practice with her, along with any Demonic Swords that can cancel out flames for the rest of the day. At least then you'll have an advantage. Tomorrow you'll be doing hand-to-hand with me."

"Yes, ma'am," Yuuto bowed.

The sorcerer then looked to Izuku. "Midoriya, you're up."

"R-right!" Izuku stepped forward as Yuuto joined the others.

"Arguably, as a Pawn, your training will be the hardest out of everyone. You're the most versatile of the group, as such there's a lot of room for improvement." Mizu tossed him the bokken Yuuto was using. "Depending on what you promote yourself to could change the entire outcome of a fight, Rating Game or not. So, you ready?"

Izuku nodded. "Yeah."

"Good. But first… Ddraig, can you hear us?"

[Of course, I can hear you.]

Most of the Gremory group jumped in shock. "Did Izu-kun's hand just talk?!" Ochako asked.

"It did!" Yuuto confirmed.

"You could've talked to me like that this whole time?!" Izuku asked his hand. Specifically, the glowing green gem that had appeared on it.

[Only recently, as I explained when we first met.]

"Everyone, met the Welsh Dragon, Ddraig." Said Mizu. "Or at least his spirit that dwells within Midoriya's Sacred Gear."

"The Red Dragon Emperor," Rias muttered in awe.

"Ddraig, I want you to make sure Izuku won't be able to use his Boosted Gear for this," Mizu instructed.

[Ah, I see what you're planning.] Ddraig replied. [Very well.]

"W-wait, what are you up to?" Izuku nervously asked.

Mizu drew her bokken. "Just want to test something. Now then, Midoriya, try to use Dragon Force."

"Without my Boosted Gear?"

"You won't need it," Mizu smiled as she took a stance. "By the way, this will be a trial by fire, starting NOW!" In a split second, Mizu was on top of Izuku and swung for an attack. Quickly, Izuku blocked it with the bokken but MIzu's blow easily knocked him back several feet.

Stumbling to regain his footing, Izuku struggled to stay on the defensive against Mizu, who continuously swung her bokken hard and fast. Ibara, Ochako, and the others watched in worry as Mizu continued her assault against Izuku. 'I can't keep this up! How am I supposed to use Dragon Force without my Boosted Gear?! Come on, think!' As he continued to block and avoid Mizu's strikes, a thought occurred. 'Wait… when I first used Dragon Force, I didn't notice any change until the others pointed it out. Maybe I should just… let it happen…'

Closing his eyes, Izuku relaxed as Mizu swung another attack. Suddenly, Izuku jumped into the air and stayed there as Mizu's attack missed. The ORC looked on in surprise at seeing Izuku successfully using Dragon Force without the Boosted Gear.

Unlike before, the scales were no longer red. Instead, they were an emerald green. The stubby horns on his head had also grown, now being about two inches long, and were both black. Izuku hesitantly opened his eyes and looked himself over. "I-I did it!" He exclaimed.

Mizu smiled. "Like I thought."

"Huh?"

Mizu continued as Izuku landed back on the ground. "See, when we met I noticed something, so I decided to look into your family history," Mizu shook her head as if she was in disbelief. "Turns out, on your father's side, you have an… interesting relative."

"Interesting how?" Ibara asked.

"Wait…" Rias exclaimed, having realized what Mizu was saying. "Are you suggesting that…"

"Yep."

"What're you guys talking about?" Ochako asked.

Rias nearly slapped herself. "I knew something was off when we met, but I had assumed it was his Boosted Gear, but this…"

"What's going on? What are you saying?" Izuku asked.

"Ddraig, did you know about…?"

[I did, Gremory.] The dragon within Izuku's Sacred Gear answered. [I'm just disappointed that both he and all of you took this long to figure it out. I mean, the Familiar Master gave you a big clue.]

"The Familiar Master?" Suddenly the gears began to turn in Izuku's mind when he recalled what the Familiar Master had said. "Wait… You mean to say… I'M PART DRAGON!?"

Ochako's eyes grew wide in shock. "No way…! Izu-kun's a dragon?!"

"Seriously? How didn't we notice?" Yuuto asked, just as shocked as the others. Even Koneko had a look of surprise.

"Easily, since his dragon heritage isn't that big," Mizu clarified.

[She's right. If I had to guess you're at least 1/16th dragon. The reason the rest of you didn't notice before is because it hadn't awakened yet.]

"Is it true, Izuku-san? Are you really a dragon?" Ibara asked. "You mentioned that your father's Quirk lets him breathe fire like a dragon, so does he know?"

"Um… Probably? I don't really have much of a chance to talk to him often, let alone know about my other relatives or my family history. It's really been only me and my Mom since Dad works overseas to support us, and I don't really remember what kind of Quirks my grandparents had. It could also be possible that I have an ancestor that had a dragon Quirk, but I can't say for sure…" Izuku said in an unsure tone before cupping his chin with his hand and began mumbling about the possible Quirks his family could have had, causing the others to stare at him with sweat-drops on their heads.

"…You had to get him going, didn't you Ibara-san?" Momo said with a soft chuckle as she watched Ochako shake Izuku's shoulder to snap him out of his mumbling spree.

"He does that often?" Mizu asked, slightly creeped out by Izuku's mumbling.

"From time to time," Rias answered.

"But why did Izuku-kun's dragon heritage only come to light now?" Yuuto asked.

"It might be because of the Boosted Gear," Mizu said. "Since he's mostly human, his dragon half needed a catalyst to awaken. The energy from the Boosted Gear acted as that catalyst. Think of it as like a belated puberty."

"So that's why he started growing horns!" Ochako realized.

"Wait, Izu-kun began growing horns?" Rias asked.

"…I knew we forgot to tell you something," Ibara sheepishly mutters while Ochako chuckled nervously.

"We'll discuss the details of Dragon Izuku later," Mizu said. "Midoriya, your real training starts tomorrow, so get some sleep tonight."

"H-hai!"

The rest of the day was spent with Mizu sparing with the rest of the ORC. She gave Koneko advice on how to avoid faster opponents and offers to teach her some boxing and Muay Thai later. For Momo, Ochako, and Rias, she taught them some more effective use of their magic, such as using simple illusions to hide and mislead opponents.

As the sun began to set it was decided to end the day there, but Mizu wanted some more time to train with Momo, saying it was important. "You wanted to speak with me, Mizu-sama?" Momo asked once everyone else entered the house.

"Yes. It's about your lightning 'Quirk'," Momo didn't fail to catch the emphasis at the end.

"W-what about it?" The young devil tentatively asked.

"Stop hiding. I know for a fact that your lightning isn't a Quirk."

Momo visibly blanched. "How-"

"I worked with your father once, about a year ago," Mizu answered. "I know that lightning anywhere. And I'm sure he won't be happy when he finds out that-"

"STOP TALKING ABOUT THAT MAN!" Momo yelled. It was so unexpected that Mizu took a step back in fright. "I… I don't want anything to do with him."

"…You're afraid, aren't you? Afraid that if the others find out they'll reject you?" Mizu asked.

Momo didn't answer.

"They'll find out eventually." Mizu placed a hand on Momo's shoulder. "I'll keep this secret until you're ready to tell."

"…What does this have anything to do with Riser?"

"Because you can do a lot more than simply shoot lightning," Mizu answered. "Since you have to be smart to successfully use your actual Quirk, I'm sure the thought of using your ability to control lightning to control electromagnetism had crossed your mind once or twice."

Momo nodded.

"Well, along with teaching you magic, we'll be focusing on that."

The first day of training came to a close and after a hearty dinner that Rias prepared, the peerage retreated to the villa's bathhouse. The bathhouse, of course, was separated by a large wall. The girls pampered themselves on one side of the bath, while Izuku and Yuuto were washing off the grime from their bodies on the other end of the bath. Izuku leaned on the rim of the bath while Yuuto was scrubbing his hair with shampoo.

"Oh, wow," Izuku sighed blissfully, basking in the warm waters of the bath, "I don't even remember the last time I was in a bath like this."

"A nice bath always helps you relax after a long day of training," Yuuto added. Sighing deeply, he gave a friendly smile. "You know, this is actually the first time you and I have spoken casually to each other like this. Without the ladies around anyway."

"Come to think of it, you're right," Izuku nodded, realization dawning on him. "We never really did have much of a chance to talk these past few months."

"Yeah. But I'm still in shock about you being part dragon," Yuuto simply laughed as Izuku shook his head.

"I'm still in shock, too," Izuku chuckled nervously. "I'm worried about what Mizu-sama has planned for me tomorrow."

"I'm sure you can handle it," Yuuto reassured. "It'll probably be easier than what Buchou has in store with me. Not only do I have to practice with the Yukinoha, but she wants me to practice while using my Quirk."

Izuku's attention was caught by this. "What is your Quirk, Yuuto-san?"

"Nothing special, really. I can alter my center of gravity, so I can walk on walls and ceilings," Yuuto explained, placing his hand on the wall, soon lifting his own body before he stood on the wall, sticking to it with ease. "The downside is that it has to be a flat surface and at least part of my body needs to stay in contact."

Izuku watched in fascination. "That's amazing! I can see plenty of ways that can be useful for the Rating Game."

"I agree, it has come in handy plenty of times before," Yuuto's look turned solemn.

"…Yuuto?"

"It's nothing," Yuuto said, smiling.

"Ah~! It's been too long since I soaked in an onsen," Mizu said with a contented sigh as she stretched out in the hot, mineral-rich water.

"I wish Kyoka could've gone with us," said Momo as she rested in the water. "She would enjoy this." 'And not just because of the view,' she silently added.

"After a long day like today, I so~ needed this!" Ochako moaned in bliss.

Koneko sat on the edge of the bath, eating a candy bar she snuck in. Though she occasionally looked on in jealousy at the larger busts of the other girls.

"This is nice," Ibara let herself sink into the waters.

"So Mizu, what do you have planned for tomorrow?" Rias asked.

"It's a secret," Mizu teased. Rias was about to protest when she saw a large scar on Mizu's abdomen. It was long and diagonal, reaching from her waist to below her breasts.

"That's a nasty scar," Rias said.

Mizu looked down and rubbed a hand against it. "This? I had it for a couple of years," she said, her voice having a solemn tone to it. "I got it when my hero career ended."

Rias flinched. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. That's in the past now," Mizu smiled. 'And I'm determined to not let history repeat itself with them.'

The next day, the ORC gathers outside the villa, Mizu standing up in front. "Today is where the real training begins," Mizu said. "First off, Midoriya. Your trainer should be here soon."

"Trainer?" Izuku couldn't ask anything else when they heard the sound of heavy flapping above them. They all looked up as a large shadow appeared in front of the sun and grew larger as the mysterious object approached them.

The large object as it landed not far from them with a dull 'THUD' and furled its huge wings behind his back. It stood at a towering fifty feet tall, its body mainly covered in dark purple, draconic scales with the exception of its lower body, including its belly, inner portions of its legs, and its long tail, which was beige in color. Protruding from its triangular head was a pair of large yellow horns along with a pair of red eyes which glared down at them maliciously. His claws ended with long sharp, yellow nails, and large bat-like wings which protruded from its back. It also wore a loincloth and black pauldrons which extended down to its elbows.

"A dragon?!" Izuku screeched.

"Thanks for coming, Tannin," Mizu calmly greeted the dragon.

"Tannin!?" Rias gasped. "How the hell did you get the Blaze Meteor Dragon to come here?!"

"I pulled some strings. He'll be Midoriya's teacher for a little bit."

"It's been a long time since I last visited the human world," Tannin said, his powerful voice echoing. "But it's been even longer since we last spoke, Ddraig."

[Too true.] Ddraig said, a little eager to speak with a fellow dragon. [It's good to see you, Tannin.]

"You know him?" Izuku asked.

[Yes. Tannin was once a Dragon King until he willingly became a devil.]

"Even among reincarnated devils, he's well known for being an Ultimate-Class," Rias added.

"A devil dragon…" Ochako muttered. "That's… terrifying…"

Tannin bent down and sniffed the air around Izuku, making the boy flinch. "Even though it's small, I can smell the dragon blood within him," Tannin noted.

"That's part of the reason you're here," Mizu then looked to Izuku. "All right Midoriya, you and Tannin will spend the next hour in a special training area," Mizu rotated her arm in a circular motion, creating a large rift big enough to fit Tannin. "Once there you'll be training for about a month."

"Huh?"

"See, where you're going time moves about 730 times faster than here. So an hour here will be 730 hours, or about one month, there."

Tannin then picked up Izuku by his shirt. "Hey! Slow down!"

"Wait, if time moves faster there then why aren't we all going?" Rias asked.

"Because access is restricted," Mizu answered. "Only about 4 people are allowed at any given time." She then turned to Tannin. "You've got about a month to help train Midoriya. During that time, I want you to strengthen his body and mind through rigorous training to get a better handle on his dragon abilities. As well as this, I expect him to strengthen his Sacred Gear also. And be sure to give him a break every six days. We don't want to kill the boy."

"So torture him? Understood."

"Wait, WHAT?!" Izuku screamed as Tannin stepped through the rift. "Don't I get a say in-"

The rift closed.

"Uh… will Izuku-san be okay?" Ibara asked.

"He'll be fine," Mizu reassured.

The next twenty minutes were spent with Mizu sparing with Koneko. Koneko lunged forward with her fist rearing for a punch, and Mizu went in with her leg over her leg. Mizu was currently teaching Koneko how to avoid certain attacks, which can make it easier for the Rook to counterattack.

Rias and the others watch as Mizu demonstrated this by having Koneko lunge forward with her fist rearing for a punch, only for Mizu to sidestep, grab Koneko's arm, and toss her through the air. "Just because you're a Rook doesn't mean you should take every hit thrown at you," Mizu told her as Koneko landed.

"How do you know so many martial arts?" Rias asked.

"I had two really great teachers," Mizu answered. "I used to intern with Yoroi Musha before I opened my agency, and he taught me plenty about sword fighting. When I joined Kamar-Taj I was taught a whole bunch of martial arts like kung fu, Muay Thai, and the like by Jack."

"Jack?"

"Yeah. He's a samurai, though no one knows his real name, so everyone just calls him Jack."

"How do you think Izu-kun is doing?" Ochako asked.

BOOOOOOOOOMMM!

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!" Izuku bellowed as he was launched backward from the large explosion which detonated in front of him, sending him soaring through the air where he landed on the face of a large rock that knocked the wind out of him. He groaned in pain as he slowly slid down the rock and fell onto his hands and knees.

"Ow…" he grumbled as he wiped the soot off his face before proceeding to wipe the sweat which had developed over the course of the day where it seemed like he had been running non-stop. When he looked back on today's training and then up at the darkening sky, he quickly realized that he had been running all day.

[You've managed to make some improvement today.] Ddraig said with a slight chuckle.

"You have gotten a good grasp of your dragon heritage. Now we just need to focus on your Sacred Gear," said Tannin. "We have nearly spent half of our time here, so maybe I should crank up the firepower."

"Huh?"

When Izuku saw Tannin preparing for another attack, he spread his wings and flew as fast as he could.

"I'm sure he's fine," Mizu reassured.

Izuku drank the water from the stream near his camp, the cold liquid cooling his body after a long day of training. Which consisted of running like hell from Tannin's attacks. Once he finished he looked at his reflection in the water and saw the physical effects of his extensive training regime. The turquoise jersey his mother had given him was completely ruined, reduced to shredded fabric after only a few days into the training. The white shirt lying on the ground beside him wasn't much better, though somehow it was still able to cover his torso. As he looked at his bare chest, Izuku noticed that he had burned off what little fat he had, leaving his chest sturdy and muscular, and his stomach toned. Even his arms had benefitted from the training in that they had become very muscular as a result. The horns he had on his head had grown now. Before they were barely noticeable. Now they were at least two inches long. His eyes were different now, too, his pupils having noticeable slits.

"So this is what happens when you train with a former Dragon King?" Izuku asked himself as he inspected his new body.

[You should be proud, kid.] Ddraig stated, his gem glowing on Izuku's right hand as he spoke. [Tannin is notorious for his unique style of training. You've done well to survive it.]

"Thanks," Izuku replied as he put his shirt back on and headed back to his camp. "I'm just glad this is the last night. It's been about a month, but it feels weird knowing that I've really only been gone for about an hour."

[It certainly is strange.] Ddraig commented. [The sorcerers of Kamar-Taj are full of surprises.]

Izuku gathered some wood and placed them in the fire he had made earlier. The warmth from the flames helped him relax. "I know this much, when we get back my body is going to ache for months," Izuku added with a groan.

[Don't worry. I'm sure the Gremory will be giving you new aches to worry about.] Ddraig said with a chuckle, causing Izuku to sweat-drop.

Izuku had never been happier to see anything as he was to see the Gremory villa on the other side of the rift. Riding atop Tannin's back, Izuku shielded as the huge dragon landed in front of the villa, the rest of the ORC watching. He jumped off Tannin's back, sprouting his green, dragon wings to slow his descent to the ground.

As he landed on the gravel covering the courtyard, Izuku looked down at his hand which held the only thing he had brought back from his time in the forest and mountains, the tattered remains of his jersey. It was totally destroyed over the course of his training camp, being little more than strips of fabric now, largely charred thanks to Tannin and his fireball attacks.

"Izu-kun! You look so different now," said Ochako, she and Ibara admiring the muscle Izuku had developed.

"I take it that the training with Tannin went well?" Rias asked, though she too was secretly admiring Izuku's new muscles.

Izuku, though a little nervous about all the stares the girls were giving him, smiled and answered. "I somehow made it through."

"Thanks for the help, Tannin," Mizu said to the dragon-turned-devil.

"You're welcome, Sorceress Mizushima," Tannin replied. "I'll be taking my leave now. I look forward to the Rating Game." With a massive flap of his wings, Tannin took to the air, quickly rising into the sky before disappearing into a magic circle.

"Now then," Rias called, "let's get back to training."

Eight days into the training camp (well, longer for Izuku) and everyone was showing signs of improvement. Ibara, even though she could easily defend herself with her vines, had learned several defensive spells from Mizu. Yuuto's speed managed to increase, while his proficiency with the Yukinoha had improved, despite the blade's stubborn personality. Koneko managed to become more swift and agile despite her Rook attributes limiting her speed, while Ochako had better mastered her Rook strength, even applying it to some of her spells.

Momo had managed to become more versed in her electricity, having found many ways to manipulate the elements easily. As for Rias, even she managed to find variable and efficient ways to use her Power of Destruction. Everyone had improved over the course of the week, and they were all just about ready to face off against Riser and his battle harem.

That night after everyone else had gone to sleep, Izuku sat in the living room, checking the Hero News. No mention of All Might teaching at U.A. yet, while Ryukyu helped take down a Quirk trafficking ring. He was also going over his notes, reviewing and adding to them whenever he could during the whole training camp. He was so focused on them that he failed to notice someone walk into the room.

"Izu? What are you doing?" The voice of their leader broke him out of his concentration.

"Huh? Oh! I'm just checking the Hero News and looking over my notes is all," Izuku turned to look at Rias. As soon as he caught sight of her, he blushed and turned away.

Why? She was wearing a pink see-through nightgown that gave him a vague look of what she had underneath. Not to mention that she also had on a set of red glasses over her eyes, a lite candle, and a book under her arm.

If Rias noticed his reaction, she didn't show it. She simply set the candle on the coffee table before them and plopped down on the couch next to him. "Any interesting hero stories tonight?"

Blushing beet red, Izuku tried not to stutter, "W-well, Ryukyu helped take down a Quirk trafficking ring."

"Hm, that dragon sure has been busy lately."

"I guess…" Izuku nodded, feeling uncomfortable with how close she was to him, how he could feel her warm breath brushing against his face. Daring himself to look at her, he blinked as he saw the glasses. They actually made her look… cute. "I didn't know you wore glasses."

"These?" Rias said, fidgeting with her eyewear as she backed up, "They're just for show. They help me think more clearly. Goes to show just much time I've spent here in the human world," she giggled slightly. "I still need to find more information on the Phenex clan, so I thought I'd get some extra time to study up."

"Oh…" Izuku could only say. "If you don't mind me changing the subject, why are you so against marriage? I mean, I can see why you wouldn't want to marry someone like Riser, but why marriage in general? Is it something personal?"

"No, Izuku," Rias answered, "I'm not against marriage. In fact, I would rather find someone that I myself approve of. Rather, this whole thing came about because I am a Gremory."

"Huh?"

Rias gazed out the window, looking at the moonlight from the crescent moon. Izuku blinked as his eyes widened slightly, feeling as if the light of the moon and her longing posture seemed to make her appear as an unforeseen goddess.

"Back home, everyone only sees me as Rias of Gremory instead of myself. While it is flattering to have men attracted to me and I am proud to call myself a Gremory, they only view me as a trophy rather than my own person. Riser is just one of many men who view me as such. Not once did he ever listen to me or took interest in my likes. All I heard from him was how I'm going to be his, and how I am already his. And it only got worst after his brother disappeared. It was so depressing. It was part of the reason why I wanted to stay in the human world. Here, I'm free to act as myself and everyone sees me as simply Rias." She turned back to Izuku with longing sadness in her eyes, "I just want to have someone who loves me for me. Someone who can laugh and cry with me. Someone that I can call my own. That isn't too much to ask, is it?"

Izuku slowly smiled and shook his head, "It's not. And… I think everyone wants to fall in love with someone, right?"

Rias smiled. "You're right." Rias then noticed a slightly burned notebook resting on the coffee table. Curiously, she picked up the notebook before Izuku could react. "Oh, what's this? 'Hero Analysis for the Future No. 13'?"

Izuku winced. "A-Ah, that's-"

"Wow, you wrote all this?" Rias asked, skimming through the pages. "I knew you liked heroes, especially All Might, but this takes it to the next level."

Izuku blushed at that, looking down in embarrassment as he rubbed his head. "W-Well, that's…"

"Oh~ What's this? Mount Lady is 'sexy', is she?" Rias said, her tone hiding none of her amusement. "Now we know you're into taller girls, huh?"

"W-Wait, you're misunderstanding!" Izuku waved his arms sporadically. "Y-You see, at that time, Mount Lady was a brand new Hero on the scene! I watched her help Kamui Woods and several other Heroes take down a villain rampaging through town. She ended up dealing the final hit and um… made a point to… flaunt her assets…" He coughed, trying not to sound demeaning. "I-It's not unusual for some Heroes to use their looks to their advantage, man or woman. Mount Lady was definitely trying to get that sort of attention when making her debut."

"I'm only half-convinced because it's you saying this. Just don't let Koneko see this, you naughty boy."

Izuku let his head hang, refusing to offer her the dignity of a response.

"Still… I have to admit, these notes you took are quite impressive," Rias continued, causing Izuku to look back at her again. "I get that you're a fanboy, but I have to ask… why take notes on so many different Heroes? I know that you admire All Might the most, but you've got a whole catalog of Heroes in here."

Izuku gave a nostalgic smile, reaching down and grabbing a notebook, holding it up, and flipping through the pages. "Because… I thought that maybe if I could figure out how so many different Heroes made it… How their strengths worked and how I might be able to use them to my own advantage… I'd be able to get into U.A."

Izuku closed the book, gazing at the charred, crinkled cover with a gentle expression. "I thought if I just worked hard enough and studied hard enough, I could make it, even without a Quirk. But now that I think back, it really wasn't in the cards for me, huh? Not without knowing about my Boosted Gear." His eyes trailed over to Rias. "Then I met you, Yuuto-san, Koneko-chan, and everyone else. I have the chance now, thanks to you. I'm really glad that we met."

Izuku then grabbed his book bag from the coffee table and pulled out a bundle of notebooks. "There's… something I want to show you." He undid the strap and pulled out a notebook at the center, turning around with a sheepish expression.

"I was… sort of hiding this because I was kind of embarrassed, and it slipped my mind after training with Tannin-sama, but I think now's a good a time as any to show you." Izuku held out the notebook in his hand, handing it to Rias to read.

"…'Devil, Angel, and Other Supernatural Analysis for the Present No. 1'…" Rias read aloud, slowly pulling the cover back to read through the pages.

"I made sure to include everyone's abilities in there and what their strengths and weaknesses are! Not to mention I made note of all the people and stray devils we've fought, like Raynare and Chuuya!" Izuku explained with a glint in his eyes, watching as Rias looked through it in stunned silence. "I even have a couple of ideas on how everyone can improve!"

"Izuku, this is… amazing…" Rias mumbled, looking back up at the green-haired teen. "You didn't have to do all of this."

"I wanted to. I'm your Pawn now. And like you said, we're all family." Rias nodded with a knowing smile, "We're in this together. Me, Ibara-san, Momo-san, Koneko-chan, Yuuto-san, and Ochako-san. We don't want you marrying Riser anymore than you do. We'll all do our best."

Rias smiled wider, "Izu… come'er," she reached her arms around him and pulled him into a hug, resting her head against her pillow-like chest.

"Erm… Buchou… what are you-?" Izuku whispered, blushing.

"Shh… let's stay like this for a while," Rias whispered, nuzzling her face against his hair. Izuku slowly nodded as he relaxed in his master's grip, feeling a little more comfort in her arms. "Hey… Izuku?"

"Yeah?"

"I… I'm glad we met, too."

A/N: Holy crap! I think this is the longest chapter yet!

C'mon! Izuku's dad has a Quirk that lets him breathe fire. LIKE A DRAGON! It was too good of an opportunity to pass up on. And no, he's not aware either.