Izuku tinkered with the device, double checking to make sure nothing was out of place. "Alright, the cannon is looking good. Never got damaged in the first place other than the fuse. Which we won't light up early, right?" He made sure to ask Clara.

"Yes sir, I won't light it until it's time for a super boom!" She shouted. Glad that she learned from the experience.

"I must gotta say Eiko, you really know your way around this stuff." Gaako, their newest recruit, spoke up as she looked at the girl mix viles fast and furiously.

"Had to master this fast, with the bastard gone-" Everyone flinched, not that they disagreed.. "-One of us needed to know how to use gunpowder, so I just learned everything there is to know about every combination."

"Love is a terrifying motivator." Azz spoke after a beat of silence. Huh, what did Eiko love that motivated her?

"Wow, Eiko, I didn't know you were such a quick study! Makes me jealous." He humbly admitted. "I have to spend hours just taking notes that I constantly have to revisit. I'm not that good at putting my thoughts into actions." Well that and the demon world made most previous knowledge shatter like dust. "Maybe we should study and share notes when we return to normal classes."

"Oh, oh! Yeah, that's, that's, that's.." Huh, he should probably see a professional. Maybe Crocel and Azz had a point about his muttering being contagious. "That sounds like a great idea! Because it's you! Always having great ideas, heh!"

"Hey, I can be there too! I need a study buddy! Izuku-kins is the only buddy I'll need!" She clinged on his arm with her usual open affection, though he swore she saw Eiko and her glaring hatefully. Maybe the concussion hadn't fully healed yet.

"Yeah, I'm gonna supervise to make sure no one has weird thoughts put into their head." Azz spoke with arms crossed. Where did that come from? What's wrong with the three of them sharing notes with one another in the same room?

"Oh you just wanna play with us. Admit it Azz-Azz." Clara spoke with a giggle.

"I do not Cla-Valac." He cut himself off. He's been doing that since it was pointed out, almost as if refusing to acknowledge it on principle.

"Not doing what?" Spoke a familiar voice that had the representative scream and jump into Izuku's arms on accident. A few students walked by to the scene, muttering 'called it' before they walked past his mother. "I do hope that nobody here is being unreasonably cruel to my baby-" His mother walked up to Azz, who started to shake like he was afraid. "-or anybody he cares about, right Azz-Azz?" Since when did his mother practice a villain voice?

"N-no madam Midoriya!" He spoke quickly and nervously, now standing straight and shaking as Gaako stood behind the duo. "Everything is fine, just some friendly teasing between friends? Right guys, right?"

"Yeah Mamadoriya, Azz-Azz says stuff like that all the time. Like to 'shut up you nutjob', and 'can we try not to walk into danger', stuff like that." Clara spoke innocently, as Azz shot her an honestly betrayed look.

His mother, thankfully, was taken out of this by Eiko. "Madam Midoriya!?" She shouted, jumping up with a smile and leaving the volatile chemicals to spill on the grass. He should probably be more concerned, but enough has happened already.

"Uh, yeah, guys, well, I guess Azz and Clara already know, but Eiko, Gaako, this is my mom." He waved to his mother, who wore her usual smile. "Mom, this is Eiko and Gaako. And we're the Magical Apparatus Battler."

"I have so much to ask, I mean tell, I mean consider, and then there's, and also, and maybe we could-" Eiko went on like this in a way that left even him confused and unable to follow. Gaako just took it in stride.

"Nice to meet you mam. I'm the only sane person besides Azz, who's decent enough most of the time. Nice to meet you." She spoke, holding out her hand in greeting.

"Oh, so you're on his side then?" Mom brought out that dark voice again. Was she getting enough sleep at night?

"N-no! I'm just saying, Azz has his good qualities, and he helps out a lot! I, we, we just keep the group organized when things get a little messy!"

Inko seemed to calm down at this. "Oh, I'm sorry. Thank you for looking after my son." She gave a bow. "I'm sorry to hear about what happened …"

"It's fine." Clara spoke, uncharacteristically uncheery. "He's gone and we don't have to worry about him anymore." Izuku shouldn't have brought her in all honesty, whenever Kiriwo came up she just lost that smile she had on before. "Izuku-kins plan worked in the end, and brought smiles to everyone!" Now that was the normal Clara he loved-cared for! As a friend!

"I know you've made him happy, Clara. I'm glad to know he's keeping you happy as well." His mom patted her reassuringly, before turning his head to Eiko. "Oh, so you're the one who my baby saved?" He wasn't going to hear the end of this for a long time, wasn't he?

"Yeah, yeah! He's awsom-I mean heroi-I mean ho-ahh-I deeply care about your son!" She screamed into her hands before hiding behind Gaako. Guess mom's villain voice scared her too.


Inko was ecstatic, such loving friends like Clara. And Azz finally calmed down from being that selfish old self, and was now just a voice of reason in the group. The Gaako girl seems to have a bit of an attitude problem herself, but she presented herself as a friend unlike Azz at first. Now she gotta meet the cute little damsel her son rescued from the pink bra...boy.

"Say mom?" Her little Izuku asked. "Where are Opera-san and Grandpa?"

"Oh, they're carrying the rest of the bags, they wanted as many cameras as possible." She spoke, giving a simultaneous nervous chuckle at that with her son. They could be a bit much in these situations. "Regardless, I'm glad to meet you all here. Say, where are your-?"

"Clara-chan!" A voice called out, the entire group turning to see an army of Claras marching at them. She would have felt more creeped out if she hadn't gotten used to this earlier.

"Azz, I know I used dangerous magic yesterday that messed with my head, but do you see the Claras as well?" Izuku asked, she should probably get him to a doctor.

"Yes, and sadly we haven't fortified our defences well enough to compensate." How rude! Clara was adorable, so surely more of her wouldn't be a problem.

"Mommy!" The girl cried out to the woman calling out to her, knocking her to the ground, before being dogpiled by four more Clara-creatures. "Koochi, Keebow, Sin-sin, Ran-nan!" She shouted as she hugged them all, becoming a mini green tornado.

"Nice to meet you." The mother spoke, grabbing Inko's hand and shaking it with enough energy to leave her bones shaking well after it was finished. "Clara talks about your precious little boy a lot, so thank you for bringing such a bright spot in her life into the world!"

"Seriously, how strong is the gene tree?" Eiko felt the need to mutter, maybe she should work on thinking before she spoke. She did stumble on words a lot. Just like her baby the more she thought about it.

"I guess Clara doesn't fall too far from the tree." Izuku chuckled, more amused than freaked out. Oooh, her baby has grown up so much! "Clara, why don't..Clara, where did you go?"

"And we're … the Valacs!" They all shouted, spinning into tuxedo outfits as they began tap dancing, spotlights and music coming out of nowhere.

"Wait, this is beyond the usual Valac oddity, where is that music coming from!?" The pink haired boy felt the need to shout. Rude, but not inaccurate. And such the family began singing about how fun it was to be in a festival such as this. "Well regardless, it's still better than having to deal with-"

"Oh Alice, my sweet little cotton candy!" A very … attractive voice called out as the boy paled instantly.

"IMPOSSIBLE! Quick, run, I'll hold her off before-" His words were cut off as a woman with long pink hair grabbed the boy, tightening around his body hard.

"Oh Alice. No force on this planet can hold me back. I had to dispose of Henry just for the sake of coming here you know." She spoke sweetly.

"Oh devi, your whole family is pyromaniacs." Izuku and Eiko muttered at the same time.

"No no, it was an ear cleaning technique, he loves it." The women pacified them. "My name is Amaryllis Asmodeus, but you can call me Ama." She greeted Inko, getting in close with a hug. And there were hands wandering her body, lovely.

"Do you mind taking your hands off me, before something bad happens?" She asked in her sickly sweet voice, laced with malicious intent. It backfired when the woman giggled above all things.

"Oh my, I do love such blatant forwardness." The woman sent a wink back, and Inko did not know how to take it, other than sending a stern glare. "So, you're the lovely woman who birthed the boy my little Alice talks about all the time? You're both certainly more adorable than he's let on."

"Azz, I'm not sure what I'm watching.." Izuku whispered to his taller friend, both for the first time she's noticed sharing a similar look of agreement and discomfort. "..But I'm pretty sure I don't like it."

"Oh good, for a second I thought you would've told me to take it easy on her. Nice to know we can agree on the vital things in life." Asmodeus muttered back. Oh boy, this was the kid's mother? She should take it easier on him if he's had to deal with this mess all the time.

"Oh joy, we're all here, together! Let's all be friends, just like our little bundles of joy are!" The Valac Matriarch sprund in-between the two of them, incassing them in a less invasive but overly forceful hug. "We can talk and cook for each other and play games and show off family photos! Like this one of my little Clara playing flesh eating city destroying monster with Koochi and Keebow!" She showed off a huge photo album that were mostly pictures of a younger Clara dressed in a cardboard costume. It was very adorable; her potential grandbabies would be too cute for any world to handle.

"Mommy! Don't show the photos! Anything but the PHOTOS!"

Asmodeus laughed at the girl's distress, and poorly tried to hide it. "Now Valac, as embarrassing as this might be for you, I'm sure that your mother showing a brief period of your youth to other's is hardly.."

"Oh, this reminds me of the first time I made special clothing for Alice on his first day of school!" Amaryllis showed off her own photo album. "The dress I made for him was especially cute!"

"...On the other hand, it's best to leave the past behind, buried, and burned to ash!" Asmodeus launched himself at his mother, fire blazing in each of his palms. "YOU WON'T GET AWAY WITH IT THIS TIME MOTHER!"

He didn't get far when Izuku held him back by his arm. "I get that this isn't something either of you want, but I really don't think you should be reacting with such extreme.."

Speaking of which, embarrassing one's child to another's parents was also another duty as a mother she's neglected to do until now. "Oh, that's great. Here, I have a few photos of Izuku's childhood uploaded." Inko pulled out her brand new Hellphone and showed it off to the other mothers. "He loved to play hero and dress up, pretending to save me from danger."

"Oh, he's an adorable little bunny!" Amaryllis and Mrs. Valac squealed at the same time.

"Where? Show me baby Izuku!" Eiko ran up to them, and she gladly showed off the picture. "He's, he's he's, that face is too pure for this world!" Eiko fainted from the sight. Huh, guess Clara had a little competition. With how both seemed to care for him, it made it difficult as a mother to choose between who she preferred. Then again, she did want tons of grandchildren to spoil-oh god her Papa was rubbing off on her.

"Azz … I once again concede to your point." Izuku let his grip go with a face full of horror. "Burn it. Burn it ALL DOWN!"

"Now, now, you can't stop us, you'll be too busy dealing with that." Amaryllis playfully pointed to a rainbow colored sludge creature popping up from behind them.

"What are you on about-OH DEVI IT'S ALIVE!" Asmodeus shouted

"It's hungry!"

"It's got Eistring."

"EIKOOOOOO!" Gaako shouted loudly.

"Don't worry, I got her!" Her baby leapt forward and pulled her back, making them both crash into the ground with Eiko landing on top of Izuku, blushing wildly.

"Iz-iz-Izuku! I, I can't stop myself from falling into these situations, can I?" Eiki asked with a shaky smile. "Gu-guess you'll always be there for me, huh?"

Izuku, for his part, blushed and turned away. "Yeah, that's what a hero does-IT'S STILL MOVING!" As the Club-Battler continued to attack, she smiled at her baby boy. Such a fun little group with lovely friends.

"Now, how about we find some drinks and talk some more about our precious little children?" Amaryllis said, wrapping her arms around the other women as she-okay wow, seriously needed to let up on Asmodeus with a woman like this as a mother.


Izuku-kun had so many new friends to spoil! It was the best time to be alive! And he got to look after them and their children while all the mothers went away for a bonding session, ah how his little Inko could now bond herself with others like his sweet grandson.

First off there was Asmodeus's little cousins, who treated him like a big brother they worshipped so very dearly. They seemed to belittle everyone else at any expense, but they were kids that didn't know any better. They gave bright sparkly eyes whenever Asmodeus did something 'cool'.

Then there were the little bundles of joy that were Clara Valac's younger siblings. Two handsome young boys and two adorable twin girls, the boys trying to pick a fight with Asmodeus and his cousins while the baby girls climbed up Izuku's head like it was a mountain. In another life, he probably would've walked up to the Valac household and begged to be their Grandfather. They seemed like they would've been reasonable enough to agree.

Then Eiko's little brother walked up and asked Izuku-Kun for his autograph. Took a whole hour to stop the boy from crying with a smile even as he signed it. Said brother looked no worse for wear, sparkles adorning his face as though he watched an idol. Izuku was truly living out his dream. It was times like this where he anticipated the moment where he would eventually blow up Aldera Middle School for denying his grandson's happiness.

The games they played were great as well. Anything that was rigged was left to Opera, who obliterated the stand with a single toss and by sheer technicality won the prize. He handed said prize to Izuku, a stuffed green bunny, which he handed off to Clara, who looked completely dazed as she hugged it like it was the last toy on earth.

The little cousins grabbed their pink lion that was won by Asmodeus, saying it was amazing and beat anything Midoriya could ever give them, which sparked a war between them and Clara. A lot of chocolate Bananas were thrown, many casualties were made with innocents caught in the middle. Asmodeus and Izuku teamed up to stop the delicious madness, Asmodeus running up to Clara and burning her supply of ammo while Izuku walked up to the little girls and handed them two plastic crowns he had gotten from a ring toss he surprisingly won all on his own, telling them Asmodeus would likely want to play princess with them back home. The two both blushed before they ran up to their cousin, begging him to play with them now.

Ah, how he enjoyed these youthful times, so much lively energy in children. Now they went to a food stall area, getting candies and junk food for everyone to enjoy, including a large amount of cotton candy. Eh, what did he care about? It's not like they were even scratching his pockets, and he'd kill everyone in the demon world if it meant his adorable grandson could smile like was now.

"I can't stress enough how cute your boy is in this picture!" The Asmodeus head, as well as his fellow member of the crows, spoke a bit, boisterous, to his daughter as she and sat with each other, watching the lively display as they scrolled through Izuku-kun's baby photos. "Alice referred to him as plain looking. I don't see how he ever got that impression."

"And your son usually has this grimace on his face nowadays, but his smile here is absolutely adorable." Inko returned, pointing at a dancing Asmodeus. "So innocent like nothing can go wrong."

"I must say, my little Clara has never been happier in her life. She was always the most cheerful in the house, but nowadays, it's like the sun shines through her face every morning." The Valac matriarch giggled, pointing to Clara and Izuku playing tag with each other. "Ever since she's learned about friends, it's like she believes she'll never be alone. I believe I have both your children to thank for that."

"Oh, Alice would never admit it, he's too stiff to spill his guts out to anyone, but he's been more lively around the house ever since that first day of school. I'm assuming it's all thanks to your little Izu-kun." Amaryllis winked, and he felt the need to give her a long talk in a dark corner. Yay, his overly protective parental instincts have finally kicked in!

"I appreciate the praise, but you should be thanking Izuku himself. I don't think I can claim credit for his kind heart." Inko said solemnly. "I've never been the most supportive of my baby. I'm just glad he's finally able to be happy around other people for a change."

"Of course you can take credit." Spoke Mrs Valac with a wild yet kind smile. "A mothers job is to help the naive and innocent child grow into something beautiful, untainted by the dark world yet strong enough to overcome it. Just look at him now." She pointed at the smiling child. "He's that kind and gentle because he was taught how to be by you."

Inko looked stunned, tears forming in the corner of her eyes. She didn't have the strength to keep it in and became a human sized waterfall that turned the streets of the festival into a canal for all to canoe through, because it was the only way people would be able to travel anywhere now. Looks like it was time to fulfill his fatherly duties.

"There, there, Inko, darling. It's all right. You're a good mother." He patted her back as she clung to his suit much like her son did earlier.

She was stilled for a moment, before having the audacity to look offended. "What are you doing, this is mothers time!" Wait what? This wasn't how it was supposed to play out.

"Yes sir Sullivan, I know you rank above me but I didn't think you were so insensitive to the delicate needs of women confiding in one another." Amaryllis spoke with an insulted look. Wait-wait-wait! You can't speak out about your superior in their personal life, only their work life!

"You're supposed to help us by looking after the kids, if not you then all that's left is Opera, and they're just one person." Mrs. Valac of all people accused him. Wow, that stung way more than it would've normally. What could you do when the embodiment of joy and fun itself called you irresponsible? "Is he always like this? That must get tiring to deal with all the time." Okay, now they were just rubbing salt in the wound.

"Oh, he's even worse at work. While everyone tries to discuss politics and the actual function of the world, the three headmasters of the brightest demon schools just huddle inside of their room and talk in secret. According to Azazel, all they do is just chat about their grandchildren!" Hey, don't go spoiling stuff like that to outsiders! She's supposed to be on his side!

"I'm sorry you have to deal with that Amaryllis. I'll make sure to take him aside once we get him home." Okay, it was becoming clear they would just be insulting him until he left. Oh the nightmare of being a father and grandfather! "Oh, one thing, Papa." Inko said sweetly as she whispered in his ear, and for a split second, he thought he was going to get an apology, not that he would ever be mad at her.

By everything in hell, he was way off the mark. "Don't tell me you only adopted us just for bragging rights around your friends?" Ah, did humans have an evil cycle? He thought that was a demon only thing!

"Oh, would you look at that, Izuku and the gang are getting into some trouble. Better bail them out, later!" And with that, for the first time in the history of the netherworld, the demon lord Sullivan ran from a fight. As far as anyone would know, it was simply a strategic retreat.


"Now then, it's time for the results of the Division Party vote!" Lily and Viole couldn't believe it, they got to see their cousin in action, winning against anything in his path! They loved how he always stomped everything in his path, and ever since he met that Midoriya guy, his passion for everything only seemed to burn brighter.

It was kinda annoying at times though, he would get so worked up over his rival that he started to ignore them, and that was just rude. They already knew he was better than that moss head boy any day of the week. Just look at how skinny he is, and he mutters all creepy too.

"Just give the grand prize to Azz already! He made amazing fire flowers across the sky, he's obviously the best guy around here!" Lily passionately defended her big cousin, who slowly patted her head.

"Now now, it's the prize of the Battler, not just me." He reminded them.

"Yeah, we all made the fire flowers go boom and kapow!" Just stay out of this green haired lady, you're obviously not worthy to be in Azz's presence.

"Besides, it wasn't Asmodeus who came up with the idea, It was all Izuku's!" The blonde lady shouted indignantly. "He came up with the idea, the set up, and even set off the biggest one all by himself. So if anyone here is going to take home their own prize, it has to be him!"

"R-really?" Viole asked with a weird blush on her face. She's been like that ever since Midoriya gave them those crowns. "W-well, obviously it wouldn't have worked without Azz's fire! Therefore, the credit goes to him!"

"I mean she has a point." Midoriya muttered. "On the first day you guys did a light show while things were happening. We would have just been another name in the wind if it wasn't for you." Hah, the rival has already admitted defeat. "If it wasn't for me, Kiriwo wouldn't have been so close to blowing up the school." Wait, what was that about blowing up the school?

"Midoriya, I think you should keep that under wraps, especially with children listening in!" The dragon lady admonished before quitting down. "Besides, I thought we all agreed everything was that guy's fault, not yours. I'll literally take back every other danger-junkie comment if you stop the self-pity party."

"Gaako makes a valid point, Izuku." Their big strong cousin agreed. Wait, since when did he start acting nice to other people? Could it be, no, it's impossible!

"Don't tell me you're trying to Seduce Azz!" Viole shouted her very thoughts out, they were always in sync like that. Obviously she noticed the girl trying.."I thought you liked me!" Wait, since when did they fall out of sync?!

"This is all your fault, danger-junkie! You're ruining my life!" Lily ran, foaming at the mouth, before being held back by the dragon lady. "Don't think you're off the hook either, lizard girl! I see how you look at him!"

"What, no, it's not, why does everyone come to that conclusion?" The danger-junkie in question muttered.

"I blame the bird, I will end him one day. With vengeance." Asmodeus swore, fire catching beautiful fire that dazzled the duo.

"Not my type." Lizard Girl simply stated. As if, Azz was everyone's type!

"Now then, for this years 'You did your best' award!" Everyone turned, intensity filling the air as a static tension held everyone back from their next move. "The one who gets the new club room filled with better anonymities is … the New Magic Battler!" The students gave an uproar. "The new magic they used was to give drinks and juices of all kinds to everyone in the courtyard to cool down with!"

They could see a shady looking guy with rings on his hands, waking up with a peace sign, the usual six six six of course. The president himself had this weird look as he muttered to the announcer teacher.

"They earned their spot, the smoothies were really good." The blond chick smiled at the group. "However, we're gonna get first."

"I doubt it, my rival!" Shouted a loud voice behind them. The group turned to see a massive muscled mountain that was currently being climbed by a blond girl.

"Sabnock's going to be the Demon King! Don't go doubting my big brother!" The girl yelled.

"Whatever!" Lily shouted back. "Azz is way more amazing than him! He'll be something better than the Demon King!"

"That is literally impossible." Her cousin corrected her. "After everything I've gone through so far this year, I'm not ever sure such a position is even a good fit for me."

"Plus the higher up you are in any form of hierarchy, the more paperwork and responsibility exists, until you're eventually crushed under the weight of the work and die a lonely and miserable death." Everyone stared at the dragon girl in stunned silence. "What, I just wanted a middle class job."

"Guys, it's literally just the first half of this quarter of the school year. I'm certain that there's no rush to pick a specific career path this early on." The moss headed boy joined in on the conversation. "We all have time to figure out what we'll do."

"Easy for you to say, Izuku. You already know what you want to do. Save everyone with a smile and all that." Azz rolled his eyes in a teasing manner. Wow, either he actually respected the guy, or her cousin was going soft.

"It's a great dream, and he's gonna be awesome and save everyone on the planet!" Eiko shouted.

"Again guys, first half of the quarter, we really don't need to overthink our lives here."

"Yeah, what's there to figure out? I already know what I want to do!" The green haired girl climbed on the boy's back and kicked her legs in the air. "I'm going to keep Izuku-kins smiling so he can keep other's smiling!" Viole looked like she was jealous, saying something about womanizing.

"Now then, onto the 'Wow' award!" The speaker shouted, as everyone silenced again. Anticipation brewing with mutters and hopes of themselves. They can keep their stupid second place, Asmodeus would win first. "And the winner is …"

"Me!" Muscle mountain shouted loudly, as the girl on his back sighed.

"How can you be first if you're second, big bro?" She muttered as if she had to explain this before. Wow, this guy must be an idiot.

"The black magic Battler!" Lily watched the white haired girl walk up to the stage, only to share a glance with her that, on an instinctual level, understood she was looking at someone who understood her anger.


Well, it wasn't like Gaako doubted her chances, but she'd be lying if she wasn't worried. She didn't even join a battler until almost the very last minute, and it was with the guys that accidentally helped a psychotic upperclassman. At least they made a big showing so people would remember her by association, even if she's done little to earn it.

Still, it wasn't a stretch to see the Black Magic Battler win the 'Wow' award. She's seen the work on their curses, really advanced stuff. You'd think with the black ice curse they would be more fitted being called the Torture Magic Battler.

"Wow, Crocell must really be nervous right about now. She doesn't really do well with big crowds, or attention in general." Midoriya muttered as the audience clapped. True enough, the girl shivered a bit, despite the glance with Azz's cousins, and stayed back as the award was accepted.

"For creating a special black ice to show off to the world, they get an increased budget, as well as a special object of their choosing." They saw the white hair girl getting handed a particularly large book with foreboding images, along with what looked like a bag of green hair. Huh, which one was the special item she won?

"True, their ice was impressive, I tried to melt it for a solid few minutes but barely filled up the cup underneath." Azz muttered, a begrudging acceptance from him of all people. "It apparently is cold enough to freeze one's soul as well. I may be at my limit if I ever find myself against anything like that."

"Eh, black is bleak. I'd pick your colorful fire anyday." Gaako reassured with a wave of a hand.

"Stop trying to flirt with Azz!" The little girls shouted.

"Again, not interested." Seriously, he was so not her type, just the only person she could talk to without fear of something trying to kill them, or something exploding, or something killing them with an explosion! "How crazy do the other's have to be if you're somehow the least crazy of them all?"

"Okay, 1.) I take offense that you question my sanity, and 2.) You wouldn't believe me if I told you." He groaned with an eyeroll. "The worst part about it is that I can't really stop them. Their hearts are in the right place, and I've only been a jerk in my efforts to tame them."

"And that place happens to be your ego right?" Eiko teased, causing an eye twitch from Azz. Geeze, the girl's gotten bolder since she joined these guys. "Don't stress too much about it, Gaako, a few days with Izuku and the others will change your tune in no time!"

"Really, guys, you're making a bigger deal out of it than you think. I'm not that special or unique…"

"Well how unique was everyone else where you came from before Babyls?" Gaako asked.

Midoriya looked like he forgot how to breathe, like he was having a war flashback. For the first time since she's met him, she genuinely felt worried for the boy's mental state. "Uh, no comment?"

"It's not a fun story to tell, Gaako." Eiko explained to her. "Maybe when we can talk about it more seriously later." Didn't sound like an enlightening tale at all. Azz did say many had a problem misunderstanding the Danger-Junkie. Guess she really was one of those people.

"Izuku-kins, look!" The group turned, seeing Sabnock, then the little sister of Sabnock piggybacking on his shoulders, then Clara piggybacking on HER shoulders. "I have ascended beyond the Sabnock peak, I have become the true climber of Sabro Valley!"

"Wow, impressive, someday I'll climb you instead, senpai!" The girl shouted without a care.

"Clara has a Kohai, we need to defuse the situation carefully." Azz tried to speak with a mock whisper.

"Let her be happy. It's a challenge she's wanted to overcome since classes started." And the Honor Student was back to smiling. Huh, maybe Clara had a point about keeping Midoriya happy. She didn't want to know what an UNhappy Izuku Midoriya looked like.

"And now, we shall reveal the winner of the 'Grand Prize'!" Everyone began stomping their feet, and she quickly joined. This was it, the big reveal.

"And the winner is..!"

"I shall take the throne!" Sabnock shouted loudly.

"None other than …!"

"No, Izuku-kins will win!" Clara shouted as well.

"The Broadcasting Battler!" The teacher announced, as everyone cheered.

Despite the cheers the group itself was relatively content looking. "What?" She broke the silence plaguing them. Even the Battler being shown up on stage looked confused as heck. "How the HELL does that happen?! I forgot they were even a thing!"

"For being an integral part of orchestrating the festival, and their eager cooperation with the staff of Bablys, they'll receive the reward of rising up one rank, with the president rising up two!"

"I-I actually get to rank up? I'm ranking up by two.." The president looked a bit like Izuku did with all the tears. "I never thought this day would come!" The Gimel(3) badge glowed brightly as he accepted the trophy, quickly becoming a Hé(5) that he displayed proudly. "I, Bathin Baraki, have ranked up to a Hé(5)!" He shouted proudly, screaming with tears.

"Oh come on! That's completely uncalled for! We put all that work into putting on that show and this is the gratitude we get!?" Asmodeus screamed to the heavens. "Just because they helped the teachers that means they get special treatment!?"

"Justice for Izuku-kins!" Valac readied a bazooka she hoped wouldn't actually be lethal in any way.

"They likely helped the teachers with THAT, guys." Izuku shut him up as Clara piped down to. "It's fine though, just look at them. All the hard work they put in paid off at the end … it's nice to see them get what they deserve."

"What about what you deserve, Izuku!?" Eiko shook his body. "You stopped Kiriwo and exposed his evil intentions, you saved everyone like the hero you strived to be! Doesn't it make you a little upset they're not even acknowledging that!?"

"Yeah, but I didn't tell anyone either, I just went off on my own. Like they said, I was being irresponsible." He patted her head, causing a blush. "Besides, there's still other moments in the year to rank up, it's not a rush."

"Wow, that's the most sense I've ever heard coming out of your mouth." Gaako blinked in shock. "You're really just a bleeding heart that gets in over his head, aren't you?" She preferred THAT over a danger-junkie anytime.

"I try my best, even if I can't do anything, I'll always try to make things better." He nodded. "You're not having any doubts about joining now, are you?"

"There's still a few lingering, don't get me wrong..but you cleared away most, so I guess I'm stuck here." She sighed. "Well, at least the fireworks were successful. We'll gain a little popularity for all our troubles."

The rest nodded along as the audience cheered, all beginning to get up and make their way out, except none of the teachers or students on the stage moved, and none of the doors opened for them to leave. "What more could they want? Wasn't that it?" Asmodeus asked out loud.

"Silence." Their happy times are interrupted by the scary teacher, Kalego, showing up and quieting the entire student body instantly. "I don't fully understand or support the decision, but a last minute addition to the prize category has been made." He sighed, looking like he wanted to do anything else.

He pulled out a backboard. "There was an incident where a student acted recklessly but did good. Punishment and Reward were scaled, and it was ultimately decided this would be for them. So let's laugh at these fools for their shameful trophy, which shall be earned as a single rank up for a single Battler member." He revealed the name of the trophy. "The tricky award. Would a single member of the Magical Apparatus Battler come up and claim their pity prize?"

The audience murmured in excitement, some apparently glad that they actually got any prize at all for all their troubles. "For a second, I actually thought people would be mad. They really loved the fireworks, didn't they?"

"Guys, one of us can actually rank up!" Midoriya cheered loudly. "Now we need to decide who gets it. Something like this should go to the President, but Kiriwo's gone and we haven't picked a new leader. Asmodeus, you want to take charge here?" Everyone stared at Izuku like he was a moron, and it was hard to see why not. "... What, should I pick Gaako instead?"

"Izuku, you do realize we all are looking at the person we want to rank up, right?" Azz asked him. Izuku blinked a few times in confusion. "Again, the fireworks are your idea."

"You're only a Bet(2), and you really deserve bigger.." Eiko continued to point out the obvious.

"Izuku-kins is our leader, even before we joined this club! There's no one else but you!" Valac shouted, and yeah, it wasn't like any of them could argue with her.

Izuku still looked like he was trying to find an excuse. "Oh, for Devi's sake." Gaako picked him up and held him in the air. He was lighter than he looked, and he looked pretty dang light. "You'll thank me for this later." She threw him over the crowd and towards the stage. "For a kind nerd, he can be a real idiot."

"Heh, idiot nerd. Gotta remember that." Asmodeus snorted.

She heard a muttering near her as Izuku walked to the stage, turning and seeing Crocell chanting with a doll with green hair. She chose not to dwell on that. Or the fact the two girls were looking at Crocell in awe. "Can't believe I'm saying this, but he deserves it." She admitted to everyone else. "How can anyone with his reputation be that dense to genuine praise? It's like he can't see the value in his own work or something."

"Again, it's not a story we can share lightly." Asmodues muttered. "We were lucky that Izuku told us the first time. I don't think he's ever been this comfortable with other demons before to share something so personal."

Well demons rarely shared personal things with ones they're close with in the first place, so that made some sense. She watched him get told something too quiet to hear from here, before being given his rank up. From a Bet(2) into a Gimel(3). "It's amazing, isn't it! He ranked up so quickly in such a short time!" Eiko continued her usual spiel about Izuku, but this time she at least understood why she was so 'plus ultra' about it. "I gotta keep up with him! I need to get better at something else so we can rank up together next time!"

"Yeah, because now me and Izuku-kins are Gimel(3) buddies, hahaha!" Clara laughed in a way to taunt Eiko, seriously the dude was too much effort, what was their deal here? "Lady Red hair stands no chance, so you should just give up!"

Lady Red Hair..she wasn't talking about Student Council President Ameri Azazel, was she? Anti Christ that poor kid. He eventually walked back with a bright smile.

"I made it to Gimel(3)!" He smiled widely, and unlike before, she didn't believe it was out of excitement for danger, but simple joy of having a hard earned prize received. "I can't stop now, though. I gotta keep climbing higher and higher!"

"For the right of the Demon King's Throne!" Sabro yelled from behind him. "Thou hast bested me yet again rival, but don't think I shan't catch up. I'll surpass a thousand to reach Yodh(10) before thou art aware of it!"

"Not if I get there first!" Huh, this was a first for her. She's never seen him so fired up over something. "I'm still not certain about being Demon King, but I won't be at the bottom anymore. I'll prove myself through merit, and I'll become a hero!" Says the guy that just saved the school. There was humility, and there was whatever Izuku did...she's been referring to him as Izuku for a while now. Weird.

The honor student held out his right hand as a fist, sticking it out. Sabro looked like he was confused, before returning the same smirk and connected his own fist with Izuku's. "There's the fire I've been searching for. Alright, my friend! Let the race for the throne begin!"

"Now let us begin the school anthem."

"… After this, let the race begin." He corrected himself.

And soon, the whole school was singing along. She stole a few looks at Izuku, looking at peace, not shaking, just showing a hint of joy as he sang along with everyone else.

It was strange. Right now, among everyone else, Asmodeus, Clara, Eiko, herself, out of every demon in Bablys, Izuku looks like the most normal guy here. Even as his eyes got slightly dull around 'fear us humans' which seemed like a weird point to notice something at.

And then came an internal question, something she pointed out due to how normal he looked compared to everyone else, as she noticed a single difference. "Where are his horns?"