Hey, guys! GOTA, here! This story is more of a preview (incomplete) chapter. I was thinking about adding monster girls to the series. Unsure when but just wanted to release a preview on what is to come in the future. BD wishes you all well. At some point, he plans to return writing. Strive and prosper!

This is the preview of 'Our Hero, Izuku (And the Monster Girls Who Love Him.'

In a certain woodland area in a certain part of the world lied a group of traders who were settling for the night. They consisted of farmers, priests, heroes, and the like, trying their hardest to earn a dollar to provide for their families in their villages. However, being in a region where people and creatures from all walks of life could thrive, each has people who don't see the fairness and want to collect their loot illegally. Trouble and danger lurk around every corner, especially when groups travel in between towns and villages.

So, on this particular night, an oni was hired to protect the traders as they camp for the night.

She rubbed the bridge of her nose, contemplating on rather or not she should consume another cup of coffee. It wasn't an easy task patrolling the camp at night. However, she could be quite a bitch without her cup of coffee. The coffee-drinking demon was called Shino the Terrible. The name itself doesn't have to deal with her appearance and the horns on her head. It had more personal reasons.

Reasons which will be revealed at a later time.

She has a visitor. A visitor that isn't part of the camp.

This certain visitor she had kept an eye on since their last departure while restocking supplies for another trade-off in the morning. This particular boy-in-question alerted her antennas as she sat in the back of the paddy wagon.

She played coy, allowing herself to hide in the shadows of the night. She wanted to give the boy the benefit of the doubt. Maybe that poor urchin was lost and was in need of company. Maybe the poor urchin was hungry and too proud to beg for assistance.

Either way, it went, she watched.

The emerald-haired boy was cautious as he knew traps could be made. It wasn't his first time to invade a camp at night. But what can he do? He had no home. No family to speak of. Being a rogue and a loner was all he knew. People came and went. Comrades he thought they were friends betray and in the end, they paid the price. He had to eat or else he would die. He had to steal to barter so he can have clothes on his back.

In his defense, the traders were thieves. They were taking the resources from the woods and using them to make a profit. So, in the teen's mind, he was requisitioning in the name of nature. In the name of filling his pockets in hopes of wealth.

The oni Shino watched as the boy made his way to the first batch of supplies. She didn't know what a hungry boy was going to do with a box of silverware. She pursed her lips at the cute boy, knowing that the lad was heading for a trap.

SNATCH!

The emerald-haired lad didn't see the minuscule string hiding in plain sight. Upon tripping, he was wrapped around into a net and fell to the ground. He tried to keep quiet for he didn't want anyone to know that he was here.

However, that was what the oni expected to do in the first place.

"Well, well, well," the oni stated to the emerald-haired thief as she crossed her legs. "I didn't lads like you have the courage to come and test the waters with us."

Sometime later….

The tent at the entrance of the campsite was where the oni and the emerald-haired lad could be found. Shino was peeling an apple to consume as the boy was tied up in the chair. He was silent, refusing to talk. He didn't say any words when the oni carried him to the tent. Either way, it went, he would have to answer. The last thing he didn't want to face when seeing the traders in the morning.

Unlike the oni, the traders didn't have much mercy on thieves.

Taking a bite of her apple and taking a sip of coffee, she started to feel better. She was probably in the mood to not be that harsh on the thief.

"Well, dear," said Shino. "You have some confidence in your skill to go after traders being guarded by an oni?" The boy didn't answer. He gave her strong glares. That didn't faze Shino as he was one of the hundreds, if not thousands of interlopers that were interrogated by her.

In the end, each and everyone folded.

"I didn't see anything to verify that you are part of a guild. Yet again, you could be part of a gang," she said adamantly. "What is your affiliation in the gang? Better yet, what is your name?"

The emerald-haired child scoffed at the oni. "It's none of your damn business, oni! My words to you mean nothing."

A bit feisty, she admitted. No different than the previous thieves. Yet again, this one, in particular, was kind of cute. He didn't look like the ragged, rough, yellow-tooth, bad breath scoundrels in her past. Judging by his appearance, he couldn't be any more than seventeen, eighteen years of age.

"Once again, I will admit that you have some confidence to not only sneak here but to talk to me like that," she exclaimed. "Don't act like you were alone, boy! I have seen you earlier and you had some funny kind of characters with you. I remember a white-haired lad and a blonde lad. Now, where are they? Tuck their tail between their legs and left you in the fray?" The latter she began to taunt.

"Fuck off," scoffed the boy. "What I do is none of your business. Who I align with is none of your business. I don't rely on anyone but myself. If I were to align myself with anyone, then I am a weak bastard." He spat on the ground. "What I do is what I do alone. Understand?"

Once again, Shino wasn't going to lie that the boy had spunk. Quite admirable. By now, the oni would have slapped the kid in the face. But, the kid had moxy and she respected that. "What's your name, boy?"

"They call me Izuku."

Shino produced a smile. "Nice to meet you in these unfortunate circumstances." She bowed. "The name is Shino and I am a mercenary. According to my guidelines, I will have to hold you as a prisoner, until I take you in tomorrow."

"Do what you want. You can't prove I have taken anything," said Izuku.

"If your name pops up under other places, then the executioner you might see," said Shino.

"However, I can be nice and see if they can be lenient."

In all the while as the oni spoke, Izuku finally took a gander of her. She was quite attractive. She was tall, her horns were quite spectacular. However, it was her outfit that stuck out. She wore a black leotard that hugged tightly in the right places. For a second, his breath began to labor. It's one thing to be trapped by a demon, but why in the hell does she have to be sexy? Plus, she is showing too much skin.

It didn't go without notice from the oni.

"Something tells me that my appearance silenced the thief," purred Shino.

Izuku scoffed. "You wish, demon! Like a human want to mess with scum."

That now warranted a slap. Izuku didn't flinch. He remained calm, even as a cut on his face seeped blood.

"Watch how you talk to me, boy," she barked. "One must easily forget their place." She cracked her knuckles. "You're lucky that you are cute or else I would have battered your face."

That is it for now. If you think this story has potential, drop us a comment. Stay tuned!