Izuku drifted slowly to the waking world. He blinked, seeing a pink ceiling, and realized he was not in his room. Then the previous day's events caught up with him. He turned around, seeing the space where Ochaco had slept empty.

'Probably already left,' he thought before looking at the space between him and Eri. The girl was awake, playing with the toy Kota gave her.

"Morning, Little Snowball," he greeted.

"Good morning, Papa," she replied, putting down the toy and crawling to him. She nuzzled into his chest.

"You ate anything yet?"

She nodded her head, not moving from his chest.

"The red hair lady gave me pahn cakes."

"It's pancakes, Little Snowball."

"Pancakes."

Izuku didn't feel hungry. Strangely enough, he hadn't felt hungry since the fight with the Dragon. 'Perks of being a god, I suppose. But that doesn't mean I'm not eating,' he nodded to himself, and when he was about to go downstairs, he saw Ochaco walking in, donned in her full armour.

She approached with a smile, "Good morning, My Heart. I am glad you are finally woke up."

"Already dressed," he raised his brow. "I was hoping we could spend a little more time together before you go."

"It is nearly noon, Husband. I have been watching you sleep for hours but I wanted to say goodbye before I left."

"Do you really need to go?" he asked once more.

Ochaco's brows furrowed, her eyes downturned. "I have a Father to bury, My Love. That does not get any easier with time."

"It feels wrong to let you go off like this. I should be there for you."

"We do what we must, My Heart. This too shall pass, and we shall be together soon."

Izuku sighed. The last thing he wanted was to argue with her the last few minutes she was around. His hands touched her hips, and lifted her into a hug.

"What are you doing, silly man?" Ochaco giggled, her cheeks red as cherry.

"I'll miss you. We'll miss you. Come back to us soon," his voice soft with emotion.

"I will," Ochaco breathed after their lips separated.

"Come on, Eri-chan. You gotta hug Mama goodbye," he prompted, letting her down.

Eri, tears gathering from her eyes, ran to Ochaco and wrapped her arms around her waist, "Bye-bye, Mama. Love you."

Ochaco kneeled and hugged the little girl tight, "Mama loves you, Little Snowball."

"Stay safe. Both of you."

"I will, My Love. Now, let me down, I really do have to go."

He looked at her eyes. "Promise me. If anything happens, if you even sense trouble...Send for me, and I'll be there."

"I...I will," her hand covered in plate metal caressed his cheek, the touch of her palm gentle, and her eyes softened. "I will be back soon. And we shall celebrate my birthday together, in Camelot."

"I love you," he told her as he let her down to the floor.

"I love you too, dearest one. Goodbye, My Heart."

"Take care."

The couple shared one last kiss before she stepped back and went downstairs. He still felt like he was making a terrible decision, letting her go to a Cult-infested Court, but he decided to go against his instincts for now and trust her.

His fingers traced the spot where her hand had last touched his cheek. He took a deep breath, pushing aside his worries and focusing on the present - on Eri.

"Wanna see your uncles and nee-sans?" he asked, forcing a smile that gradually became genuine as Eri looked up at him.

She looked up at him, nodding her head.

"Okay. Let's get ready then," he stood up but not before ruffling her hair.

"Noooo~," she protested, trying to fix her hair.

Izuku chuckled, getting dressed in a pair of slacks and a T-shirt.

Eri got out of the bed, putting her shoes on. She was wearing a frilly, white dress with a red bow.

After dressing up, Izuku grabbed Eri and deftly put her on his shoulders, letting her see from his height. She never tired of this vantage point, her eyes wide with wonder as they moved through the campground.

The shine of the near-winter sun greeted him when he stepped out of the building. Looking around, he spotted the rest of the class and the Wild, Wild Pussycats training.

Everyone from Class 1-A were training hard by using their Quirks over and over. Explosions, sound blasts, and trotting could be heard in the distance. He looked around and found no Class B around.

He walked towards them, seeing most of them exhausted, their eyes have bags in them. 'Did they even sleep?'

"Good morning, everyone," Izuku greeted.

"Good morning, Daddy!" Mina shouted energetically, not even a looking tired.

"Midoriya," Eraserhead called out. "You're free to join if you want. Apparently, you're exempt from the activity."

"Right. Maybe I'll join after breakfast."

"You mean brunch? It's already noon."

"They're not eating yet?"

"They will later. For now, we're trying to make them use their Quirks more, so they can build stamina. We can't have them eat first or they'll vomit."

Izuku nodded, looking at his classmates who were struggling to stand where they were, but all have a determined look on their face.

"Eri, wanna play with Kota-kun for a bit?"

She shook her head, clinging to him tighter.

"Oh, okay," he responded. He sat at the table, picking at the remaining breakfast.

He watched each one of them, noting how each Quirk worked, how they trained.

After finishing the meal, he looked around and found Mandalay talking to Kota before the boy ran away again.

Curiosity piqued, he approached, Eri still clinging to him with her usual tenacity.

"Eri, wanna sit with her?"

"I'm okay here," she replied, not budging.

He decided to give up training for the day. It would be hard to train himself right now, anyway.

"Ah, good morning, Midoriya-san," Mandalay greeted.

"Morning, Mandalay. How was everything?"

"Everything is okay. Your classmates are a little stubborn. I think they will be fine. They're working hard. How about you? Not joining the training?"

He let out a chuckle with a wry smile. "The Little Snowball decided I'm not allowed to."

"Is she okay?" Mandalay asked, worried for her.

"She's just worried about me. That's all."

"Oh, I'm glad she's feeling better," she smiled before she whispered, "I heard from Aizawa that you're an Evoker?"

"Yeah?"

"Oh, it's nothing. It was just...uh...the first time I saw one." She remembered how Pixie-bob tried flirting with the demi-god. She found herself unable to blame her. At their age, the possibility of being an old crone surrounded by cats was becoming more and more real. "What kind of training do you usually do?"

"Usually, I train my swordsmanship and other times, I hunt monsters in Elsewhere," he explained.

"Heh~ You train with swords? I guess calling you guys dragonslayers didn't come from nothing, huh? Feels like speaking to a fantasy character."

Izuku could only laugh sardonically, knowing what happened two days before. "From what I heard, I'm kinda an exception. Most Evokers don't need weapons."

"I'm quite curious, but...could you demonstrate your magic to us?"

Izuku thought for a moment. "I could show it but I'm not sure about firing it off. If you're fine it, that's okay."

"Why?"

"My magic can be quite...destructive. I'm not quite sure it'd be a good idea."

"What's not a good idea~?" Pixie-Bob came out of nowhere and hugged Izuku's back. "Hello, handsome? We're secretly talking about 'bad ideas'?"

"Not that 'bad idea'!" Mandalay felt her cheeks flush.

"Oh~? Why the red face?"

"Anyone would, with what you're implying."

"Wha-"

Izuku cut her off. "O-kay! This is not a topic to talk about in front of a 6-year-old, Pixie-Bob."

"Eh?" her whole body became stiff, as she looked at the little girl she didn't notice before. Then, her expression along with her cat ears drooped. "Sorry."

"Look, I'm okay discussing this later. Maybe we could have some fun and see if it leads somewhere long-term. Or not. But I won't lead you on. My heart and soul is Ochaco's. We can be great friends but no ring will ever be involved."

"And she's okay with it?" she unintentionally asked.

"She is," he confirmed. "But that's topic for later, like I said. Even after the Training Camp so don't feel pressured," he smiled at her before moving to see how his classmates fare, also opting not to approach the girls in order to not distract any of them.

He was about to see if he could find ways to let them use their Quirks more effectively, but the nature of the training was as straightforward as it gets.

Izuku felt restless. Wanting to stretch his legs and give Eri a change of scenery, he began wandering the campground's perimeter. The forest's edges seemed inviting, promising a brief respite from the intense training atmosphere.

Every time they came across a wild animal, it came running to the opposite direction, unlike the giant boar last time.

Eventually, he came across a cliff with a view of the surrounding forest where he also found a certain boy.

"What are you doing here?" Kota asked.

"Just taking a walk with my daughter," he pointed at Eri, still clinging as tightly to him.

Kota didn't answer, choosing to turn his back to the parent-child duo. Izuku sighed before silently sitting on the cliff beside the boy.

"You're annoying," Kota muttered, but not as harsh as yesterday. "That's dangerous, sitting there..." his voice trailing off.

Last night, his approach didn't work so he tried changing it this time. "Oh, you're worried about me? Thanks. You're a kind kid."

Kota glared at him, his expression showing that he didn't like being made fun of.

Izuku chuckled, patting his head.

"Stop that!" slapping his hand away.

The two stopped when they heard Eri letting out a tiny laugh.

"See, even Eri agrees."

Kota frowned, looking at the little girl who was enjoying their exchange.

"Why...did you become a hero?" he asked, changing the topic.

"Well, to help others. Isn't that why someone becomes a hero?"

"That's stupid. Heroes are stupid," he muttered.

"Why is that?"

"Don't ask me why! You all just show off your powers like idiots! Try doing stupid things! And then...and then..." Kota felt his throat dry up and his eyes water. *Sniff* He felt two hands on his head. One from Izuku and one from Eri, who was now on her feet.

"It must've been tough," Izuku whispered.

"Shut up. I'm not crying."

"If you say so." he continued patting his head.

"Why? Why do people with powers become heroes? Why can't they just...Didn't they think...family."

"It's tough to speak for everyone. I will be a hero to help others. But also, I want the world around those I love to be safer as well," he looked at Kota, "I want my children to inherit a safer world. I'm sure your parents felt the same way."

"How would you know that?"

"I'm a father too, that's why."

Kota's eyes went went wide, taking a step back, but he didn't back down. He clenched his fist and lowered his posture.

"It won't make them safer if they're left alone!" he shouted, making Eri's hand flinch.

"True. I won't deny that it sometimes things just doesn't work out. In that case, there are many people who would get hurt. Who would cry," his hand moving to Eri's head. "Sometimes what we do can hurt those we care about, even though we didn't want to, just because we want them safe."

Kota scoffed, rolling his eyes. "You're not denying anything, genius."

Izuku chuckled. "Right? I'm a genius! That's why I'm attending U.A.," he grinned, trying to lighten the mood.

"Don't make fun of me!" Kota stomped his foot.

"Sorry. But why would I deny it? Your grief, loss, and pain, none of those things can be dismissed by simply denying them. I can only give another way of looking at it. Yeah, my interpretation may sound idealistic, but those are still my true feelings."

"Then what should I do? I want them back."

"It can't be helped," he said, his smile bittersweet. "The ones who got taken from you can't come back. No matter how much you wish for it, you can't. And there are lots of people who can't come back. It's not a rare case."

Kota's eyes started to get teary again, not answering, and his head turned away from him. Izuku hugged the boy, hoping to provide some comfort.

They just stayed there. None of them knew how long, but they didn't care.

"It's not fair," he finally whispered.

"I know."

"I'm not strong enough."

"No, you're strong. Stronger than you give yourself credit for," Izuku told him. "You're a kid, Kota-kun. What you're going through, nobody expects you to deal with. I know you won't like me saying this, but you're being so brave."

Kota didn't say anything, sniffing, as his tears streamed down his cheeks.

After a while, Izuku stepped back. Kota caught himself almost missing the warmth before catching his thoughts.

He stared at the smiling hero. He couldn't accept it. But it was as if logic itself bent themselves to Izuku's conviction.

Unable to process his feelings, Kota clicked his tongue. *Tch* Before grabbing Eri's hand and leading her away.

"Hey, where are you taking her?"

"She needs a playmate, right? I'm taking her back."

"Okay, make sure not to be careful, okay? I saw some wild animals around," he warned, raising a brow.

"You're the one that should be careful, idiot."

"Kota," he called the boy, his voice both stern and gentle, like a parent's.

The boy looked back, his eyes narrowed, but he nodded.

After seeing the two go, Izuku sat back down. With the sound of nature calming his mind while drowning out someone's approach. Izuku felt hands wrapping around him. He looked back and saw it was the dhampir.

"Hey, Himi. You doing better?"

She didn't answer and only tightened her hug further while groaning.

Himiko exhaled, releasing a warm breath on his neck before moving to his lap. "When am I meeting your daughter?" she finally spoke, though her voice still lack the manic energy Izuku came to expect from her.

"Well, you could've met her if you showed yourself earlier."

"Not the best first impression I wanna show," she responded.

"I would've introduced you."

"Thanks."

"How are you feeling, though? You've been quiet since yesterday. You ready to talk about it?"

"It's nothing big. Just seeing you...like that...reminded by me of stuff."

Izuku had a feeling of what she was referring to. He heard somewhere that vampires were wiped out by an unknown faction. 'Though I think she believes they were all Hunters and Paladins.'

She frowned and shook her head. "I'll be fine, eventually. I'm glad you're okay, Izu-kun," she flatly stated.

He didn't like watching her acting this way. But how to comfort her escaped him. It was one thing if she was this upset because he got burnt to death. He could've just reassured her, pampered her a bit, and called it a day. But the fact it wasn't entirely about what happened to him made it a tad bit tricker.

An idea popped into his head, and he sighed. It was something he likely would regret, but he couldn't help but try. "Hey, wanna drink my blood for a bit?"

'It wouldn't solve her issues, of course. But sometimes, we just need to do something we like to override the sadness. At least for a while.'

Her eyes widened, then narrowed at him. "You're sure? Izu-kun, you're a God now. I don't even know what'll happen."

"Why don't we find out," he smirked, turning his head and exposing his neck.

She swallowed her spit, a mix of emotions running through her mind. It has been more than half a decade since she drank his blood. Back then, he was nothing more than an average Evoker, but the magic within his blood was enough to drive her crazy for months. Well...crazier. Now, a God, his blood would likely be beyond compare.

The thought of his blood was tantalizing. Yet, she felt a hint of worry in the back of her mind. She knew her feelings for him would grow deeper if she took a single sip, and there was a chance he would never feel the same way.

'No! Don't think about that. This is just a small indulgence,' she shook her head, and opened her mouth, exposing her fangs.

Himiko's fangs touched Izuku's skin, having trouble sinking. She tried multiple times, applying her whole body's force until it finally sank to his skin. Instantly, it tried to heal itself, pushing Himiko back with terrible force but it eventually stopped.

As soon as the teeth entered, Himiko could taste the blood. The flavor exploded in her mouth, the sweetness, the thickness, the coppery taste, and the warmth. It was a rush, a surge of pure pleasure that shot through her whole body, her nerves tingling, her stomach clenching, her legs going weak, and her head spinning. Her brain felt like it was floating in a warm bath.

Himiko took her fangs out and fell back. Her body was burning, her face flushed, and her breathing was ragged.

"Wow," she managed to mutter. She licked the blood in her lips, and her head felt the same way, like she was drunk.

"Feeling better?" he asked.

"Hæh? Hm, yeh, hm~" she let out a sigh, her body shivering.

"To cap it all off," Izuku said, grabbing her hand and pulling her towards him. He gave her a kiss...on the forehead.

Himiko's eyes went wide, a faint smile forming in her lips. Her cheeks flushed as her eyes became misty. She felt her heart threatening to jump out of her chest.

"You good?"

"Goooood. Hehehe~" her usual toothy smile returned.

"Glad I could help," he smiled. The ichor blood spilled from the ground disappeared and his wounds closed with a green glow.

"Izu-kun, can I hug you?"

"Go ahead," he told her.

Himiko wrapped her arms around his chest, feeling his heart beating. 'Warm, just like back then.' She was enjoying feeling her body pushing against his then she felt something touching her thighs. 'Oh, he's hard.'

Her lips approach his ears and whispered, "Want me to help-"

"I told you I'll make time. Just wait a little more."

Himiko pouted, but nodded. Her body was still hot and her clothes were uncomfortable. 'I can always take care of it later,' she reasoned, and snuggled up closer to him.

She sniffed at him, indulging herself with his scent. It reminded her of that time they were in his room above the bar. She knew she was only making it harder for herself until Izuku takes her again, but she couldn't help it.

"By the way," she started, trying to distract herself. "The League might attack this place soon."

"How soon?" Izuku asked, trying not to mind her hair tickling his face.

She buried her nose on his neck, "Maybe tonight. Possibly tomorrow night. They mentioned somthing about waiting for shipments."

"Good girl," he buried his lips on her neck and sucked, giving her a hickey. "That's payback."

She moaned, her body getting even hotter. She was about to say something but found her head lying on Izuku's lap.

"Now, rest."

"How do you expect me to rest now?!" she protested, trying to get up.

"That's what you get. Rest, or I'm tossing you off the cliff," he joked.

She huffed, looking away and crossing her arms, before laying back on his lap.

It took a little longer of her adjusting herself, rubbing her thighs together, but before he knew it, she was asleep.

In a laboratory in Kamino Ward, in a dark room full of test tubes, machines, and a large, metal cylinder, a pod filled with stasis liquid was opened. A figure rose from within, his pale naked body covered in tubes. His long white hair was a tangled mess, and his grey eyes were lifeless.

The man looked around, his eyes unfocused, until they fell on a tall man. The man was built like a tank, with ruffled white hair and piercing red eyes wearing a black formal suit. Beside him stood a portly-built old man with a bald head and a long, bushy mustache.

"Master, the experiment is complete," the bald man said.

The tall man gave a wide smile, sending shivers down his spine. "Good work, Doctor. It wasn't ideal. We took too long, but maybe this is an opportunity we can't let pass."

The tall man approached him. Clack Clack Clack He then addressed him. "Tell me, are you aware of the world of magic?"

'Magic? Are these two nuts?' he thought. "What a surprise. To think the fabled All for One believes in such nonsense." He took a guess. He never met either of these two, but there weren't many people who should know he's here aside from his comrades. And the portly man didn't scream 'Demon Lord' material to him.

"Oh, magic is real. In fact, I have a job for you," All for One told him, handing him a photo.

"What kind of job?" he took the photo, studying the features of the subject.

"I want you to take this experiment and bring it to me."

He scoffed, "Kidnapping, huh? My Quirk isn't exactly perfect for the job."

The man's grin widened impossibly, stretching his skin in a way that defied human anatomy.

"That's fine. The experiment itself isn't anything special, but the protector of it is. I need someone of your caliber, at least, to survive against it. If you want further motivation...let's see...How about knowing that the enhancements the Doctor gave you will still destroy your body inside-out. The experiment will be essential to fixing that."

"Yes, without the experiment, you'll be living in borrowed time," the Doctor let out a chuckle.

"That wasn't the deal!" Nine protested.

"I am altering the deal. Pray I don't alter it further."

"Why don't you get it, then? Surely, you would be more than capable of-Urgk!" the man felt something grab his neck, tightening itself around his windpipe. He tried reaching out for his new Quirks, but they slipped each time he tried.

"I have other tasks I need to do. To complete. In case you prove yourself incapable," the man spoke with an almost gentle tone. "Now, go. Do not make me repeat myself, Nine," he released his grasp, letting him fall on his knees.

He glared at the Demon Lord before taking his leave, the portly man following close behind.

Soon, he was greeted by his comrades. A red-haired woman with fair skin, blue eyes that slope inwards, and noticeably full, glossy lips. Her hair was red, with chin-length bangs that partially obscure her right eye. Her name was Kiruka Hasaki, aka Slice.

Another is a tall, lanky man with pale orange eyes that are baggy and slant forward and straight gray hair. His name was Makihara Hōyō, aka Mummy.

"Where's Chimera?" he asked, wondering about the absentee ally.

"He said he needed to meet someone," Mummy stated.

"That guy knows anyone but us?" Nine asked.

"That's what I thought too!" Slice rolled her eyes.

"We should get moving. If this is the target, we should be done by sunset," Nine told his companions, showing a picture of a little girl with white hair with red eyes, and yellow horns protruding from her forehead.

Meanwhile, in Mustafu, the sound of dripping liquid can be heard. A man was tied to a chair, blue fur was scattered around his feet. The man's appearance was unclear, considering the absence of his skin and his limbs were bent in unnatural directions. He had dozens of needles sticking out from his flesh, siphoning blood.

Thanks for reading this chapter!

As always, feel free to reach out if you have feedback or questions about the story.