A Hero in a Demon School!!!!

After the previous day's whirlwind of events, Izuku was back in his school uniform. The only difference now was the golden ring in his hand and the golden ring resting in his hand and a golden badge he wore like a pendant around his neck.

"Grandpa, Opera, I'm heading to school," Izuku called out, slipping on his bright red shoes.

"Wait a moment, Izuku-kun," Sullivan said, his voice warm as he approached. "I have something for you."

Izuku paused, raising an eyebrow. "Another gift?" he asked, his tone half wary, half curious.

"Well, you could call it that," Sullivan chuckled. "Why don't you take a look for yourself?" He extended his hand, placing a dark-colored ring into Izuku's palm.

Izuku turned the ring over in his hand, his eyes quickly catching two distinct details. First, the craftsmanship was exquisite—each curve and etching on the band was intricate and mesmerizing, unlike anything he had seen before. Second, the symbol engraved on it was unmistakable. It was the skull of a long-beaked bird, the same emblem that adorned Sullivan's fur coat.

"The symbol represents me and my household," Sullivan explained. "That's why I want you to have it. This ring will show everyone in the Netherworld that you're under my protection. Trust me, it'll come in handy in all sorts of situations."

Izuku's throat tightened. He glanced up at Sullivan, uncertainty flickering in his emerald eyes. "Are you sure you want me to have this?" He hesitated, gripping the ring tighter. By now, he understood just how significant his grandpa was in the Netherworld. Wearing this ring would be like carrying Sullivan's name and authority wherever he went.

"Absolutely," Sullivan replied without a hint of hesitation. His reassuring smile melted Izuku's doubt and with a steady breath, Izuku slid the ring onto his index finger.

"It suits you," Sullivan said warmly, patting Izuku's shoulder. "Now, hurry along—you don't want to be late for school."

Izuku nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips as he flew off toward school.

******

Walking through school had always been a peculiar experience for Izuku.

At Aldera Junior High, the stares had been seared into his memory—disgust from his classmates and pity from the few teachers who bothered to notice him. He had grown accustomed to those looks, even if they stung every time.

U.A. was a world apart. Initially, no one paid him much attention. Everyone was too absorbed in their own goals, their own ambitions. That anonymity had been a strange relief.

But everything changed after the Sports Festival. The whispers began, carried on the hushed currents of the hallways. Students called him insane for the way he'd destroyed his body in his match against Todoroki. He couldn't blame them, after all, only he and Shoto truly understood what had happened in that moment.

Now, walking through Babyls felt different yet again. The stares weren't rooted in disgust or pity anymore. They weren't even confused or fearful. Respect—something he never thought he'd garner—shone in the eyes of his peers. Teachers smiled and nodded as he passed them. 

Even more unnervingly, students in the corridors were sneaking glances at him—not mockingly, but curiously, almost admirably. He even noticed a few lingering stares from both boys and girls, which made his cheeks heat slightly, but he decided not to focus on it and continued walking.

Still, Izuku shook his head and forced himself to focus. He couldn't afford to get caught up in the newfound attention. The last thing he wanted was to let his recent successes inflate his ego. The last thing he wanted was to start acting high and mighty and start resembling a certain blonde-haired friend of his.

By the time his thoughts finally quieted, he was standing outside the classroom door.

******

Fortunately for Izuku, the rest of the day passed like a normal school day would—well, as normal as things could be in the Netherworld. He even discovered that some subjects, which sounded downright horrifying on paper, had surprising practical value in their own right.

Take Torture class, for example. During Art Torture, March-sensei spent the entire period lecturing about demon anatomy and the pressure points that could bring out the maximum amount of pain.

'Knowledge like this would've been so useful during my solo hunt,' Izuku thought. 'Interrogating all those assassins was exhausting.'

'I doubt other heroes or the public would have approved of you using torture techniques, assassins or not,' Nana chimed in dryly.

'And by then, I was way past the point of caring about that,' Izuku sighed, trying to shove away the haunting image of a woman exploding in his face. 'Anyway, the next class is Diabotany. I wonder what kind of unique plants they have in the Netherworld?'

'I'm hoping for something pleasant and beautiful, but considering this is literally hell, I'm not holding my breath,' Nana quipped in a tired voice, earning a chuckle from Izuku.

"Hmm? Something funny?" Eiko asked, noticing his sudden amusement.

"Nothing, just remembered something," Izuku said with a small smile before refocusing on the paper in his hands, much like the rest of his classmates.

At the moment, the Misfit Class was on a fifteen-minute break before their final lesson of the day. They were seated in the classroom, browsing through lists of optional subjects to choose their optional courses for the term.

"So, found anything interesting?" Alice asked from beside him.

"I think I'll join Momonoki-sensei's Magic Theory class and Dali-sensei's Demon History," Izuku replied.

Honestly, Izuku had a lot of trouble choosing between various interesting options in front of him, but in the end, he decided to go with Magic Theory and Demon History.

A class on Magic Theory was a no-brainer—his curiosity about magic and bloodline abilities had skyrocketed after the mock battles. So taking a subject that can help him understand the logic behind those just felt natural to him. As for Demon History, he figured understanding the Netherworld's past might come in handy, given his decision to live here.

"What about you?" Izuku asked.

"Magic Theory is a definite," Alice said, stroking his chin in thought. "As for the second... I'll have to think about it."

Izuku nodded before turning to his other two friends. "Eiko, Clara, have you found your calling?" he asked with a smirk.

"Izu-kun, look!" Clara exclaimed, shoving her selection paper in his face.

"Let's see... you've only marked one subject, and that is... Seduction," Izuku read aloud, blinking in surprise.

"Oh, poor girl," Alice said, feigning pity as he glanced at Clara. "You don't even know how to read, do you?"

"I know how to read!" Clara pouted.

"I do know how to read!" Clara pouted, puffing her cheeks.

"Then pick a subject you can actually pass!" Alice shot back.

"Izu-kun, help!" Clara hid behind Izuku, glaring at Alice. "Alice is bullying me!"

"No, I'm not!" Alice retorted, and the two immediately started bickering.

'These two…' Izuku thought, shaking his head fondly. His attention was soon drawn to Eiko, who looked troubled as she stared at her selection form.

Concerned, Izuku slid into the seat next to her. "What's wrong? Something bothering you?"

Eiko hesitated, offering him a strained smile. "It's nothing you need to worry about."

"Eiko," Izuku said firmly, "you can always talk to me about anything that's bothering you. You know that, right?" He smiled warmly. "I'm always here to help."

Eiko's cheeks flushed as she twirled a strand of her hair. "Well… it's just…" She hesitated, then sighed. "I'm not sure what to do about the Seduction class tryouts."

Izuku tilted his head. "What about it?"

"Every year, all the girls participate to determine their… seduction levels," Eiko explained, her voice dropping. "Even my cousin did it a few years back."

"I still don't get it. What's bothering you exactly?" Izuku asked.

"I don't want to do it," Eiko admitted, her tone laced with frustration. "I'm not interested in the subject, and I don't feel comfortable being judged on something like that."

"Then don't do it. Simple as that," Izuku said, shrugging like it was the most obvious answer in the world.

"It's not that simple," Eiko said, shaking her head. "It's a tradition. All the first-year girls do it, and if I don't do it-"

"Then it won't change a damn thing," Izuku said as seriousness returned to his voice, "you not joining in some made-up tradition is not going to turn your life upside down."

Eiko clenched the hem of her skirt, staring at the ground. "You don't understand—"

"Yes, you are right, I might not understand what the big deal is about this, but that doesn't mean you have to force yourself to do something you don't want to," Izuku said.

Eiko didn't reply this time; instead, she just stared at the ground with a restless expression in her eyes. Izuku looked at Eiko with concern-filled eyes. From his own personal experience, he could tell that she wasn't very good with the entire self-confidence thing, and right now, she was torn between listening to his advice or giving in to this peer pressure thing. And that's why he really wanted to help her but wasn't sure how.

'Why not compliment her?' Nana suggested in his mind.

'Compliment?' Izuku echoed.

'Yeah. Encourage her. Say something you would've wanted to hear back when you were quirkless.'

Understanding dawned on him. 'Got it. Thanks, Nana.'

"Hey, Eiko," Izuku said gently, lifting her chin so she met his gaze. "You don't need any of that to impress someone. You're already charming just as you are."

Suddenly Eiko's face turned scarlet as she looked away, fidgeting with her fingers while staring at the ground.

And then, just as Izuku was wondering what was going on with Eiko, he heard Nana cackling in his head. 'Nana, what did you do?' Izuku growled in his head.

'Me? No, buddy, it was all you,' Nana said, cackling harder than before.

As he was bickering with Nana, suddenly he heard a thud and a muffled groan behind him. He turned around only to see Shax lying on the ground while clutching his chest. "That was so smooth, it hurts my heart," he moaned.

Beside him, Elizabetta giggled. "You really know how to encourage a girl," she said, winking at Izuku.

It was then that Izuku realized what he had just said. 'Oh!' he quickly turned around and, while rubbing the back of his neck, said, "Eiko, I am sorry if I didn't realize—"

"No… it's fine," Eiko mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper.

Before the awkwardness could deepen, the warning bell rang, signaling the start of Diabotany. So everyone scrambled to gather their things and leave for the class.

Izuku was about to do the same when he noticed Eiko was still standing there, casting shy glances at him.
'I should solve this problem before it gets any more awkward,' Izuku thought as he walked toward Eiko. "Shall we?" he asked, flashing a friendly smile.
Eiko returned his smile, nodding as they headed to their final class of the day together.

******

"Students of the Misfit Class, it's a pleasure to meet you all," a petite woman with golden-blonde hair greeted warmly, her voice as lively as the spring breeze. "My name is Stolas Suzy, and I welcome you to the Botany Tower."

"Today," Suzy continued, gesturing to a small sapling planted in the middle of the room, "we'll be using magic to make flowers bloom. To do this, simply hold your hand over the sapling and say Quan Quan."

She demonstrated with practiced ease. Her hand hovered over the sapling, and her soft chant was barely audible. A gentle light enveloped the plant, and a moment later, it transformed into a stunning pink flower.

She plucked the flower and held it up for everyone to see. "And just like that, you can use your magic to shape your own flower." Then after distributing a sapling to each student, she instructed them to begin. "All right, everyone, let's see what you can do."

As soon as class began, Izuku produced his analytics notebook and started observing his classmates' plants with curious eyes. And sure enough, they didn't disappoint him as they all bloomed various kinds of flowers.

Eiko, who sat beside him, was among the first to succeed. She held up a delicate flower with green and blonde petals. "Izuku, everything okay?" she asked, noticing his intense focus. "You're oddly interested in flowers all of a sudden."

"I was just thinking about how the flowers seem to represent their creators," Izuku mused, gesturing toward Alice and Sabnock. Alice's flower blazed like a flame, its fiery petals radiating heat and an aura of pride. Sabnock's, on the other hand, was a ferocious-looking vine that had already begun gnawing on its pot. "Like Alice's fiery bloom—it screams pride and ambition. And Sabnock's… well it seems too eager to break its shackles and achieve whatever goal a plant could have."

"That's… actually a good way to put it," Eiko said as she and Izuku shared a chuckle at that.

"Good observation, Midoriya," Suzy said, walking over with a pleased smile. "It's refreshing to see a student putting thought into the exercise beyond the surface." She jotted something in her notebook. "For your insight, I'm awarding you an extra point."

"Thank you, Sensei," Izuku replied, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

"Of course," Suzy added with a knowing smile, "you'll still need to bloom your own flower to earn the rest of your grade."

"Got it, Sensei," Izuku replied, stepping up to his assigned sapling. 

He paused for a moment, his gaze falling to the golden ring on his finger. The intricate design now featured a dial engraved with four distinct markings. His mind wandered briefly to the previous night, recalling his conversation with his grandfather.

******

Flashback

Izuku lay in his bed, his stomach full and body far less sore than it had been earlier. His eyes felt heavy, the perfect condition for a restful night's sleep. He was just about to drift off when a soft knock on the door interrupted his peace.

"Izuku-kun, are you awake?" came Sullivan's familiar voice.

Izuku groaned, sitting up reluctantly. "Yeah, I'm up."

The door creaked open, and Sullivan stepped inside, offering a sheepish smile. "Sorry to disturb you, but I realized I forgot to tell you something important."

Izuku rubbed his eyes and nodded, trying to shake off the last remnants of sleep. "What is it?" he asked, his voice thick with drowsiness.

"You remember how I told you the ring you're wearing can store magic from the host or anyone around it?" Sullivan began, and Izuku gave a tired nod of confirmation. "Well, that was just the first part of its function. The second part is even more interesting—it allows you to use the magic that's been stored."

Izuku's eyes went wide as his mind caught up with Sullivan's words. He shot out of bed, suddenly wide awake. "Wait a minute! Are you telling me that…?"

"That's right!" Sullivan grinned, clearly enjoying his grandson's reaction. "With this ring, you'll be able to wield magic, just like anyone else." He then took Izuku's hand in his own, muttering a quick incantation under his breath. The ring responded immediately. As Sullivan stepped back, the ring's appearance changed, revealing a small dial with four distinct markings.

"Since you can't control magic the way demons do, I've added different modes to the ring," Sullivan explained. "These modes will help you regulate and use the stored magic. Want me to explain them?"

Izuku's eyes lit up, and he nodded quickly, eager to understand every detail.

Sullivan chuckled at his grandson's enthusiasm and continued, "The ring now has four modes: Devil, Demon, Ifrit, and Pandora. Each mode increases the spell's power by five times that of the previous one—except for Pandora mode." His expression turned serious, and Izuku's excitement shifted to curiosity. "Izuku, listen carefully. Pandora mode is dangerous. Don't use it unless you absolutely have no other choice. It's a last-resort kind of power."

Izuku absorbed the gravity of Sullivan's warning, nodding firmly. "Understood. When can I try it?"

"Now, hold on," Sullivan laughed softly, shaking his head. "Don't be in such a rush. Get some rest for tonight, and you'll have the chance to test it out tomorrow in one of your classes." He gave Izuku an encouraging pat on the shoulder. "For now, let's just get some sleep. You'll need your energy for what's ahead."

With that, Sullivan gave his grandson one last smile before leaving the room, the door clicking shut behind him.

******

Izuku frowned as he looked at the dial on the ring, mentally preparing himself. 'Well, Demon mode should be fine, right?' he asked Nana in his mind.

'I think we'll be fine, as long as you don't go to Pandora mode,' Nana replied.

'Got it,' Izuku thought, nodding to himself. He switched the dial to Demon mode and placed his hand gently over the sapling. He took a deep breath and began to chant, "'Qua—" but suddenly, his mind went blank.

"Midoriya, are you having trouble with the spell?" Suzy's voice cut through his thoughts as she approached him.

Izuku blinked, embarrassed. "Sorry, Sensei. I'm just not sure what kind of flower I want to bloom."

Suzy gave a gentle smile and nodded understandingly. "That's okay. If you're having trouble filling the flower with your personality, how about trying to focus on a wish or a desire? Those can be strong emotions too. Try focusing on that for now," she suggested. With a nod, she moved on to assist the other students.

'Wish or desire, huh?' Izuku thought, pondering her advice. As he stood there, his thoughts began to drift to a conversation he'd had with a certain little girl before heading to the first war.

["Deku-nii, what are these flowers!? They're so beautiful, just like my hair!" Eri exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

Izuku smiled warmly, ruffling her hair. "They're white dogwood trees, and yes, the flowers on them are beautiful—just like you."

Eri giggled, her face lighting up with joy. "Thank you!" she said, looking up at him with wide, hopeful eyes. "Can we come here during your summer break? I want to go on pi… nick!"

Izuku raised an eyebrow, teasing her gently. "Do you mean a picnic?"

Eri nodded eagerly. "Nejire-chan told me about it. She said it's a lot of fun too!"

Izuku chuckled. "Why not? We can definitely go on a picnic. We could even bring Mirio-senpai along if you want."

Eri's face lit up with excitement. "Really!? Pinky promise?"

Izuku held out his pinky with a smile. "Pinky promise."]

Izuku's smile faded as he returned to the present. 'Sorry, Eri. I couldn't keep my promise to you… but I'll make sure to honor it, as best as I can.' His hand hovered over the sapling as he focused his thoughts on her wish—on the moment they'd shared.

Then, with that memory in mind, he whispered softly, "Quan Quan."

The sapling glowed brightly, and then started to grow... and then it kept growing at an incredible rate. It stretched and expanded, breaking through the glass ceiling of the Botany Tower and creating a dome of white flowers above them. The tower was quickly enveloped in the blooming branches, the petals shimmering like stars in the afternoon light.

Izuku's eyes widened in shock. "Shit!" he muttered, his gaze following the path of the massive tree that had erupted from the small sapling. The glass ceiling cracked and shattered as the tree's growth continued unabated, sending shards scattering across the floor.

"Watch your language, Midoriya," Suzy called, her voice surprisingly calm as she approached him. "Can you explain what just happened here?"

Izuku scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "I'm not sure, Sensei. I just followed your instructions."

Suzy furrowed her brow, deep in thought. "Well, as far as I know, you didn't use excessive magic, so it must have been your desire that caused this," she said slowly. "The magic responded to the emotion behind your wish. It must have been something very strong for it to manifest like this." Suzy said and then clapped her hands. "Either way, I don't mind having this tree here. It's giving the tower a distinct look, don't you think?" she said with a smile. "Midoriya, A+ for blooming such a beautiful flower."

"Thank you," Izuku replied with a strained smile, "let me help you clean this mess."

Izuku's face flushed slightly at the praise, though he couldn't help but offer a strained smile. "Thanks, Sensei. Let me help you clean up this mess."

Suzy raised an eyebrow but smiled. "Oh! That would be quite helpful, thank you. And as for the rest of you," she called out to the other students, "this concludes your first class. You're all free to go."

Izuku, still in awe of what had just happened, glanced around at his classmates, many of whom were staring in wide-eyed surprise at the massive tree towering in the center of the tower.

******

Ameri's Office

Ameri stood by the window of her office, her gaze lingering on the beautiful white flowers that adorned the Botany Tower. The sight was calming, and for a moment, she allowed herself to enjoy the peaceful view. However, the tranquility was interrupted by a knock on her door.

"Come in," she called out, not taking her eyes off the flowers.

Izuku stepped into the room, offering a warm smile. "Good evening, Ameri. How was your day?"

Ameri turned to face him, her expression narrowing as she crossed her arms. "It was going fine, that is, until someone decided to grow a damn tree through one of the faculty buildings," she said, her eyes narrowing with playful annoyance.

Izuku winced, giving a sheepish smile. "Yeah, my bad."

Ameri sighed dramatically. "Izuku, how do you always find yourself in these situations?"

"Guess it's just my luck," Izuku shrugged, looking a little embarrassed. "Anyway, you needed a favor, right?"

"Yeah, about that." Ameri set a book, a human manga, on the desk in front of him. "I want you to read this to me."

Izuku blinked, surprised by the request. "Sure."

Ameri raised an eyebrow, clearly not expecting him to agree so easily. "Wait, just like that? No questions? No complaints?"

"Not really," he shrugged. "Besides, you're really not asking me to do something absurd here. I just have to read a book to you," Izuku explained. "So, shall we?"

Ameri stared at him for a moment, trying to come up with any objections, but she couldn't think of anything. With a small sigh, she nodded. "Fine, start with the first volume of First Love Memories."

Two hours passed in what felt like the blink of an eye. Izuku finally finished reading the last chapter, setting the book down with a satisfied stretch.

"Wow! That was fun," he said, taking a bite of the cake that Ameri had brought for them. "I didn't expect it to be so interesting."

Ameri, who had been listening intently, nodded with a smile. "Yeah, I agree. And I must say, you're quite a good storyteller yourself."

"Thanks," Izuku said with a modest smirk. "I didn't realize I had this talent as well."

Ameri tilted her head, looking thoughtful. "By the way, when the heroine mentioned something about achieving her dreams, was she talking about her ambitions?"

Izuku shrugged. "You could say that, yeah."

"So, that means she's going to tear apart anyone who gets in her way and throw them aside?" Ameri asked eagerly, looking a little too excited about it.

Izuku chuckled, shaking his head. "No, I don't think she's going to throw anyone, though that would make an interesting scene."

"Is that so?" Ameri's enthusiasm faded slightly, and she pouted in disappointment. Izuku noticed and decided to change the topic to lighten the mood.

"By the way, Ameri," he said, his tone shifting to something more thoughtful. "Do you have any goals? Any big dreams for the future?"

Ameri was quiet for a moment, her gaze drifting to the side as she considered the question. Then, a confident smile spread across her face. "Dreams, huh?" she repeated. "I'm very proud to be a demon, and I want others to be proud to be demons too. That's why I want to improve this school and make it a place where any demon would want to attend—a house of learning and growth. That's my ambition. After I graduate, I'll be helping with my father's work, and I know what I need to do to get there."

Izuku's gaze softened as he listened, and he couldn't help but look at her with admiration. Her conviction and determination were impossible to ignore, and it made his heart feel warm in a way he couldn't explain.

Ameri caught the look in his eyes and felt an unexpected flutter in her chest. For a brief moment, she wasn't sure how to respond. "What about you, Izuku?" she asked after a moment, her voice gentle but curious. "What's your dream?"

As soon as the question left her lips, the atmosphere between them shifted. Izuku fell silent, and an uncomfortable stillness filled the room. After a long pause, he finally spoke, his voice quieter than before.

"Honestly, I have no idea," he admitted with a humorless laugh. He stood up and walked toward the window, staring out at the setting sun with a distant expression on his face. "Ever since I was a kid, all I ever wanted was to be a hero—someone who could save everyone with a smile. I believed it so strongly, no matter how many times I was pushed back or told I wouldn't get anywhere. I kept going, believing that one day I could do it. And eventually, I did. I got my chance to become the hero I always dreamed of being. But the price I paid..."

His voice trailed off, and he stopped himself, realizing he'd said too much. He let out a breath. "Sorry, I didn't mean to dump all of that on you."

"It's all right," Ameri said, deciding to lighten the mood. "I guess you're just getting into the habit of spilling your secrets to me."

Izuku chuckled, a little embarrassed. "I guess you could say that," he said, smiling at her. "It's just... I don't know how to explain it, but you feel like home to me." He laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. "That sounded a lot less cheesy in my head. Don't you think-"

He looked up and noticed Ameri was blushing, her face partially hidden behind the cup of tea she was sipping. Her lips were curved into a small smile, but there was an unmistakable blush coloring her cheeks.

'Izuku, you really are a smooth-talking bastard,' Nana's voice echoed in his head.

'Shut up, Shimura,' Izuku groaned, slightly flustered by the comment.

Ameri cleared her throat, trying to regain her composure. "Anyway," Izuku said, attempting to move past the awkward moment. "As I was saying, right now, I don't know what my dream is."

Ameri thought for a moment, then her eyes lit up with an idea. "Then why don't you just focus on climbing the ranks for now?" she suggested, a confident grin spreading across her face. "And if you need a goal, I, Ameri Azazel, challenge you to stand at my side."

Izuku's eyes sparkled with determination. He grinned confidently and looked at her. "Ameri, I accept your challenge. But fair warning—start making a place for me there now, because I'll be standing by your side in no time."

And so, another day came to an end, leaving Izuku with a newfound goal to pursue.

To be continued...