A Hero in a Demon School!!!!

"Oh man, I'm beat," Izuku groaned, lying flat on the ground as he stared at the orange-streaked sky. Glancing to his side, he saw Clara still bursting with energy, rummaging through her pile of dangerous but oddly fun gadgets. "Where does she get all that energy from?" he muttered to himself.

"Hey, you okies there?" Clara called out, wobbling precariously as she tried to balance on a ball.

"Yeah, I'm fine… just a little tired, but I'll live," Izuku replied, pushing himself up off the ground.

"Izukun!" Clara chimed, tapping one of the smiley-face pockets on her skirt. A bottle of soda popped out, and she held it up triumphantly. "Here, juice! I have snacks too!"

"Wait—where did that come from?" Izuku asked, baffled.

"It's my bloodline magic!" Clara explained proudly, pulling out more toys and trinkets from her pocket. "I can produce anything I've seen before!"

"So… you're telling me you can recreate anything you've seen even once?" Izuku asked slowly, his expression growing more incredulous.

"Yep!" Clara grinned.

Izuku nodded, a distant look in his eyes. "And here I thought Momo's quirk was broken. How naïve I was."

Clara, oblivious to his musings, simply shrugged and started spinning in circles around him.

Snapping out of his thoughts, Izuku grabbed his bag. "School's almost over. We should head home."

Just as he turned to leave, he felt a tug on his sleeve. Turning back, he saw Clara standing there, looking uncharacteristically shy as she clutched his sleeve.

"Will you… play with me again?" she asked hesitantly.

Izuku froze, taken aback. Her voice was so timid, as if she already expected rejection. His chest tightened as he saw a reflection of his younger self in her—the way he used to play with other kids, only to be turned away the next day because someone had told them he was quirkless. That's why when he saw that same look in Clara's eyes, he felt a weird pain in his heart to see someone so nice have to go through that.

Before he could answer, though, someone interrupted.

"Hey, Clara! Come here for a second," a boy called out, appearing out of nowhere, and started talking to Clara in a commanding tone that Izuku found very unsettling.

"Who's this?" the boy sneered. "Clara, did you find a new owner or something?" He snickered before continuing, "Whatever. Just give me a can of juice."

'I don't like him,' Nana's voice echoed in Izuku's head, her tone sharp with disapproval.

'Yeah, I know,' Izuku replied internally. As Clara moved toward the boy, Izuku instinctively grabbed her hand and stepped in front of her.

"If you want something to drink, go buy it yourself," he said firmly.

"Huh?" The boy frowned in annoyance. "Come on, honor boy. Stop hogging her and let me get something too."

Izuku's expression darkened. His reply was short and cold: "Leave."

"What?" The boy flinched but tried to stand his ground. "Wait, what did you—"

"I. Said. Leave." Izuku's voice dropped, low and intimidating, as green sparks crackled faintly around him.

"Tch." The boy grumbled, glaring at them. "Fine. Keep her to yourself. It's not like I care about that stupid girl anyway," he shouted and stormed off.

When Izuku was sure the boy was gone, he turned to Clara—only to see her crying on the ground.

'Wait! Why is she crying? Was she friends with that guy?' Izuku panicked, his mind racing with wild theories.

'Of course not, idiot,' Nana chided.

"Why?" Clara sobbed. "Why did you do that? Now he won't play with me!"

Izuku crouched down, his confusion evident. "Clara… he wasn't going to play with you. He just wanted free stuff."

"I'm not stupid," Clara said through her tears. "I know nobody will play with me unless I give them free stuff. It's the fee to put up with me."

Izuku's heart sank as her words cut deep and her mindset reminded him of his own mindset towards bullying in middle school during his past life. so Taking a deep breath, he gently held her hands.

"Clara, listen to me," he said softly. "Anyone who doesn't want to play with you is an idiot." That got her attention, and she looked up at him, tears still glistening in her eyes. "To tell you the truth, it's been ages since I've had this much fun. And it wasn't because of the toys you made—it was because playing with you is fun."

"Really?" she asked, her face lighting up with a radiant smile.

"Really," Izuku assured her, though he scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. "I mean, you do go overboard sometimes, but that's part of what makes it fun." He met her gaze, his tone earnest. "So, Clara, do you want to be my friend and play with me again?"

"Yes!" Clara squealed, leaping into the air. She rolled around in excitement for a few moments before stopping abruptly. "This is the first time someone's asked me to play! What should we do, Izukun? Oh, by the way… what's a friend?"

'Oh boy,' Izuku thought, bracing himself for yet another explanation.

******

While Izuku was explaining to Clara what a friend was, the boy he had intimidated earlier stomped through a hallway, his footsteps echoing with frustration. His face was twisted in an angry frown, and he muttered to himself as he walked.

After several minutes of sulking and stomping, he arrived at a set of stairs where two other boys were waiting for him.

"Hey, dude, took you long enough," one of them said, leaning casually against the banister. "And where's the juice? Don't tell me you couldn't find her."

"Actually..." The boy recounted the confrontation with Izuku, his voice growing angrier as he relived the moment. "That's why we're going to get revenge on that honor student by beating him to a pulp. That'll teach him not to steal our stuff."

"Whoa, hold up," the other boy interjected, raising his hands in alarm. "Are you sure about this? I mean, rumors say he fought Asmodeus to a draw and summoned some massive familiar that's never even been recorded in the history of the underworld. Are we really going to take on someone like that?"

"I already know about that!" the first boy snapped, his expression sour. "That's why we're not fighting him head-on. We'll ambush him when he's not expecting it. No matter how strong he is, the three of us together can handle it."

"So, let me get this straight," a sharp female voice suddenly cut through their conversation. "First, you tricked and exploited an innocent girl into giving you free stuff, and now, because someone stood up to you, your big idea is to ambush him?"

The boys froze and turned to see the source of the voice. Their blood ran cold when they saw Ameri Azazel, the president of the student council, standing at the top of the stairs. Beside her stood two other students: a pink-skinned girl with yellow horns and a boy with striking black-and-white hair.

"Student Council President?!" the first boy stammered, his earlier bravado evaporating. "What are you—"

Before he could finish, Ameri's foot slammed into his head in a clean overhead kick, sending him sprawling to the ground.

"You two," she addressed the remaining boys, her voice authoritative and cold. They snapped to attention like cornered prey. "If I ever catch any of you exploiting another student or engaging in misconduct, you'll face the full wrath of the student council. Am I clear?"

The two boys nodded so vigorously it looked like their heads might fall off. Without another word, they grabbed their dazed companion and hurried off toward the infirmary as Ameri watched them retreat.

"Well, that's one less headache to deal with," Ameri said, brushing her hands off as if the matter were resolved. Then, turning to the pink-skinned girl beside her, she asked, "Smoke, do we need to have a talk with the honor student as well?"

Smoke shook her head, "No, I don't think that'll be necessary. Based on what that boy said and what I witnessed earlier, Izuku Midoriya was clearly just defending himself."

Ameri nodded, satisfied for the moment, and began walking away. Still, a nagging thought lingered in her mind. 'Izuku Midoriya… he sounds like a troublesome person. I'll need to keep an eye on him.'

******

The next day, as soon as Izuku stepped into the school, he was tackled to the ground by a ball of energy named Clara.

"Good morning, Izuchan!" Clara chirped, beaming down at him.

"Good morning, Clara," Izuku replied with a chuckle as he sat up. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. "Here, add your contact info."

Clara eagerly snatched the phone from his hand and started typing. She paused when she noticed something peculiar. "Why do you only have two contacts?"

"Well, I just got this phone," Izuku explained. "So, aside from my family, you're actually the first person to add their number."

Clara's eyes sparkled with delight, her grin widening. "I'm the first? That makes me special, right?" Izuku nodded, smiling at her enthusiasm.

After a few minutes of walking, they arrived at the notice board to check their class assignments. As they approached, Izuku's phone buzzed with a message. He pulled it out and read the text:

[Grandpa: Izuku-kun, I forgot to mention this earlier, but since you didn't want to attract too much attention to yourself, I've created a special class for students who attract too much attention. Naturally, you've been placed there with your friends. Enjoy!]

Izuku's eye twitched as he reread the message, conflicted between appreciation and exasperation. 'I get the sentiment, but…' He looked up at the board and immediately spotted the list for his class. Unlike the others, which were printed plainly, his had a fancy golden border and calligraphy that practically screamed for attention.

While Izuku debated whether to thank his grandfather for the effort or scold him for overdoing it, a familiar voice called out to him.

"Hey, Izuku! Looks like we're in the same class," Eiko said as she approached, smiling warmly.

Turning to her, Izuku returned her smile. "Yeah, it looks like it. Oh, by the way, this is Clara." He gestured to the energetic girl beside him. "And Clara, this is Eiko."

"Nice to meet you," Eiko greeted politely.

Clara immediately grabbed Eiko's arm with both hands and shook it vigorously. "Nice to meet you, Eo-chan!"

"Eo-chan?" Eiko blinked at the nickname, mulling it over before a soft laugh escaped her. Her smile returned, even brighter. "Sure, why not?"

With introductions out of the way, Eiko pulled out a folded piece of paper and held it up triumphantly. "I've already got a map to our classroom! Follow me, and I'll guide you to the treasure!" She struck a confident pose, fist raised in the air, but quickly lowered it when she noticed Izuku watching her with an amused expression.

"Let's just go already," she muttered, her face tinged pink. She spun around and began marching ahead, taking exaggeratedly large steps in an attempt to mask her embarrassment.

Izuku chuckled as he and Clara followed behind. "Treasure, huh?" he murmured, glancing at the golden-bordered class sheet again. "Let's hope it's not too flashy."

******

After walking for a little while, Izuku, Clara, and Eiko arrived at a massive gate in a secluded underground area of the school.

"It looks old," Clara remarked, glancing around curiously.

"This doesn't look like a classroom," Izuku added, eyeing the weathered door and the eerie surroundings. "You two stay here. Let me check if this is actually our classroom or if someone's pulling a prank."

Cautiously, Izuku pushed the door open. The moment he stepped inside, his Danger Sense flared. Without hesitation, he jumped back, narrowly dodging a barrage of flying weapons. Landing in a defensive stance, he positioned himself protectively in front of Clara and Eiko.

But then to his surprise, a cheer erupted from inside the room. "What...?" Izuku muttered as he cautiously approached the doorway again. Peeking inside, he was immediately surrounded by an excitable group of students.

"Well done, dude!" a boy with spiky yellow hair said, grinning.

"That was incredible," added a tall, striking girl.

"That's the Honor Student for you!" chirped a birdlike demon.

"Do it again!" shouted a demon brandishing a sword.

"Izuchan is so brilliant!" Clara exclaimed, stars practically sparkling in her eyes.

"Anyone who just lost their bets, line up here and hand over your money," announced a black-haired demon holding a microphone.

Izuku blinked, bewildered. "Okay, what the hell is going on? And what are they even betting on?"

A familiar voice answered him. "They were betting on how many of those weapons would hit the next person who walked through the door."

Izuku turned and stared. "Alice? What are you doing here?"

"Same as you," Alice replied with a casual shrug. "I was assigned to this class too. And I think we both know why."

"Yeah," Izuku muttered, glancing away. "I can guess." Then, frowning, he asked, "But why were they so excited about me dodging those weapons?"

"Because you're the only one who dodged all of them," Alice explained. "Everyone else got hit at least once or twice. I just burned them all, and that guy—" Alice nodded at a towering shirtless demon behind Izuku—"took them head-on."

Izuku turned to see the massive demon, weapons still embedded in his muscular frame. "Are you... okay? That looks painful."

"Nonsense!" the demon declared, flexing. The weapons popped out of his body as he roared. "These weak sticks can't even scratch me! I, Sabro Sabnock, am destined to be the Demon King!"

"He's so big!" Clara gasped, pulling out a measuring tape and enthusiastically measuring his height.

Sabnock ignored her and pointed dramatically at Izuku. "Listen, Honor Student! I will become a Yod (Rank 10), and then the Demon King! One day, you will kneel before me!"

"Uh, what's a Yod?" Izuku asked, tilting his head.

"Yod is the highest rank a demon can achieve," Sabnock explained, puffing out his chest. "Only those at Rank 10 can be considered for the position of Demon King by the Thirteen Crowns. To reach that rank, I must prove my strength!" He grabbed a sword from the ground and crushed it with one hand. "Anyone who dares challenge me will be crushed—like this sword!"

Izuku stared, half-impressed and half-concerned, until Sabnock jabbed a finger at him. "But who are you, anyway? You don't even know what a Demon King is! What kind of idiot are you?"

"Knock it off, Sabnock," Alice interrupted, stepping forward. "Do you really think bullying people will make you the Demon King?"

Sabnock smirked mockingly. "Well, well, if it isn't Asmodeus. Top of the entrance exam, and your familiar is a Gorgon Snake."

"So what?" Alice replied, unimpressed.

"My familiar is a Kelpie! It has more legs than yours, so it's obviously stronger!" Sabnock declared triumphantly.

******

Kelpie- Sabro's familiar is a Ohma, a mutant beast resembling a mix of a horse and a fish. Its green body features two front limbs, large fins across its back that double as wings, and a long tail fin. It has a prominent horn and sharp fangs, capable of thriving on both land and water.

******

Alice groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "What kind of nonsense are you spouting?"

"Bah, forget it," Sabnock huffed. Then, with a sly grin, he added, "You lost to the Honor Student, so you're not even worthy of being my rival anymore."

A vein throbbed on Alice's forehead. "I didn't lose; it was a draw."

"Oh yeah?" Sabnock asked. "Then why are talking so casually with him right now? Why aren't you hunting him down to settle the score?"

"Because first of all, I am not as barbaric as you," Alice said, "and besides I am his friend now," Alice declared as a righteous aura seemed to radiate from Alice, and Clara immediately joined in, cheering, "Me too, me too!"

Izuku's face turned red as he thought, 'Not this again.'

"Friend?" Sabnock asked, confused.

"A friend is a person you spend your time with without worrying about their social status or power. You study and train together, you can share your feelings, thoughts, and secrets with them, and hang around with them even outside the school," Alice explained, "or at least this is what Izuku told me when he introduced me to this term."

The room fell silent as the students all turned their attention to Izuku, staring at him with amazement or curiosity.

'This is so embarrassing,' Izuku groaned internally, glancing at the curious and amused faces surrounding him. 'Can this get any worse?'

'Dear Izuku,' Nana's voice chimed in with a tone of exaggerated pity, 'why do you keep challenging your luck like that?'

'What do you—'

"Izuku!" Eiko's voice cut through his thoughts. Izuku turned around hurriedly, only to freeze at the sight of her teary eyes.

"Do you... not like me?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"W-what?" Izuku stammered, his face flushing crimson. "W-where is this coming from?"

'Oh my! I knew this was going to happen, but not so soon,' Nana teased with a mischievous snicker.

'Not now, Nana!' Izuku shouted in his head, trying to maintain composure.

"Oh my! A love drama! How exciting!" exclaimed Elizabetta, the tall blonde demoness, her eyes sparkling with amusement. Izuku gritted his teeth, barely holding back the urge to yell at everyone to be quiet.

Fortunately, Eiko's brain seemed to catch up with her words. Her face turned as red as a ripe tomato. "N-no, no, no! It's not like that!" she cried, covering her face with her hands. After letting out a quick, muffled scream, she lowered her hands just enough to peek at him again. "What I meant was... why didn't you ask me to be your friend?"

"Oh!" Izuku blinked, finally understanding. "That's because I thought we already were friends." He offered her a warm smile. "But if you'd like, I can make it official." He extended his hand toward her. "Eiko Oni, will you be my friend?"

Eiko's blush deepened, but she quickly grabbed his hand with both of hers. "Yes!" she exclaimed, her voice full of determination.

'Izuku, you sly demon! Stop playing with that poor girl's heart,' Nana teased again, her tone mock-scolding while Izuku resisted the urge to groan out loud.

"Hey let me on this friend thing too, sounds interesting," the yellow-haired demon said. 

"Yeah me too," the black-haired demon added. 

"Hey, let me in on this friend thing too. Sounds fun!" Lead, the yellow-haired demon, said with a wide grin.

"Yeah, count me in," Jazz, the laid-back black-haired demon, added nonchalantly.

Before long, Izuku was swarmed by classmates eagerly volunteering to be his friend. The exceptions were Alice, who was already his friend; Sabnock, who looked disinterested; Kerori, the bluish-white-haired girl who seemed hesitant; Agares, who was still snoozing on his cloud; and another boy who vanished out of his site.

'Wait,' Izuku thought, narrowing his eyes. 'I swear I saw someone there a moment ago.'

His musings were abruptly interrupted by the thunderous slam of the classroom door. "Silence," the scary teacher Kalego entered the class and glared at the students. "I could hear you brats from all the way outside," the man growled. "Can't you manage to be quiet for five minutes?"

"Are you our homeroom teacher, Spooky-Sensei?" Clara asked innocently, tilting her head.

"Yes," he replied, his voice dripping with irritation. "Yesterday, the principal decided it would be amusing to hold a lottery to assign this class's homeroom teacher." His glare intensified as he fixed his eyes on Izuku. "Of course, I later discovered the lottery was rigged—by a certain someone's relative—and every single slip had my name on it," he said and all Izuku could do was avoid making eye contact.

"Now, sit down, brats. Roll call starts now," the teacher barked. With a wave of his hand, a magical attendance book materialized in his hand.

"Agares Picero," he called.

The boy lounging on his floating cloud gave a half-hearted yawn in response.

"Asmodeus Alice."

"Yes, sir," Alice replied smoothly.

"Allocer Schneider."

"I am a thinking reed," the lion-faced demon declared, sounding oddly philosophical.

"Andro M. Jazz."

"Here," Jazz answered lazily, lounging in his seat.

"Ix Elizabetta."

"Present!" the blonde demoness chimed, giving a playful wave.

"Valac Clara."

"Here, Spooky-Sensei!" Clara announced, raising both hands enthusiastically.

"Stop calling me that," Kalego growled, his eye twitching. "Caim Camui," he called but no one answered, "are you not here, Caim Camui?"

The small birdlike demon, who had been staring dreamily at Elizabetta, hastily raised his hand. "Here!"

Kalego glared at him but continued the roll call, "Garp Goemon."

"Here," the hairy demon with a sword replied.

"Corcell Kerori."

"Here..." the girl with blueish-white hair whispered.

"Shax Lead."

"Here. Here, here!" the yellow-haired boy replied while playing a video game on a handheld.

That again made Kalego's eye twitch, "Sabnock Sabro."

"Indeed," Sabnock replied with a confident smirk.

"Sabnock, refrain from extremely insolent behavior and foolish action such as challenging your teachers to fight," Kalego said with a glare, "Eiko Oni."

"Here," Eiko replied, raising her hand timidly.

"Purson Soi."

No response. Kalego didn't even bother looking up. "And Izuku Midoriya."

"Here," Izuku said, raising his hand.

"Good," Kalego said. Then, without warning, he ordered, "Midoriya, switch seats with Caim."

"NO! I don't want to sit away from—" Caim began to protest, but one glare from Kalego made him immediately shrink back and switch seats. Izuku found himself flanked by Clara and Eiko, both of whom seemed thrilled with this new arrangement.

"Now," Kalego said, slamming the attendance book onto the desk. "Class begins. All of you, outside!"

******

After a few minutes, the misfit class stood on a cliffside at the back of the school grounds.

"Your ranks will be determined by the familiar summoning exam from earlier, along with this race and the mock battles scheduled for next Monday," Kalego explained.

"The goal is the flag at the top of a hill, shrouded in mist far beyond this valley," Kalego continued, pulling out a cute-looking digital board. "Now, I'll let this abomination explain the rules."

******

I will now explain the course.

1. The first route is a bit longer, but you can pass through Warbling Valley with relatively little danger.

2. The second route is much shorter, cutting through Cutthroat Valley. However, it's filled with danger and traps along the way. Be wary of the monsters and demon birds protecting their nests.

Good luck to you all in the race!

****** 

As soon as the explanation was over, Kalego knocked the board down and stepped on it. "That's it for the explanation."

'And he still hates cute things,' Izuku thought with a strained smile.

"The Cutthroat Valley is shorter, but it's quite dangerous," Alice said.

"Well, it's technically shorter, but one wrong encounter could exponentially increase your time compared to those taking the other route," Izuku explained, and unbeknownst to him many of the others were actually listening to him. "Not to mention, in the worst-case scenario, you could lose your life. So, in hindsight, the trade-off isn't worth it… just like that forbidden spell."

A small smile appeared on Alice's face as she asked, "You're still salty about that, huh?"

"Huh?" Sabnock sneered, overhearing their conversation. "What a coward's way of thinking. The only way for a future Demon King is through the Cutthroat Valley!"

Before anyone could respond, Kalego immediately squashed Sabnock's declaration. "The only route this year is through Warbling Valley," he said, cutting through the tension. "And good deduction, Midoriya."

"Thank you, Sensei," Izuku replied.

Sabnock, however, wasn't satisfied. He stormed up to Kalego. "Why can't we go through Cutthroat Valley?" he demanded, his massive frame looming over the teacher.

"Because," Kalego replied, unphased, "an enormous magical beast that rules over Cutthroat Valley has been particularly moody lately. For everyone's safety, no one is allowed to enter. We can't guarantee your safety if you run into it."

"I'm still going through Cutthroat Valley," Sabnock declared with a defiant grin. "If I can't, what's the point of even participating?"

Kalego simply shrugged, his expression indifferent. "Do whatever you like. But know this: if you go through with your choice, neither I nor the school will take any responsibility for what happens to you."

Oh by the way during this whole conversation, Clara was trying to catch Sabnock's tail, which was swinging back and forth like a rope.

Izuku, looking at Sabnock's determined face, approached him with concern. "Are you sure you want to go through that route? I mean, just think it over."

Sabnock turned away dismissively. "Hah! Keep your advice to yourself, Honor Boy. A true king never fears any danger!"

Izuku sighed, trying one last time. "But—"

Sabnock walked off, uninterested in hearing any more.

Alice, seeing Izuku's frustration, walked up to him with a more pragmatic attitude. "There's no point wasting your time on an idiot like him. Just be satisfied that at least you tried to warn him."

"You're right," Izuku said, his shoulders sagging slightly. "I just hope he comes out in one piece."

Kalego clapped his hands loudly, drawing everyone's attention. "All of you, get ready!" he shouted. "We will now begin the flying race!" With a single snap of his fingers, everyone except Izuku unfurled their wings, ready to take flight. Kalego nodded in approval. "Ready, and go!"

In an instant, everyone shot off into the sky, leaving Izuku standing awkwardly at the cliff's edge, smiling sheepishly.

"Sensei, I have a question, if you don't mind," Izuku called out, his voice barely carrying over the wind.

Kalego, his face already beginning to twitch in irritation, glanced back at him. "What now?"

Izuku hesitated for a moment before asking, "Does my method of flight affect my score?"

Kalego raised an eyebrow. "Why are you asking that?"

Izuku shifted uncomfortably. "Actually, I had my wings removed due to a childhood accident, but I have other methods of flight available to me."

Kalego rubbed his temples, clearly worn out by this new revelation. "Well, it's not like I can take any objections if it's a medical condition," he muttered. "I'll allow it, as long as you finish the race."

"Thank you, Sensei," Izuku said gratefully, bowing before springing into the air.

Kalego muttered under his breath, watching Izuku fly off. "What a troublesome brat," he said and with a flick of his wrist, Kalego teleported himself to the finish line,

******

"Yawn So sleepy," Agares complained lazily, floating along on his cloud, his eyes half-closed in indifference. He was joined by Caim, who was staring behind with an almost fanatic expression, and Shax, who was engrossed in his handheld gaming device.

Behind them, Eiko, Elizabetta, and Crocell were taking a much slower pace through the valley, chatting and laughing as they walked. The sound of their voices occasionally drifted through the valley, but they were in no rush, savoring the journey at their own pace.

In contrast, the third group, consisting of Jazz, Allocer, and Garp, was strolling along with an air of casual nonchalance. They weren't worried about the race or the obstacles. They were taking their sweet time too, enjoying the leisurely walk through the valley.

But little did they know, their every move was being tracked by Kalego, who was observing them through a magical screen. He was seated at the finish line, his eyes narrowed in frustration as he watched the students' progress.

"Idiots! None of them are taking this seriously," Kalego muttered, as he saw Caim stop to hand Elizabetta a bouquet of flowers. His expression darkened, and he immediately deducted more points from Caim's score. "Where are those other fools?"

The screen shifted, and Alice came into view. He was soaring through the valley, flying at high speeds, effortlessly dodging obstacles along the way. Suddenly, a patch of hostile plants launched spikes toward him. Without breaking a sweat, Alice summoned his familiar, who promptly burned the entire patch of plants into ash.

"Well done," Alice muttered with a satisfied smile, as he unsummoned his familiar and continued his flight.

"Wowie!" a voice suddenly interrupted his moment of peace. Alice looked behind him to see Clara, who had somehow managed to climb onto his back.

"You... when did you..." Alice stammered, confused and slightly irritated.

"You see, right at the start... I was already on your back!" Clara explained enthusiastically. "And then..." She trailed off mid-sentence, her attention suddenly fixed on something else in the distance.

"Don't get bored of your own explanation!" Alice snapped. He was distracted just enough to not notice the vines that suddenly ensnared him. "What the—?"

"Azz! Azz! Help me! I'm tangled and can't get free!" Clara shrieked, her arms flailing as she too got caught in the vines.

"Idiot! Stop struggling! You're making it worse!" Alice grumbled, his face contorting in frustration as he tried to free himself from the thick vines that had wrapped around them.

Just as they were struggling, an air bullet suddenly flew through the air, cutting through the vines and freeing them. Alice looked up, bewildered, and saw none other than Izuku Midoriya floating above them with a grin plastered on his face.

"I thought you needed a hand there," Izuku said cheerfully, his hand still outstretched after firing the air bullet.

"Izukun!" Clara squealed in delight and immediately jumped onto his back, clinging to him like a koala.

Izuku, chuckling at the sight, turned to Alice with a grin. "So, wanna race to the finish line?"

Alice shot him a fearless smile, "Bring it on."

Clara, who was still hanging onto Izuku, suddenly perked up, pulling out a dummy gun from her pocket. She raised it into the air with a gleam in her eyes.

"Yay!" she cheered, grinning ear to ear. "Three... two... one... boom!"

With that, the two boys shot into action, flying toward the finish line at breakneck speed, with Clara enjoying her free ride as she clung to Izuku. The wind whipped around them, but neither Izuku nor Alice slowed down for a second.

As they continued their race, they encountered another hostile obstacle, a large mass of thorny plants blocking their path. Without missing a beat, both boys summoned their respective powers.

"Fireball!" Alice shouted, launching a blazing fireball straight at the thorns, incinerating them in a flash of heat.

"Air Cannon!" Izuku countered, sending a powerful blast of air from his hands to blow away the rest of the obstacles.

The two methods of attack combined for a perfect clearing of the path, and they both surged forward again, each determined to reach the finish line first.

Clara, caught up in the excitement, cheered, "Go, go, go!" as the two boys zoomed ahead, the distance between them and the finish line closing rapidly.

******

At the finish line, Kalego was calmly sipping his tea, watching the students arrive one by one. His eyes narrowed as he heard the unmistakable sound of Clara's voice. Looking to his side, he saw Izuku and Alice racing toward the finish line.

Before Kalego could even put his tea down, they both rushed forward, eager to know who had won.

"Who won?" Izuku and Alice asked in unison.

"Give me some space, brats," Kalego grumbled, swatting them away and giving himself a moment to review the footage from the cameras. After a few seconds, he flicked a finger, and the video played on a screen in front of them. It showed Izuku crossing the finish line a few seconds before Alice. "Midoriya, you're first. Asmodeus, you're second, and..." Kalego paused, pointing at Clara, who was dancing around Izuku, waving a winner's sign above her head. "She's third."

Clara didn't seem to care about the rankings as she pranced around, ignoring Alice's grumbling. "You need to go back to the start line and fly here yourself," Alice said, but Clara was already distracted, tossing rocks into the air.

Izuku turned his attention to Kalego, "Hmm, Sensei."

Kalego looked over at him, sighing. "What now?"

"Did Sabnock really take the other path?" Izuku asked.

Kalego rubbed his face in exasperation. "Yes, despite all the warnings, that idiot decided to go through the Cutthroat Valley."

Izuku's face darkened. "What are the odds that he'll actually survive?"

Kalego's response was blunt. "Five percent. That too, only if the guardian decides to toy with him instead of killing him outright with a single blow."

Izuku nodded and sat on the side trying to make up his mind about something.

Izuku's expression faltered, but he nodded and sat down, deep in thought, trying to make sense of the situation. His classmates slowly trickled in, chatting and laughing among themselves, but none of them... not even Eiko or Clara tried to approach Izuku who was intensely staring at the ground.

'Izuku, it won't be your fault if something happens to that boy, you know that, right?' Nana's voice echoed in his mind.

'Nana...,' Izuku struggled to find the right words. 'I know I'm not a hero anymore. I know I'm not obligated to save anyone, but I can't just sit here while someone's life is in danger.'

'Izuku... I don't know what to do with you,' Nana said with a soft chuckle. 'But you won't be one of us without that attitude.'

Izuku smiled faintly to himself, rising to his feet. "I'm going to look for Sabnock," he declared, determination in his eyes. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the summoning stickers that Opera had given him. Quickly, he used them to summon Nana in her Rayquaza form.

"Midoriya, stop this foolishness," Kalego called out in an irritated voice. "You don't need to go after that fool. If you go, the same rules apply to you as well."

Izuku's unwavering eyes met Kalego's. "Sensei, I understand what you're saying, and I take full responsibility for my actions." He paused, his gaze shifting to his friends. "If I don't come back in an hour, make sure to inform Grandpa about this whole situation."

"Izuku, are you sure about this?" Eiko asked, concern evident in her voice.

"Yep, I'm sure," Izuku replied with a reassuring smile.

"Izuku, I really don't understand why you're doing this, but don't do something stupid," Alice said, and Izuku nodded, giving Alice a soft smile, grateful for his concern.

"Izukun," Clara said, nervously approaching him with a small bag of candy. "Dad told me it's good to eat something sweet before going on an adventure."

Izuku smiled warmly at her, taking the candy. "Thanks, guys." Then, without further hesitation, he jumped onto Nana's back, and together, they shot into the sky, heading straight for Cutthroat Valley at lightning speed.

******

'Do you see anything?' Izuku asked, his eyes darting across the treacherous terrain.

By now, he had understood why Kalego-sensei had warned them about going through this route. It was filled with dangerous magic beasts that were constantly eyeing him and waiting for their opportunity to eat him. But fortunately for him, Nana's sheer size and presence were enough to keep all of them at bay.

No, nothing ye—' Nana's voice was cut off by a loud, piercing cry that echoed from deep within the valley. Izuku's head snapped in the direction of the sound. "What was that?" Nana asked.

'Don't know, but we should check it out,' Izuku decided. "I'll go down there, and you watch my back from up here."

'Sure, be safe,' Nana responded

Izuku nodded, then without another word, he leaped off Nana's back and began descending slowly into the valley. The air grew thick with danger as he navigated the rocky terrain, staying alert to every sound and movement around him. The eerie silence was broken only by his careful footsteps and the distant calls of unseen creatures.

After a short search, Izuku came across a massive white demon bird standing in the middle of a rocky outcrop. The bird had an imposing presence, with dark purple eyes, horns jutting from its head, and an almost regal air about it. However, there was something different about this creature—its large talon was deeply injured, an open wound visible along its sharp, blackened edges.

The bird growled menacingly as Izuku approached, its sharp beak clacking threateningly in his direction. Despite the intimidating display, Izuku didn't back down. He stopped a safe distance away, trying to assess the situation. The bird's body language was clearly hostile, but Izuku soon realized why it was acting this way.

'Oh! That's why it's acting so aggressively,' Izuku thought, narrowing his eyes as he noticed the deep wound in the bird's talon. 'Maybe I can help.'

"Hey, big guy, watch this," Izuku said softly, trying to calm the creature. He then took out a sharp rock from the ground and lightly cut his palm. Blood trickled from the wound, and Izuku wrapped it quickly with a handkerchief to stop the bleeding. "Want me to do this for you?"

The bird paused, its keen eyes locking onto Izuku's, studying his every move. There was a moment of silence before it looked up, sensing something else in the air. A cold chill ran down its spine as it noticed the immense, serpentine creature hovering above them. The bird froze in place, understanding the power dynamic now, realizing that Izuku was connected to this terrifying beast. Reluctantly, the demon bird stretched out its wounded talon toward Izuku.

"Oh! Thank you for trusting me," Izuku said, a little surprised at the bird's response. He moved closer, reaching for the bird's talon, but then paused. "I don't have anything to wrap your wound with."

As Izuku stood there thinking, a drop of his blood fell from his hand and landed directly onto the bird's talon. The moment it touched the wound, something incredible happened—the injury began to heal before his eyes, the flesh knitting together as if the wound had never existed.

Izuku blinked in surprise. "Huh?" he murmured, staring at the now-healed talon, then looking at the drop of his blood in his hand. "What... what just happened?"

The bird, now free of pain, examined its talon with a sense of relief. It gave a happy cry, and then, with surprising gentleness, the bird lowered its head and affectionately nuzzled Izuku. Its touch was soft, like that of a cat, but much larger and stronger. Izuku stood there, caught off guard by the bird's affection, until a loud, furious roar broke through the air, shaking the ground around them.

"Shit! I was supposed to be searching for Sabnock!" Izuku cursed under his breath, realizing how much time had passed. "Hey, big guy, it was nice meeting you, but I have to go now."

Izuku took a step back, but the bird wasn't ready to let him go just yet. It caught the hem of his uniform gently in its beak, pulling him back toward it. Izuku sighed and turned to face the bird.

"You want me to ride you?" he asked, raising an eyebrow in disbelief. The bird let out an affirmative cry, and with a reluctant chuckle, Izuku climbed onto its back. As soon as he did, the bird flapped its wings, lifting off the ground with surprising speed, and started flying to somewhere while Nana followed them, shouting Izuku's name.

******

Somewhere in the Cutthroat Valley, Sabro Sabnock knelt on the edge of a cliff, just inches away from falling into a constant stream of lava behind him. His body was screaming in pain, and his wings were badly damaged, leaving him with no way to escape.

In front of him stood the gigantic, hairy demon beast with glowing red eyes—the guardian of the Cutthroat Valley.

The beast growled menacingly.

"Curses! I was too careless," Sabnock muttered, wincing in pain. "At this rate, I might die before even becoming the Demon King."

"No! I won't give up!" Sabnock shouted as he stood, gritting his teeth. He grabbed the metal piece around his neck and, with a defiant look in his eyes, summoned an axe made of the same metal.

******

Sabnock family's Bloodline Magic.

Weapon Creation:- Sabro can instantly forge a weapon out of nowhere, manipulated by what he is currently biting. He mainly has three elements of metal encased as a necklace on his neck.

******

"I cannot lose here..." Sabnock rushed toward the Guardian, "A destiny? A promise? Fate? None of that nonsense! I must become the Demon King because that's the coolest thing you can be!" he declared, charging at the Guardian. But in response, the creature's massive claw struck him, sending him flying off the cliff.

Sabnock glanced at the flowing lava below, a bitter feeling rising in his chest. He knew he was going to die without fulfilling his dream. He had sworn to himself that he wouldn't become a weak demon like... him. But there was no point in complaining now. His will had brought him this far. And with that bitter realization, he closed his eyes, accepting his fate.

But it never came. 

Opening his eyes, Sabnock was stunned to see himself suspended in mid-air, just inches from the lava. Looking up, he saw black tentacles extending from Izuku's arm, holding him up.

"Geez! Almost lost you there," Izuku said with a relieved smile. He pulled Sabnock up and set him down on the ground.

"What are you doing here?" Sabnock asked, bewildered. "I thought you weren't taking this route."

"Actually, I already finished the race and came in first," Izuku replied. "But then Sensei told us you had a 5% chance of survival, so I came to look for you."

Sabnock stared at him, his eyes wide. Izuku had come... for him? He'd come to rescue him, despite all the insults and demeaning comments Sabnock had thrown at him. But before he could process this, a massive claw came crashing down toward them.

"Watch out!" Sabnock shouted, pushing Izuku behind him and trying to shield him with his own body. But before the claw could strike, a giant black tail intercepted it, knocking the Guardian back.

Sabnock looked up to see a huge serpentine creature soaring through the sky. "What is that?"

"That's my familiar," Izuku explained.

Suddenly, a white bird swooped down, screeching at the Guardian.

"Is that... the Guardian's child?" Sabnock asked.

Izuku, his eyes wide, responded, "Wait, hey big guy, are you the Guardian's child?"

The white bird nodded in response.

'He knows the Guardian's child?' Sabnock thought. His gaze shifted to a sword lying nearby. 'Forget about that. This is my chance! to attack!'

"Hey, Guardian-san!" Izuku called out, "I found your child in a valley nearby! You must be upset that your child got lost," he added. As if on cue, the bird screeched again.

Meanwhile, Sabnock slowly crawled toward the sword and grasped its hilt.

"Also, we don't want to fight anymore, right?" Izuku said, giving Sabnock an intense look.

"What are you talking about?" Sabnock growled. "This is our chance to attack!"

"Put that thing down," Izuku said, his voice firm, every word carrying weight. He smiled at Sabnock. "Don't worry, everything will be all right."

Sabnock sighed, reluctantly letting go of the sword and raising his hands in surrender.

The Guardian paused for a moment, eyeing them both, before stepping forward and lowering its head in what appeared to be a bow.

"The Guardian is bowing its head," Sabnock said, his face filled with surprise.

"No, please, don't bow!" Izuku said quickly. "It's really not a big deal. I'm happy to help."

'So this is the honor student, Izuku... what an unbelievable demon,' Sabnock thought to himself.

"Hey, Sabnock, we should get going before Kalego Sensei declares both of us dead for taking too long," Izuku said.

"Actually... my wings are damaged, so I can't fly right now," Sabnock replied.

"Well in that case," Izuku said, glancing at the white bird, which nodded in response, "I think it's time to cash in a favor."

******

Back at the starting line, the sun was setting, and everyone was waiting for the two boys to return.

Finally, Kalego sighed and said, "Everyone, we're leaving."

"But Sensei, Izuku still hasn't come back!" Eiko protested.

"There's no point in waiting any longer," Kalego said with a tired expression. "I'll ask the principal to arrange a rescue team for those two idiots."

But just then, the winds picked up violently, and in the distance, they saw Izuku riding his familiar, the white bird, with the Guardian of Cutthroat Valley carrying Sabnock flying toward them.

Meanwhile, Alice wore a smirk, Eiko had a relieved smile, Clara was happily chanting Izuku's name, and the other students stood stunned. Kalego, on the other hand, looked like he was done with his life.

Finally, as Izuku and Sabnock descended from their respective mounts, Kalego approached them and glared at Izuku. "Explain."

Izuku then recounted the series of events that led to him returning with the Guardian, though he conveniently left out the fact that his blood might be a miracle cure for demo... for obvious reasons.

Kalego sighed and thanked the Guardian for putting up with his 'moron' students.

As the Guardian was about to leave, its child appeared in front of Izuku and screeched.

"The bird is saying that it's thankful for your help," Caim explained.

"You can understand animals?" Izuku asked, surprised.

"Yes, it's an inherited magic of my clan," Caim replied.

The bird screeched again and started nuzzling Izuku's chest.

"It's saying that it will feel sad if you don't visit again," Caim translated.

"Oh, don't worry, big guy. I'll come see you whenever I can," Izuku said, hugging the bird, which Eiko quickly captured on her phone.

With that, the parent and child flew off, leaving behind a tired teacher and a class of excited students.

"Silence!" Kalego barked. "We're leaving, now."

As they walked back to the classroom, Sabnock approached Izuku and said, "Izuku, once again, thank you for saving my life." Sabnock bowed his head. "I apologize for my rudeness earlier."

"It's all right," Izuku said. "We can't judge each other by our first interactions."

"But I must say," Sabnock continued, "you're an amazing person, and that's why, from today, you're my rival." He grinned. "Shall we fight for the seat of the Demon King?"

"That sounds like a goal for the distant future," Izuku chuckled. "For now, let's just help each other become the best versions of ourselves." He smiled and caught up to Clara, Alice, and Eiko.

"Huh, you really are a strange demon," Sabnock muttered, smirking.

******

The next day, when Izuku arrived at school, he saw that he was headlining the school newspaper for the third time in a row. This time, the headline read: Izuku Midoriya Befriends the Guardian of Cutthroat Valley's Child—accompanied by a photo of him hugging the massive creature.

'Yeah, I should give up on staying out of the spotlight. Maybe it'll work in my favor somehow,' Izuku thought with a tired sigh. 'At least today will be normal since we don't have anything scheduled.'

'Too soon, Izuku. Too soon,' Nana warned, just as someone tapped Izuku on the shoulder. He turned around to see two students who were often seen at the gates before school assemblies.

"You're the honor student, Izuku Midoriya, right?" the one with black-and-white hair asked.

"Yeah, that's me," Izuku replied. "Is there a problem?"

"Actually, yes," said the pink-haired girl, who reminded him of Mina. "The president wants to have a little chat with you."

To be continued...