Ch. 15: The Arrogant Phenex
The next day went by surprisingly fast. Last night they had told Inko the good news and she pretty much cried tears of joy until she passed out. Once school was done for the day, Izuku, Ibara, and Ochako made their way to the clubroom to meet the others as quickly as they could. Izuku still couldn't believe it. He was going to the school of his dreams. And with friends that he felt he had known his whole life! All thanks to Rias. Nothing could ruin how he was feeling right now. Not even a berserk Kacchan!
"Guys!" Ochako exclaimed as they entered the clubroom. No one was present, however, except for Rias. "Huh? Guess we got here first."
"I'm not surprised. Izuku-san was rather hard to keep up with," said Ibara.
"Yeah, hehe," Izuku laughed.
Rias was looking off into space with some wondering expression, apparently oblivious to their presence.
"I hope Mizu-oneechan gets here soon. She seriouslyneeds to explain herself!" Ochako huffed.
"Do you really think she's going to be teaching at U.A.?" Ibarra asked.
"We'll find out," Izuku then noticed that Rias hadn't reacted to them at all. "Buchou, is something wrong?" Izuku asked. Rias didn't respond, the blank expression still on her face.
"Buchou?" Ibara asked, looking concerned. Still no answer.
"Buchou?" Ochako waved a hand in front of Rias' face. Still nothing. Finally, Ochako took hold of Rias' shoulder and began to shake her violently. "BUCHOU!"
Rias shrieked loudly as Ochako shook her, nearly falling out of her chair. She cast a hard glare at Ochako when she finished shaking her. "You could've done something else, Ochako," she growled.
"Buchou, are you okay?" Izuku asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine Izu," Rias answered, "I was spacing out was all. Anyway, I got your texts. Congratulations on passing the exam!"
"Thanks."
Turning around, the group saw Kyoka enter the clubroom, followed by Momo, Yuuto, Koneko, and Mizu. "Hey! I was wondering when you'd get here," Ochako said with her cheery smile.
"Looks like everyone's here," Mizu noted. "Nice job on passing the exam, Chako. I was secretly rooting for you!"
"You saw what we went through?!" Ochako asked. "Why didn't you stop that monster, then? And why didn't you tell me you were going to be teaching at U.A.?!"
"One, I knew you would be okay. And two, I wanted to surprise you!" The older woman answered.
"What was All Might like?!" Izuku asked, his fanboyism taking hold.
"A lot like he is on TV," Mizu kept the part about All Might's skeletal state secret. "And before you all ask, I only just started working at U.A., so I don't know who you'll be assigned to or what class you'll be placed in."
"What will you be teaching, Mizu-sama?" Momo asked.
"I'll be helping with combat training, mostly hand-to-hand," Mizu smiled. "So don't expect me to go easy on you."
"Speaking of classes, do you think we'll end up in the same homeroom?" Kyoka asked. "Shitori's on the student council, right? You think she can-"
"She might," Rias said. "But Principal Nedzu is incredibly intelligent. It'll rouse suspicion if she requests all of you end up in the same class, so don't get your hopes up."
The soon-to-be hero students all frowned, not liking their chances already.
"I know it doesn't seem fair," Rias spoke up, getting everyone's attention. "But even if we're all in different classes and departments, we're all still going to U.A. The best hero school in the country."
"She's right," Mizu said. "Besides, it's not like you'll be separated forever, just during classes. And I'll be helping train all of you to be great heroes! So let's focus on the positives for now. Now, are you gonna keep moping or are we gonna go celebrate? There's a special going on at Big Bang Burger."
Everyone brightened up, even Koneko (somewhat). "Your treat?" The white-haired devil asked.
The sorcerer blanched.
A few minutes of walking later and the group arrived at the Big Bang Burger that was only two blocks away from U.A. There weren't many customers at the moment, so they made their orders and sat down. Soon their food arrived. Most of them ordered the normal menu items. Koneko, on the other hand…
"Here you are, miss. The Cosmic Tower Burger," the waitress placed what could only be described as a tower of meat, lettuce, cheese, sauce, and buns in front of Koneko. It stood at least a meter tall and was as wide as someone's head!
Everyone in the restaurant, with the notable exceptions of Rias, Yuuto, and the staff, all turned to stare at the massive burger.
"It's massive…"
"I'm honestly at a loss for words…"
Izuku could only stare at the massive challenge Koneko asked for, the waitress explained the details about the burger before leaving, saying Koneko only had thirty minutes to finish the burger. "Is she going to be okay?" He asked.
"She'll be fine," Rias replied as she took a bite of her burger.
Twenty Minutes Later
"Can I have dessert?" Koneko asked the waitress, having just finished the Cosmic Tower.
'Is she for real?!'
"At least I saved some of my money," Mizu groaned as they left the restaurant.
"Ugh, those burgers were monsters…" Ochako groaned, holding her stomach. "I should've gotten a smaller size…"
"Thinking about Koneko-chan eating that Cosmic Tower Burger makes me wanna vomit," Ibara added.
As everyone walked together, trying to cheer them up from eating too much, Izuku felt someone watching them. The feeling wasn't good at all and before he could look behind to see who it was…
"Deku…"
Everyone stopped immediately. Some of them recognized that voice. They turned around to see someone that made Izuku flinch.
"K-Kacchan!?" Izuku said in surprise at seeing the ash-blond right behind them looking at him with an expression that wasn't all too happy.
"…How'd you do it?" He said quietly, making Izuku raise a brow.
"E-excuse me?" Izuku asked as he didn't quite hear what the explosion Quirk user said.
"I said… HOW THE FUCK DID YOU GET IN?!" Bakugo suddenly roared, making Izuku take a step back and the others glare at him.
"Would you just lay off him?" Ochako said as she stepped forward in defense of Izuku.
"What?" Bakugo said irritably as he glared at the girl in front of him.
"She said to stand down," Ibara said as she stood next to Ochako.
Bakugo growled and let off smoke from his hands. "I DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH YOU TWO BITCHES RIGHT NOW!" He yelled at them before glaring at the boy behind the girls. "NOW TELL ME HOW YOU CHEATED!"
"Wh-what?" Izuku stuttered at his former childhood friend's words. "I-I didn't cheat!"
"DON'T PLAY DUMB WITH ME, DEKU!" The ash-blond roared as he stomped his foot on the ground hard. "THERE'S NO WAY A LOSER LIKE YOU GOT FIRST WHILE SOMEHOW I GOT FUCKING FIFTH! NOW TELL ME HOW YOU-"
*Slap!*
Suddenly Bakugo was violently interrupted by Rias, who slapped him so hard he tumbled to the ground. "Leave him alone!"
Bakugo managed to sit back up, holding his right eye and using his left to send a death glare toward the crimson-haired girl. "Why you-"
"That's enough!" Izuku suddenly spoke up directing everyone's attention to him. "I don't care what you say, or what you think. I applied because I have people who believe in me! People who said I could be a hero! So like it or not you can't stop me!"
Yuuto nodded at his friend's words. "Izuku-kun and the others are going to U.A. They're going to become amazing heroes."
"You hear that?! There's no stopping us now!" Kyoka said with a confident smirk as she crossed her arms.
"Now get lost, asshole," Koneko deadpanned, the white-haired girl glaring at him while cracking her knuckles.
Bakugo gave the group the most intense look he'd ever given anyone before as he got up. "Just you all wait. I'll make all of you regret coming to U.A." He growled darkly before storming off.
As they watched him leave, Mizu just shook her head. "That guy has some serious issues."
"Yeah, but he is strong, there's no denying that," Izuku said quietly. He looked at his hand, clenching it into a fist.
Sensing the situation, Ochako decided to speak up. "Hey, why don't we all go home? It's getting late and we need all the rest we can for when U.A. starts up."
Everyone turned to Ochako and nodded with a smile at her suggestion. "Yeah, I'm pretty exhausted, too," Momo stated with everyone else nodding in agreement.
"Classes don't start until April, so you all have about a month until then." Said Mizu. "Be sure to get plenty of rest, but don't slack off on your training. Speaking of, Chako, we have lessons tonight."
"…I was kinda hoping you forgot," she groaned.
The group laughed a little before they went in their separate directions. Though Izuku couldn't help but notice the troubled look on Rias' face.
The first thing Izuku did when returning home was lay on his bed with an exhausted sigh. His mom was out buying groceries, Ibara having gone with her, and Ochako wouldn't be back until dinner. So he had the apartment to himself for a little bit. He thought back to how Rias was acting. Lately, she'd been spacing out more and more. "I wonder what's bothering her?" He asked no one in particular.
Suddenly, the lights in his room began to dim and the air pressure slightly shifted. "Huh?" A crimson light shined in his room, prompting him to sit up. To his surprise, it was a magic circle that bore the symbol of the Gremory family. The glow died out as quickly as it came, and he could see Rias standing where it once was. Though her bangs seemed to be shielding her eyes he noted that her expression had no emotion. "Eh? Buchou? What is it? Is something wrong?"
"Izuku…" her bangs cleared away from her eyes, a look of desperation appearing on her face. Izuku could tell that she looked very troubled by something and knew that she was going to ask for his help, which he would instantly give no matter what. But the words she said next he was not ready for. "…I want you to make love with me."
Izuku blinked.
And then he blinked twice.
"S-say what?" was the only thing Izuku could say, standing up.
"I said I want you to take my virginity," Rias rephrased as if she were lecturing him. And just like that, she began stripping, first removing her blazer, unbuttoning her shirt, and then undoing her skirt, leaving her with nothing more than her bra and panty. Izuku felt himself swallow spit as he ogled Rias' body, unable to look away. The lacy red bra and panty she wore complimented her very nicely, something that Izuku noted to himself. He was completely paralyzed just by her body, unable to react and know what to do. "…I'm not good enough for you?" she asked him, walking up to him.
"What?! No- I mean… yes- I mean… but you're- I mean… what are you doing?" Izuku stumbled through his words as his face turned as red as a tomato.
"I've been doing a lot of thinking as of late, and I've decided that this is the only option there is," Rias answered, holding her arms under her breasts and turning away slightly as she blushed. "If there is evidence, then they can't complain about it. The only person close to me who can do it with me is you."
"Um, me?" Izuku stuttered. "Can I ask why?"
"Of the boys I personally know there is Yuuto, but he won't have any of it. He is too pure of a knight and his chivalry would get in the way. The same is true for the other one. That only leaves you," before Izuku could answer her logic, she grabbed him by the shirt and forced him onto the bed. He held his head up just in time to see her climbing on top of him and straddling his waist, "What's wrong? Do you not find me attractive enough?"
"It's not like that!" Izuku denied, shaking his head. "It's just that when a pretty girl shows up in a boy's room unannounced and-and suddenly says 'let's have sex', it's gonna catch him off guard!"
"…True, it would startle anyone," her body shifted, and he could feel her buttocks and thighs touching his most important part. Her head dipped slightly so that she was directly above him and her crimson hair cascaded against his cheeks. "I know this is your first time, but it's the same for me. So let's just take it slow." Looping her arms around her back, she unhooked her bra and carelessly tossed it aside. His eyes widened. Before him were Rias' luscious breasts and plumped pink nipples. Then, she took his hand and pressed it against her right breast. Izuku could feel how soft it felt against his hand, and how the nipple began to harden against his palm. It was just… so damn good! "Can you feel it?" she asked in a charming voice, "I'm just as tense as you are. You can tell by my heartbeat, right?"
'WHAT IS HAPPENING?!' Izuku screamed in his head. He was seriously freaking out now. This has been the closest he has ever been with any girl. Looking up, he saw the look in his master's eyes. His eyebrows furrowed. Those weren't the eyes of someone who wanted to have sex willingly. His jitters slightly left his body as he gripped Rias by the shoulders and slowly pushed her so he could sit. "Buchou, take a break for a minute. You aren't acting like… you."
Rias blinked, her eyes becoming more desperate, "What do you mean?"
"Well, ask yourself this: do you really want to do this?" Izuku asked.
"Of course I do!" she shouted, shocking him. "There's no one else I can do it with! The one I want is you right now! We made have met months ago but there isn't any other way!"
"What do you mean there's no other way? Why are you in such a hurry to give up your virginity?" Izuku asked in a calm, yet startled voice.
Rias could have responded with another plea, but that didn't come out when another crimson flash appeared in his room, alerting the teenagers on the bed. Rias clicked her tongue, "I was so close…"
Izuku turned and noticed that the red glow came from another magic circle that had the mark of Rias' clan. Who was it? Kiba? Momo? Whoever it was, getting caught in such a situation was bad. But instead of any of his friends coming out, it was someone else completely.
She was an attractive-looking woman with silver hair that flowed down to her back and red eyes. Her hair had two braided side bangs with small blue bows at the ends, while the rest of it was let down in the back, also ending in twin braids, and a maid's headdress on her head. She was dressed in a blue and white French maid uniform. Her lips were painted a bright red. She was also looking at Rias with a look of disapproval and her gaze seemed to cause the temperature in the room to drop. "Milady, are you trying to break the engagement by doing something like this?" she asked curtly.
'Engagement?'
Rias frowned and stood up from the bed in all her naked glory, "Father and 'Zechs won't listen to me! It's the only way to get them to notice!"
"Even if it means giving up your purity to someone of lowly birth?" the maid continued, gesturing at Izuku. Izuku scowled at the offense, forgetting at the moment that he was in bed with a nude girl.
"Who I give my purity to is my decision and mine alone," Rias answered, her eyes flashing quickly, "And I won't have you speak insultingly of my servant, even if it's you Grayfia." Izuku couldn't help but blush and smiled softly at how Rias quickly stood up for him.
The maid, now identified as Grayfia, sighed as she picked up Rias's bra and snapped it back on her bosom. "Please remember that you are the next heiress of the House of Gremory, so please don't show your skin to a man recklessly. It's not a good image for your reputation." She noticed that Izuku was still in the room and gave a polite bow. "Greetings, servant of Rias. I am Grayfia, the head maid of the House of Gremory. My apologies for what I said before."
Catching himself, Izuku got up from his bed and also bowed, stuttering, "Th-that's fine ma'am."
"Grayfia," Rias began, her face showing unladylike unpleasantness, "Did you come here of your own accord? Or because the household sent you? Or was it 'Zechs?"
"All three," Grayfia said matter-of-factly. From the way Rias' frown deepened, she didn't like the answer.
"Given the fact that you're his Queen, I should have known you'd pull something like this," Rias gave an exasperated sigh as she placed on the remainder of her clothing. "Sorry about this, Izuku," she said to him, "I guess I wasn't thinking straight after all. Thank you for talking me out of it."
"Uh… okay," Izuku nodded dumbly.
"'Izuku'?" Grayfia echoed, looking at him with sudden interest, "So, this boy is…"
"Yes," Rias confirmed, "This is Midoriya Izuku, one of my newest additions, the one who cost me all eight of my Pawn Pieces to recruit, and bearer of the Boosted Gear."
"So he is the Red Dragon Emperor… truly curious," Grayfia said in amazement, eyes widening slightly.
"Grayfia, let's go back to my room. I will listen to what you have to say over there. Momo can also attend, yes?" Rias asked.
"Your newly acquired Queen?" Grayfia said. "That doesn't bother me. A Queen must be by their King's side at all times."
"Very well." Rias turned to Izuku and gave him a small peck on the cheek. "That's my apology for troubling you. Meet up at the club room tomorrow and I'll explain everything." After she gave her farewell, she went up next to Grayfia. The magic circle appeared underneath them both and they vanished in a blink of light. As the lights turned back to normal, Izuku stood, dumbfounded, touching the cheek where she kissed him. He was so shocked that he didn't even notice when his mom or the girls came home.
The following day, Izuku, Ochako, and Ibara were walking to the club school building. Kyoka had come along, saying something about Momo needing to meet with Rias last night. They had received a notice to report to the club room as soon as classes had finished. On their way over to the room, they met up with Yuuto. The five of them entered the building, wondering what the urgent meeting was about.
"I wonder if Buchou's worries have something to do with her family," Ibara wondered out loud.
"She has been acting a bit strangely as of late," Yuuto said, agreeing, "Perhaps now she will tell us."
"Do you think Momo-san might know?" Izuku asked.
"Considering that she's her second-in-command now, that's a given," Yuuto told him. "We won't know unless we hear what she has to say."
Izuku nodded quietly, still pretty puzzled about what happened last night. He was still wondering what could have made Rias act so irrationally to want to try and have sex with him. Though he knew he would get his answer eventually, he still couldn't help but think. On their way to the room, they came across a very large door. For some odd reason, it had police tape with the words "keep out" all over it. "What's that? I don't remember seeing that door before."
"Oh…" Yuuto frowned slightly, "That's where Buchou's first Bishop currently resides."
"Her first Bishop?" Ochako asked, turning at him.
"Oh yeah, I remember Buchou mentioning that she had one other Bishop piece," Izuku said, recalling the conversation he had with her the night he went to save Ibara.
"Yes. They're one of Buchou's original servants, but for reasons I won't elucidate Buchou was ordered to keep them here," seeing their grim expressions, he gave a kind smile, "Don't worry, they're not bad. They're actually very nice. The problem is that they… have issues and prefer not to step outside. So, they just sit in that room all day and night, and are perfectly fine with it."
"Sounds like someone needs to grow a spine," Kyoka stated.
"To be fair…" Yuuto began before he felt a sudden chill go down his spine. Agitated, he looked forward at the hallway that led to the club room. "I never felt this presence until I got here. Then that means…!" He ran to the club's door with Izuku, Ibara, Ochako, and Kyoka close behind. The door opened and the five were greeted with the sight of the remainder of their friends. Mizu stood near the entrance, leaning against the wall while Koneko sat on one of the couches, quietly enjoying an ice pop. Their master was also present and she was sitting on the couch rather than her usual desk, her arms folded, her legs crossed, and with a grim expression. The head maid, Grayfia, stood by the couch Rias was sitting on. Grayfia looked just as stoic as the last time Izuku saw her, while Momo stood in an elegant stance, but she looked very nervous.
"Looks like everyone's here," Rias said, noticing the three of them enter the room.
"Milady, shall I tell them?" Grayfia offered.
Rias shook her head. "No. As I am the King of this group I should be the one to tell them," Rias stood up and cleared her throat. "Everyone, to tell you the truth…"
Before anything more could be said, a magic circle appeared in an unoccupied space of the room. The magic circle was not red like the Gremory magic circles Izuku had seen so frequently. Instead, it was orange and seemed to give off the cry of a bird of prey. There was even a bird-like figure in the center of the circle. Everyone turned as soon the circle appeared and Rias seemed to give out an evil hiss at the sight of it.
"Phenex…" Izuku heard Yuuto whisper under his breath.
Rather than giving out a glow, flames shot out from the circle instead. Out from the tower of flames, a man appeared within.
"Ah… it's been a long time since I've last visited the human world," the man spoke, walking out from the flames as if they were air. Looking at how he carried himself, he seemed like a typical playboy. He was tall and handsome and looked to be in his early 20s and had short blond hair with dark blue eyes. Clearly, he had a lot of money since he was wearing something very expensive. He was wearing a red burgundy blazer with gold embroidery on the right, matching pants, and black dress shoes. Underneath the open blazer was a white dress shirt that partially exposed his chest. Looking around the room as the flame behind him vanished, he smirked as he spotted the only redhead among them, "My dear Rias, it's been so long," he said, walking over to the girl and wrapping his arm around her shoulder. Her face twisted in disgust as she shoved him off of her.
"Don't touch me so casually," Rias said coldly, "If I had my way, I'd slap you in your smug-prick face right now." Izuku, Ibara, Momo, Kyoka, and Ochako's eyes widened from how sharp her words were.
The man took it to stride as he gave a nonchalant laugh. "Hahaha… still harsh as always, love. Regardless, we must take a look at the wedding hall. We need to verify the reception date and greet our families."
"Wedding? Reception date?" Izuku frowned. From the look of Rias reaction toward the man, not to mention what she tried to do last night, everything was starting to click. He was starting to understand why she wanted to do it with him yesterday. If her purity was compromised, then she could have had some bit of freedom to herself. Seeing how carefree he was to the girl despite her obvious rejections made him really want to punch him in the face, or something like that. But someone had already beaten him to it.
"Who's the gigolo?"
Various reactions swept through the clubroom. Rias had a large smirk on her face, seeing the man's stunned face. Momo, Izuku, and Yuuto snickered quietly while Ibara gave a short yelp. Kyoka tried her best not to laugh out loud. Ochako blushed hard, not expecting her teacher to say that. Koneko gave a small grin as she snorted, while Grayfia didn't seem to react much at all. As for the man, he glared at Mizu.
"How dare you!" He hissed. "Do you have any idea who you just mocked?!"
"I most certainly do, Phenex." Mizu calmly stated.
"Please allow me to introduce to you Riser Phenex," Grayfia interjected, gesturing at the man. "He is the third son of the House of Phenex of the 72 Pillars… and he is also Lady Rias' fiancé."
'FIANCÉ!?' A majority of the group mentally screamed.
"Hm… excellent tea," Riser smiled blissfully after taking a sip from the teacup. "As expected from Rias' new Queen. I'll look forward to more soon." He was sitting on the couch with his arm around Rias, who looked like she would rather be anywhere but with him. The rest of the servants were also standing around them, each one looking almost pitiable.
Momo said nothing but gave a polite bow, likely holding her tongue. Though she did give Kyoka a wink, which the human returned before smirking. "I can only imagine what she'll serve during our wedding," Riser added.
Rias stomped her foot, "Again with that? Riser, I already told you that I will not marry you!"
"You know that isn't for you to decide," Riser said, his voice becoming serious, "As you already know, the number of pureblood devils has drastically decreased thanks to the Great War. Our marriage is vital to continue the survival of our people, as well as flourishing our households name."
Rias rubbed her temples, "You don't need to tell me that. I am well aware of my duties as heiress of my clan and I am willing to take a husband."
"So you'll-!"
"However!" she interrupted, looking at Raiser's victorious face, "The husband I want will be of my choosing. In case you have forgotten it was our parents who arranged the marriage while I didn't want any part of it. They didn't have the right to select someone I would spend the rest of my life with without my consent. And that man isn't you, nor will it ever be."
The Gremory servants, Mizu and Kyoka included, smiled at Rias' unyielding determination. But then the temperature started to rise up and everyone quickly took notice. A flaming aura in the shape of a bird engulfed Riser as he glared at Rias. "Your selfish opinions matter very little. As a member of the Phenex, I cannot lose face to rejection," he spoke, his cold voice contrasting with the heat. He reached out and took Rias' chin into his hand, tucking her head up to his glowing orange eyes, "One way or another I will take you back as my wife, even if it means burning your servants into ash!"
Rias' eyes glowed in an angry red, her own demonic aura starting to take shape. "If you dare touch even a single strand of hair on any of them, I'll-"
"HALT!"
Rias and Riser jumped back from each other, their auras suddenly disappearing as they both turned to the maid, frightened. Her demonic aura leaked out of her body, easily dwarfing theirs. The room temperature went from hot to cold as Grayfia sent an icy cold glare at them. "I did not bring you both here just to incite violence. And I will not hold back if you disobey again. Am I clear?"
Izuku felt his bones shaking just from looking at Grayfia. She was a maid, yet she seemed to be stronger than both Rias and Riser combined. The latter calmly placed his hands in his pockets, trying to save face, "I know when not to challenge the Silver-Haired Queen of Annihilation. Honestly, Lucifer's Peerage are all abnormal, even by devil standards."
'Silver-Haired Queen of Annihilation?!' Izuku thought to himself, looking at Grayfia. The aura alone told him that the woman meant business and she was someone not to be taken lightly. He made a mental note to never piss her off.
Grayfia's aura disappeared and the room temperature returned to normal as she continued, "Nevertheless, Sirzechs and the other representatives foresaw this possibility and enacted an alternate solution, if you both are willing that is."
"An alternate solution?" Rias blinked, "What you're saying is…"
Grayfia nodded, "Yes. An unofficial Rating Game will take place between the Gremory Peerage and the Phenex Peerage. Should Rias win, the engagement will be called off. But if Riser wins, the wedding will proceed."
"Che… a Rating Game," Rias frowned. "They really are content with controlling my life, aren't they?"
Riser, on the other hand, laughed confidently, "A Rating Game? That's perfectly fine with me. This will be a good opportunity to show you your place, that there is nothing that can come between us, dear Rias."
"Already so full of confidence," Rias sneered, "Very well, I will accept your challenge. This is my one chance to get my freedom and I'll enjoy knocking you off of your high horse!"
Grayfia glanced at the heirs and nodded, "Then it's decided. The Rating Game between the Gremory family and the Phenex family is confirmed. I will inform Sirzechs and both of your households."
Riser turned and glanced at the rest of the servants in the room, "Rias, are these people all the servants you have at this time?"
"Some are. What of it?" Rias asked.
Riser exploded in laughter, "Hahahaha! Surely you don't think you can win with such a small amount, do you? From what I can see, only your Queen stands a possible chance against my cute servants!"
With a snap of his fingers, a much larger orange circle appeared in the room. A flame pillar burst out of it and simmered to reveal 15 beautiful women standing in the circle. Each one of them either wore an exotic outfit or some other clothing that fulfilled a specific fetish.
"As you can see, I have a complete set," Riser boasted smugly, gesturing to the group of women. "My Pawns, Rooks, Knights, Bishops, and Queen are all present."
'Holy crap,' Izuku thought. He looked at each one of the servants one by one. Some were wearing gym shorts, maid outfits, kimonos, and other things. One of them he noticed looked very similar to Riser thanks to the matching blue eyes and blond hair, and from the lovely looking purple dress, she seemed to be more like a princess than a servant. If Izuku didn't know any better, he would say that she was his younger sister.
Riser cast a smirk at Rias, "Do you see this, Rias? Do you honestly think your weak servants stand a chance against mine?"
Rias cast a hateful glare at Riser. "If you ever again insinuate my peerage is weak I'll-"
"You'll do what?" Riser mocked. "Bore me into retiring? You knew very well that I've never lost a Rating Game. Aside from your Queen, all I see is a flat-chested loli, two innocent little girls who couldn't hurt a fly, a pretty boy, and an unassuming Pawn. None of them can compare to my servants."
"Do not disrespect my family, Riser! I will not tolerate that!" Rias screamed.
"Family? I see the Gremory compassion and kindness for their servants runs true in you. Very well then. When we are married, your boys will be put to work as slaves and your girls… well now, I can always use some variety in my sex life."
Izuku's mind went blank at that last bit. The high-class devil had basically admitted that he would take not just Rias, but her female servants to his bed as well. The thought of Momo, Ochako, Ibara, and Koneko forced to submit to this bastard… It just enraged him. He never felt this angry before in his life.
From the way most of the other women reacted, particularly Mizu, they too found him disgusting. Even some of Riser's own peerage seemed unamused by his declaration. Riser, seemingly noticing the anger in Izuku's eyes, spoke to him. "I seem to have offended you somehow, Pawn; should you like, I will gladly kill you in the Rating Game."
"ENOUGH RISER!" Rias screamed. "TOUCH HIM AND YOU'LL DIE!"
"Ho ho, I've seemed to have found a weakness in you, my dear. Very well then, I shall show mercy. You can train all you want before our game, but then and there I will break your pitiful toys."
"Very well then," Grayfia interjected. "Lady Rias, should you find it acceptable, the match will be held ten days after tomorrow."
"Thank you Grayfia," Rias spoke softly. "Thank you."
"It is done. Details of the game shall be sent to you both."
"It matters not! My victory is assured!" With that, Riser raised both his arms as if already celebrating his triumph. "Farewell, my dear Rias! When next we meet, we shall truly be man and wife! As for some of your servants," Riser glared at Izuku, "Well, all deaths in the Game are accidents after all-"
*Growl!*
Riser suddenly blushed. "Oh, dear…" That growl from his stomach did not sound good. As another growl emanated from him, the entire opposing peerage disappeared via orange transport glyphs in the floor. As for Grayfia, she gave a small bow before taking her leave on her magic circle. Once they were gone, Momo and Kyoka both began to snicker.
"What did you do?" Rias asked, an amused look on her face.
"It was Kyoka's idea," Momo admitted. "I added some… very strong laxatives to his tea."
"How long will it last?" Rias snickered.
"If I had to guess, maybe a couple of days."
The reactions were mixed. Rias, Ibara, and Yuuto chuckled in amusement, Koneko smirked, Ochako desperately covered her mouth to stop herself from laughing, Mizu began rolling on the floor laughing, and Izuku snickered.
Once everyone calmed down, Rias was the first to speak as she turned her gaze on Izuku, "Are you going to be okay, Izu?"
"I'll be fine," Izuku replied. "Besides, we need to get ready."
Rias nodded. "We have ten days. We all need to train hard to beat Riser."
"And I can help," Mizu offered.
Most of the devils looked at the sorcerer in surprise. "Really?" Rias blinked.
"That guy seriously irks me. Besides, as a sorcerer of Kamar-Taj it's my duty to preserve peace between the supernatural factions," Mizu grinned. "Maintaining good relations with the younger sister of the Devil King is part of that. And it would be a serious problem if that Riser guy was your husband. That, and I can't stand the thought of Chako being forced underneath him. I'll help in any way I can. I'll even come up with a training regiment for all of you if you want, Rias."
"Hehe. I'll take you up on that," Rias smiled. She turned to her servants and spoke, "Now then everyone, Momo and I will prepare a venue to train for the next ten days. So all of you go home and prepare, this is a fight we cannot afford to lose!"
"HAI!" her servants all nodded.
Chapter 16: Training Daze
That night, Izuku lay on his bed. His mind was still going over what happened in the clubroom earlier. The way that Riser treated Rias more as a trophy than an actual person infuriated him. He took some comfort in Momo and Kyoka's prank, but it wasn't enough to ease his thoughts. 'This'll be our first Rating Game.'
Rias had told him that Riser had fought a total of 9 Rating Games and only lost twice, and both times he lost on purpose out of respect for the households his family was close to. This would be difficult. The stakes were high, as not only was Rias' future at stake but everyone else's. If the marriage were to go through, then the bylaws state that Rias and Riser would gain authority over the Peerages of the other. And Riser made it very clear what he intended to do once they married and he gained control over Rias' Peerage.
Izuku gritted his teeth. He and everyone else simply cannotafford to lose! 'Buchou saved me. Now I have to save her.'With renewed resolve, Izuku got up and made his way to the bathroom. He had already informed Mom that he and the others would be out of town for the next ten days, having told her it was last-minute training before U.A. As such, she had gone out to buy them some new clothes for the trip as well as some food.
Taking off his shirt, pants, and finally boxers, Izuku opened the bathroom door… And immediately froze. There, just about ready to step into the warm, bubbly water, was a naked Ibara. "I-Izuku-san?"
Izuku's mind went blank, having now realized he failed to see if anyone was already in.
"Kyah!" Izuku screamed in a high pitch, turning around as his head turned a deep shade of red, covering his privates. "I'M SO SORRY! I should've checked first!"
Ibara stood there for a moment, before her face erupted into a bright blush, having now realized what she saw. "I… I saw it…"
"I-I'll l-l-leave n-now." Izuku stuttered. But before he could leave the bathroom, Ibara used one of her vines to grab Izuku's arm. "Huh?!"
"I-I'm sorry. Th-This is the first time… I've seen a boy's, um… I'm sorry."
"Th-There's no reason for you to apologize. I-I should have checked first before coming in here. I'm sorry I saw your… E-e-e-everything. Can you let me go now?"
Ibara's grip seemed to tighten a little. "We've been living here for about six months now, but this is the first time something like this happened," Izuku dared to look back at Ibara, taking care to only look at her face. "I've read that… Nude encounters like this can help people get closer. So… Do you want to have a nude encounter with me?"
Izuku's face paled from shock, trying to process what she just asked. "Huh?"
Next thing he knew, Izuku had found himself sitting in the tub, his face as red as a tomato as he did everything in his power to not pass out. Behind him, Ibara was washing his back, her face red as well. 'This is… awkward…' they both thought.
They stayed like that for about a minute, both unsure of what to say or do. Finally, Ibara spoke up. "Izuku-san… What do you think will happen if we lose?"
He had a good idea but chose not to say it. "…I promise, we won't lose," Izuku reaffirmed. "I'll protect you, Buchou, Ochako-san, and everyone else."
Then, before he could process it, he felt a pair of arms wrap around his back and pull him close. "I'm scared about what'll happen, but I'm glad that you're here. I know that you can do it, Izuku-san." He heard Ibara's voice, his face turning hot red as steam permeated from him. Not only was Ibara hugging him tightly while they were naked, but he could feel a soft pair of pillows pressing up against his back. An interesting reaction happened.
"I-I-I g-gotta g-go!" Izuku stood up, Ibara still wrapped around him
"Izuku-san, wait!" Ibara let go but slipped. "KYAH!"
She grabbed onto Izuku for support, but that only caused the boy to fall as well. The two crashed with a loud thud, with Ibara on top of Izuku. Before the two could react, however, the door flew open. "Ibara-chan, what's wrong?!" Ochako asked… only for her face to glow bright red at what she saw. Ibara lying on top of Izuku, his DRAGON in plain view!
"KKKYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!"
One horribly awkward night later, outside of Musutafu was a mountain, and beyond that mountain was a private villa that was owned by the Gremory family. It oversaw a wide field that was perfect for training purposes. While either Rias or Mizu could have just teleported the ORC to the villa, the peerage, and sorcerer simply hiked there as a means to increase their strength and stamina. Mizu wasn't carrying any luggage, saying she didn't need anything, while Rias, Momo, and Ibara's luggage was not very heavy. However, most of the gear was assigned to Izuku, Ochako, Yuuto, and Koneko.
"I know we're gonna stay here for the next ten days…" Izuku huffed, struggling slightly with his part of the luggage, "But is all this luggage really necessary?"
"Actually, the baggage you're carrying weighs around 40 kg each," Rias replied, looking back at him over her shoulder, "Can't have you slacking off, you know."
"Huh?! That's all the weight I'm carrying?!" Izuku exclaimed, exasperated.
"Oh, suck it up," Koneko said, walking past him with her share of the luggage. Koneko's luggage appeared to be about the size of a car, and yet, despite her small size, the white-haired girl wasn't struggling at all.
"This isn't so bad," Ochako said as she walked past also, carrying luggage that was the same size, if a little smaller, than Koneko's. She was a Rook after all.
Yuuto's baggage was slightly smaller than Izuku's, so he had an easier time. It helped that, while Knights were normally frail, they had strong legs. He glanced at Izuku as his friend almost stumbled on the stone steps that led to the villa. "Hey, Izuku-kun. Are you all right? You look like you're having some trouble."
"I can… manage…" Izuku huffed, looking pained.
"Just hang in there, Izuku. We're almost there," Rias said, "Just a few steps more." Sure enough, their destination came into view. "We're here." It was a two-story complex with white and beige walls with blue floor tiles, balconies on all sides, and trimmed bushes, with white-steel window frames for each window frame. There was a tunnel-like driveway on the left-hand side that led around the back where there was likely a garage.
"It's so beautiful," Ibara gushed at the sight of the villa.
"Your family gave you such a big place like this just for training?" Ochako asked, looking at the place in awe, "They must be seriously rich!"
"Oh, this? It really isn't that much compared to my home. You'll get to see it eventually," Rias said, almost boasting. "Now everyone, your names have been posted on the doors, so once you find them get changed and unpack. We will start training once everyone is ready."
"Yes, ma'am!" everyone obeyed.
After cleaning up the house to clear out the dust that piled up from the time it wasn't in use, everyone went into their respective rooms to change into their gym and tracksuit clothing. After that was taken care of, Mizu instructed them to meet outside for sparing sessions, saying it be a good way for her to judge where they all needed to improve. Yuuto was first, standing some distance away from Mizu, each holding wooden practice swords called bokken, each magically enhanced to withstand hard impacts that would normally cause the wood to break.
"Don't hold back, Kiba," Mizu said. Her confidence sure wasn't lacking, as the sorcerer's grin could rival All Might's.
Standing by were Rias, Momo, Ibara, Ochako, Izuku, and Koneko. "Mizu-oneechan sure looks confident," Ochako said.
"I know Yuuto-san is good with a sword, but I don't think he can beat Mizu-san," said Ibara, Izuku nodding in agreement.
"I'm sure Yuuto's got this," Rias nodded. She raised her hand up into the air. "All right, are you both ready?"
Yuuto took a stance, while Mizu simply raised her bamboo sword, "Ready!"
She swung her hand down, "Begin!"
Yuuto moved in a quick dash, his speed rendering him nearly invisible. As soon as he reappeared at Mizu's face and moved the bokken at the sorcerer's neck. But Mizu raised her sword and blocked the Knight's attack. Jumping back, Yuuto charged again with another strike, a stab this time. Mizu parried the blade and went onto an offensive on her own, thrusting her sword downward. That attack came too quickly for the blonde to do a counter-strike, being forced back by several meters.
Rias looked on in surprise. She was expecting Mizu's swordsmanship to be good, but so far she hadn't even moved from her spot and was holding her own against her Knight. No, it seemed as if Mizu was holding back, given she was only using one hand so far.
Yuuto seemed to smirk, enjoying the challenge coming from the fight. He decided to release his restraints just a little more, running all over the place as he zipped all around Mizu. Mizu didn't even bother to keep track of Yuuto's movements though as the Knight appeared at her side and swung for an attack. Quickly, Mizu blocked it with the bokken and counterattacked, aiming her bokken at Yuuto's legs. The Knight didn't have time to properly react, the bokken knocking him off-balance. He didn't have a chance to get up either as Mizu aimed her bokken at his neck.
"Not bad," Mizu offered a hand to Yuuto, who accepted it. "Tennen Rishin-ryū, right?"
"Yes," Yuuto answered. "I was taught that and kenjutsu by my master."
"Sirzech's Knight," Mizu said to herself.
"Mizu-oneechan, you were amazing!" Ochako gushed, "You too, Yuuto-kun!"
"That was far more one-sided than what I was expecting," Rias said.
"You still have plenty of room to improve," Mizu lectured. "Your speed is your greatest advantage, but it may also be your greatest weakness. You have a tendency to charge in and then fall back, a predictable strategy. And if an opponent can match or even surpass that speed, all they need is one good hit and the fight's over," Mizu then turned her attention to everyone else.
"That's true for each of you. I noticed that, as a whole, you all rely too much on overpowering your opponents. That Smash Midoriya used during the exams against the Zero-Pointer is a good example. Yes, it's good for when you're in a bind, but what happens if you miss? What happens if your opponent is stronger? Now that you're weak and tired, they can easily finish you off. Remember the fights you had against those villains and the Port Mafia? If any of them were taking it seriously, I doubt you'd all still be here."
Everyone in the Gremory peerage clenched their fists, remembering those fights well. "What do you suggest?" Rias asked.
"For now, we focus on broadening your skills and strengths. Kiba, I'll let you borrow this," Mizu tossed the Yukinoha at Yuuto, who caught it with a fumble.
Yuuto stared at the Yukinoha, then at Mizu, then Yukinoha again, then back at Mizu. "You're… letting me borrow a Kamar-Taj relic?" He asked in disbelief.
"She took quite the dislike for Riser, so she's willing to help," Mizu explained. "Practice with her, along with any Demonic Swords that can cancel out flames for the rest of the day. At least then you'll have an advantage. Tomorrow you'll be doing hand-to-hand with me."
"Yes, ma'am," Yuuto bowed.
The sorcerer then looked to Izuku. "Midoriya, you're up."
"R-right!" Izuku stepped forward as Yuuto joined the others.
"Arguably, as a Pawn, your training will be the hardest out of everyone. You're the most versatile of the group, as such there's a lot of room for improvement." Mizu tossed him the bokken Yuuto was using. "Depending on what you promote yourself to could change the entire outcome of a fight, Rating Game or not. So, you ready?"
Izuku nodded. "Yeah."
"Good. But first… Ddraig, can you hear us?"
[Of course, I can hear you.]
Most of the Gremory group jumped in shock. "Did Izu-kun's hand just talk?!" Ochako asked.
"It did!" Yuuto confirmed.
"You could've talked to me like that this whole time?!" Izuku asked his hand. Specifically, the glowing green gem that had appeared on it.
[Only recently, as I explained when we first met.]
"Everyone, met the Welsh Dragon, Ddraig." Said Mizu. "Or at least his spirit that dwells within Midoriya's Sacred Gear."
"The Red Dragon Emperor," Rias muttered in awe.
"Ddraig, I want you to make sure Izuku won't be able to use his Boosted Gear for this," Mizu instructed.
[Ah, I see what you're planning.] Ddraig replied. [Very well.]
"W-wait, what are you up to?" Izuku nervously asked.
Mizu drew her bokken. "Just want to test something. Now then, Midoriya, try to use Dragon Force."
"Without my Boosted Gear?"
"You won't need it," Mizu smiled as she took a stance. "By the way, this will be a trial by fire, starting NOW!" In a split second, Mizu was on top of Izuku and swung for an attack. Quickly, Izuku blocked it with the bokken but MIzu's blow easily knocked him back several feet.
Stumbling to regain his footing, Izuku struggled to stay on the defensive against Mizu, who continuously swung her bokken hard and fast. Ibara, Ochako, and the others watched in worry as Mizu continued her assault against Izuku. 'I can't keep this up! How am I supposed to use Dragon Force without my Boosted Gear?! Come on, think!'As he continued to block and avoid Mizu's strikes, a thought occurred. 'Wait… when I first used Dragon Force, I didn't notice any change until the others pointed it out. Maybe I should just… let it happen…'
Closing his eyes, Izuku relaxed as Mizu swung another attack. Suddenly, Izuku jumped into the air and stayed there as Mizu's attack missed. The ORC looked on in surprise at seeing Izuku successfully using Dragon Force without the Boosted Gear.
Unlike before, the scales were no longer red. Instead, they were an emerald green. The stubby horns on his head had also grown, now being about two inches long, and were both black. Izuku hesitantly opened his eyes and looked himself over. "I-I did it!" He exclaimed.
Mizu smiled. "Like I thought."
"Huh?"
Mizu continued as Izuku landed back on the ground. "See, when we met I noticed something, so I decided to look into your family history," Mizu shook her head as if she was in disbelief. "Turns out, on your father's side, you have an… interesting relative."
"Interesting how?" Ibara asked.
"Wait…" Rias exclaimed, having realized what Mizu was saying. "Are you suggesting that…"
"Yep."
"What're you guys talking about?" Ochako asked.
Rias nearly slapped herself. "I knew something was off when we met, but I had assumed it was his Boosted Gear, but this…"
"What's going on? What are you saying?" Izuku asked.
"Ddraig, did you know about…?"
[I did, Gremory.] The dragon within Izuku's Sacred Gear answered. [I'm just disappointed that both he and all of you took this long to figure it out. I mean, the Familiar Master gave you a big clue.]
"The Familiar Master?" Suddenly the gears began to turn in Izuku's mind when he recalled what the Familiar Master had said. "Wait… You mean to say… I'M PART DRAGON!?"
Ochako's eyes grew wide in shock. "No way…! Izu-kun's a dragon?!"
"Seriously? How didn't we notice?" Yuuto asked, just as shocked as the others. Even Koneko had a look of surprise.
"Easily, since his dragon heritage isn't that big," Mizu clarified.
[She's right. If I had to guess you're at least 1/16th dragon. The reason the rest of you didn't notice before is because it hadn't awakened yet.]
"Is it true, Izuku-san? Are you really a dragon?" Ibara asked. "You mentioned that your father's Quirk lets him breathe fire like a dragon, so does he know?"
"Um… Probably? I don't really have much of a chance to talk to him often, let alone know about my other relatives or my family history. It's really been only me and my Mom since Dad works overseas to support us, and I don't really remember what kind of Quirks my grandparents had. It could also be possible that I have an ancestor that had a dragon Quirk, but I can't say for sure…" Izuku said in an unsure tone before cupping his chin with his hand and began mumbling about the possible Quirks his family could have had, causing the others to stare at him with sweatdrops on their heads.
"…You had to get him going, didn't you Ibara-san?" Momo said with a soft chuckle as she watched Ochako shake Izuku's shoulder to snap him out of his mumbling spree.
"He does that often?" Mizu asked, slightly creeped out by Izuku's mumbling.
"From time to time," Rias answered.
"But why did Izuku-kun's dragon heritage only come to light now?" Yuuto asked.
"It might be because of the Boosted Gear," Mizu said. "Since he's mostly human, his dragon half needed a catalyst to awaken. The energy from the Boosted Gear acted as that catalyst. Think of it as like a belated puberty."
"So that's why he started growing horns!" Ochako realized.
"Wait, Izu-kun began growing horns?" Rias asked.
"…I knew we forgot to tell you something," Ibara sheepishly mutters while Ochako chuckled nervously.
"We'll discuss the details of Dragon Izuku later," Mizu said. "Midoriya, your real training starts tomorrow, so get some sleep tonight."
"H-hai!"
The rest of the day was spent with Mizu sparing with the rest of the ORC. She gave Koneko advice on how to avoid faster opponents and offered to teach her some boxing and Muay Thai later. For Momo, Ochako, and Rias, she taught them some more effective uses of their magic, such as using simple illusions to hide and mislead opponents.
As the sun began to set it was decided to end the day there, but Mizu wanted some more time to train with Momo, saying it was important. "You wanted to speak with me, Mizu-sama?" Momo asked once everyone else entered the house.
"Yes. It's about your lightning 'Quirk'," Momo didn't fail to catch the emphasis at the end.
"W-what about it?" The young devil tentatively asked.
"Stop hiding. I know for a fact that your lightning isn't a Quirk."
Momo visibly blanched. "How-"
"I worked with your father once, about a year ago," Mizu answered. "I know that lightning anywhere. And I'm sure he won't be happy when he finds out that-"
"STOP TALKING ABOUT THAT MAN!" Momo yelled. It was so unexpected that Mizu took a step back in fright. "I… I don't want anything to do with him."
"…You're afraid, aren't you? Afraid that if the others find out they'll reject you?" Mizu asked.
Momo didn't answer.
"They'll find out eventually." Mizu placed a hand on Momo's shoulder. "I'll keep this secret until you're ready to tell."
"…What does this have anything to do with Riser?"
"Because you can do a lot more than simply shoot lightning," Mizu answered. "Since you have to be smart to successfully use your actual Quirk, I'm sure the thought of using your ability to control lightning to control electromagnetism had crossed your mind once or twice."
Momo nodded.
"Well, along with teaching you magic, we'll be focusing on that."
The first day of training came to a close and after a hearty dinner that Rias prepared, the peerage retreated to the villa's bathhouse. The bathhouse, of course, was separated by a large wall. The girls pampered themselves on one side of the bath, while Izuku and Yuuto were washing off the grime from their bodies on the other end of the bath. Izuku leaned on the rim of the bath while Yuuto was scrubbing his hair with shampoo.
"Oh, wow," Izuku sighed blissfully, basking in the warm waters of the bath, "I don't even remember the last time I was in a bath like this."
"A nice bath always helps you relax after a long day of training," Yuuto added. Sighing deeply, he gave a friendly smile. "You know, this is actually the first time you and I have spoken casually to each other like this. Without the ladies around anyway."
"Come to think of it, you're right," Izuku nodded, realization dawning on him. "We never really did have much of a chance to talk these past few months."
"Yeah. But I'm still in shock about you being part dragon," Yuuto simply laughed as Izuku shook his head.
"I'm still in shock, too," Izuku chuckled nervously. "I'm worried about what Mizu-sama has planned for me tomorrow."
"I'm sure you can handle it," Yuuto reassured. "It'll probably be easier than what Buchou has in store with me. Not only do I have to practice with the Yukinoha, but she wants me to practice while using my Quirk."
Izuku's attention was caught by this. "What is your Quirk, Yuuto-kun?"
"Nothing special, really. I can alter my center of gravity, so I can walk on walls and ceilings," Yuuto explained, placing his hand on the wall, soon lifting his own body before he stood on the wall, sticking to it with ease. "The downside is that it has to be a flat surface and at least part of my body needs to stay in contact."
Izuku watched in fascination. "That's amazing! I can see plenty of ways that can be useful for the Rating Game."
"I agree, it has come in handy plenty of times before," Yuuto's look turned solemn.
"…Yuuto-kun?"
"It's nothing," Yuuto said, smiling.
"Ah~! It's been too long since I soaked in an onsen," Mizu said with a contented sigh as she stretched out in the hot, mineral-rich water.
"I wish Kyoka could've gone with us," said Momo as she rested in the water. "She would enjoy this." 'And not just because of the view,' she silently added.
"After a long day like today, I so~ needed this!" Ochako moaned in bliss.
Koneko sat on the edge of the bath, eating a candy bar she snuck in. Though she occasionally looked on in jealousy at the larger busts of the other girls.
"This is nice," Ibara let herself sink into the waters.
"So Mizu, what do you have planned for tomorrow?" Rias asked.
"It's a secret," Mizu teased. Rias was about to protest when she saw a large scar on Mizu's abdomen. It was long and diagonal, reaching from her waist to below her breasts.
"That's a nasty scar," Rias said.
Mizu looked down and rubbed a hand against it. "This? I had it for a couple of years," she said, her voice having a solemn tone to it. "I got it when my hero career ended."
Rias flinched. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be. That's in the past now," Mizu smiled. 'And I'm determined to not let history repeat itself with them.'
The next day, the ORC gathers outside the villa, Mizu standing up in front. "Today is where the real training begins," Mizu said. "First off, Midoriya. Your trainer should be here soon."
"Trainer?" Izuku couldn't ask anything else when they heard the sound of heavy flapping above them. They all looked up as a large shadow appeared in front of the sun and grew larger as the mysterious object approached them.
The large object landed not far from them with a dull 'THUD' and furled its huge wings behind his back. It stood at a towering fifty feet tall, its body mainly covered in dark purple, draconic scales except for its lower body, including its belly, inner portions of its legs, and its long tail, which was beige in color. Protruding from its triangular head was a pair of large yellow horns along with a pair of red eyes that glared down at them maliciously. His claws ended with long sharp, yellow nails, and large bat-like wings which protruded from its back. It also wore a loincloth and black pauldrons which extended down to its elbows.
"A dragon?!" Izuku screeched.
"Thanks for coming, Tannin," Mizu calmly greeted the dragon.
"Tannin!?" Rias gasped. "How the hell did you get the Blaze Meteor Dragon to come here?!"
"I pulled some strings. He'll be Midoriya's teacher for a little bit."
"It's been a long time since I last visited the human world," Tannin said, his powerful voice echoing. "But it's been even longer since we last spoke, Ddraig."
[Too true.] Ddraig said, a little eager to speak with a fellow dragon. [It's good to see you, Tannin.]
"You know him?" Izuku asked.
[Yes. Tannin was once a Dragon King until he willingly became a devil.]
"Even among reincarnated devils, he's well known for being an Ultimate-Class," Rias added.
"A devil dragon…" Ochako muttered. "That's… terrifying…"
Tannin bent down and sniffed the air around Izuku, making the boy flinch. "Even though it's small, I can smell the dragon blood within him," Tannin noted.
"That's part of the reason you're here," Mizu then looked to Izuku. "All right Midoriya, you and Tannin will spend the next hour in a special training area," Mizu rotated her arm in a circular motion, creating a large rift big enough to fit Tannin. "Once there you'll be training for about a month."
"Huh?"
"See, where you're going time moves about 730 times faster than here. So an hour here will be 730 hours, or about one month, there."
Tannin then picked up Izuku by his shirt. "Hey! Slow down!"
"Wait, if time moves faster there then why aren't we all going?" Rias asked.
"Because access is restricted," Mizu answered. "Only about 4 people are allowed at any given time." She then turned to Tannin. "You've got about a month to help train Midoriya. During that time, I want you to strengthen his body and mind through rigorous training to get a better handle on his dragon abilities. As well as this, I expect him to strengthen his Sacred Gear also. And be sure to give him a break every six days. We don't want to kill the boy."
"So torture him? Understood."
"Wait, WHAT?!" Izuku screamed as Tannin stepped through the rift. "Don't I get a say in-"
The rift closed.
"Uh… will Izuku-san be okay?" Ibara asked.
"He'll be fine," Mizu reassured.
The next twenty minutes were spent with Mizu sparring with Koneko. Koneko lunged forward with her fist rearing for a punch, and Mizu went in with her leg over her leg. Mizu was currently teaching Koneko how to avoid certain attacks, which could make it easier for the Rook to counterattack.
Rias and the others watched as Mizu demonstrated this by having Koneko lunge forward with her fist rearing for a punch, only for Mizu to sidestep, grab Koneko's arm, and toss her through the air. "Just because you're a Rook doesn't mean you should take every hit thrown at you," Mizu told her as Koneko landed.
"How do you know so many martial arts?" Rias asked.
"I had two really great teachers," Mizu answered. "I used to intern with Yoroi Musha before I opened my agency, and he taught me plenty about sword fighting. When I joined Kamar-Taj I was taught a whole bunch of martial arts like kung fu, Muay Thai, and the like by Jack."
"Jack?"
"Yeah. He's a samurai, though no one knows his real name, so everyone just calls him Jack."
"How do you think Izu-kun is doing?" Ochako asked.
BOOOOOOOOOMMM!
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!" Izuku bellowed as he was launched backward from the large explosion which detonated in front of him, sending him soaring through the air where he landed on the face of a large rock that knocked the wind out of him. He groaned in pain as he slowly slid down the rock and fell onto his hands and knees.
"Ow…" he grumbled as he wiped the soot off his face before proceeding to wipe the sweat that had developed over the course of the day where it seemed like he had been running non-stop. When he looked back on today's training and then up at the darkening sky, he quickly realized that he had been running all day.
[You've managed to make some improvement today.]Ddraig said with a slight chuckle.
"You have gotten a good grasp of your dragon heritage. Now we just need to focus on your Sacred Gear," said Tannin. "We have nearly spent half of our time here, so maybe I should crank up the firepower."
"Huh?"
When Izuku saw Tannin preparing for another attack, he spread his wings and flew as fast as he could.
"I'm sure he's fine," Mizu reassured.
Izuku drank the water from the stream near his camp, the cold liquid cooling his body after a long day of training which consisted of running like hell from Tannin's attacks. Once he finished he looked at his reflection in the water and saw the physical effects of his extensive training regime. The turquoise jersey his mother had given him was completely ruined, reduced to shredded fabric after only a few days into the training. The white shirt lying on the ground beside him wasn't much better, though somehow it was still able to cover his torso. As he looked at his bare chest, Izuku noticed that he had burned off what little fat he had, leaving his chest sturdy and muscular, and his stomach toned. Even his arms had benefitted from the training in that they had become very muscular as a result. The horns he had on his head had grown now. Before they were barely noticeable, now they were at least two inches long. His eyes were different now, too, his pupils having noticeable slits.
"So this is what happens when you train with a former Dragon King?" Izuku asked himself as he inspected his new body.
[You should be proud, kid.] Ddraig stated, his gem glowing on Izuku's right hand as he spoke. [Tannin is notorious for his unique style of training. You've done well to survive it.]
"Thanks," Izuku replied as he put his shirt back on and headed back to his camp. "I'm just glad this is the last night. It's been about a month, but it feels weird knowing that I've really only been gone for about an hour."
[It certainly is strange.] Ddraig commented. [The sorcerers of Kamar-Taj are full of surprises.]
Izuku gathered some wood and placed them in the fire he had made earlier. The warmth from the flames helped him relax. "I know this much, when we get back my body is going to ache for months," Izuku added with a groan.
[Don't worry. I'm sure the Gremory will be giving you new aches to worry about.] Ddraig said with a chuckle, causing Izuku to sweat-drop.
Izuku had never been happier to see anything as he was right now to see the Gremory villa on the other side of the rift. Riding atop Tannin's back, Izuku shielded as the huge dragon landed in front of the villa, the rest of the ORC watching. He jumped off Tannin's back, sprouting his green, dragon wings to slow his descent to the ground.
As he landed on the gravel covering the courtyard, Izuku looked down at his hand which held the only thing he had brought back from his time in the forest and mountains, the tattered remains of his jersey. It was totally destroyed over the course of his training camp, being little more than strips of fabric now, largely charred thanks to Tannin and his fireball attacks.
"Izu-kun! You look so different now," said Ochako, she and Ibara admiring the muscle Izuku had developed.
"I take it that the training with Tannin went well?" Rias asked, though she too was secretly admiring Izuku's new muscles.
Izuku, though a little nervous about all the stares the girls were giving him, smiled and answered. "I somehow made it through."
"Thanks for the help, Tannin," Mizu said to the dragon-turned-devil.
"You're welcome, Sorceress Mizushima," Tannin replied. "I'll be taking my leave now. I look forward to the Rating Game." With a massive flap of his wings, Tannin took to the air, quickly rising into the sky before disappearing into a magic circle.
"Now then," Rias called, "let's get back to training."
Eight days into the training camp (well, longer for Izuku) and everyone was showing signs of improvement. Ibara, even though she could easily defend herself with her vines, had learned several defensive spells from Mizu. Yuuto's speed managed to increase, and his proficiency with the Yukinoha had improved, despite the blade's stubborn personality. Koneko managed to become more swift and agile despite her Rook attributes limiting her speed, while Ochako had better mastered her Rook strength, even applying it to some of her spells.
Momo had managed to become more versed in her electricity, having found many ways to manipulate the elements easily. As for Rias, even she managed to find variable and efficient ways to use her Power of Destruction. Everyone had improved over the week, and they were all just about ready to face off against Riser and his battle harem.
That night after everyone else had gone to sleep, Izuku sat in the living room, checking the Hero News. No mention of All Might teaching at U.A. yet, while Ryukyu helped take down a Quirk trafficking ring. He was also going over his notes, reviewing and adding to them whenever he could during the whole training camp. He was so focused on them that he failed to notice someone walk into the room.
"Izu? What are you doing?" The voice of their leader broke him out of his concentration.
"Huh? Oh! I'm just checking the Hero News and looking over my notes is all," Izuku turned to look at Rias. As soon as he caught sight of her, he blushed and turned away.
Why? She was wearing a pink see-through nightgown that gave him a vague look of what she had underneath. Not to mention that she also had on a set of red glasses over her eyes, a lit candle, and a book under her arm.
If Rias noticed his reaction, she didn't show it. She simply set the candle on the coffee table before them and plopped down on the couch next to him. "Any interesting hero stories tonight?"
Blushing beet red, Izuku tried not to stutter, "W-well, Ryukyu helped take down a Quirk trafficking ring."
"Hm, that dragon sure has been busy lately."
"I guess…" Izuku nodded, feeling uncomfortable with how close she was to him, how he could feel her warm breath brushing against his face. Daring himself to look at her, he blinked as he saw the glasses. They actually made her look… cute. "I didn't know you wore glasses."
"These?" Rias said, fidgeting with her eyewear as she backed up, "They're just for show. They help me think more clearly. Goes to show just how much time I've spent here in the human world," she giggled slightly. "I still need to find more information on the Phenex clan, so I thought I'd get some extra time to study up."
"Oh…" Izuku could only say. "If you don't mind me changing the subject, why are you so against marriage? I mean, I can see why you wouldn't want to marry someone like Riser, but why marriage in general? Is it something personal?"
"No, Izuku," Rias answered, "I'm not against marriage. In fact, I would rather find someone that I myself approve of. Rather, this whole thing came about because I am a Gremory."
"Huh?"
Rias gazed out the window, looking at the moonlight from the crescent moon. Izuku blinked as his eyes widened slightly, feeling as if the light of the moon and her longing posture seemed to make her appear as an unforeseen goddess.
"Back home, everyone only sees me as Rias of Gremory instead of myself. While it is flattering to have men attracted to me and I am proud to call myself a Gremory, they only view me as a trophy rather than my own person. Riser is just one of many men who view me as such. Not once did he ever listen to me or take an interest in my likes. All I heard from him was how I was going to be his, and how I am already his. And it only got worse after his brother disappeared. It was so depressing. It was part of the reason why I wanted to stay in the human world. Here, I'm free to act as myself and everyone sees me as simply Rias." She turned back to Izuku with longing sadness in her eyes, "I just want to have someone who loves me for me. Someone who can laugh and cry with me. Someone that I can call my own. That isn't too much to ask, is it?"
Izuku slowly smiled and shook his head, "It's not. And… I think everyone wants to fall in love with someone, right?"
Rias smiled. "You're right." Rias then noticed a slightly burned notebook resting on the coffee table. Curiously, she picked up the notebook before Izuku could react. "Oh, what's this? 'Hero Analysis for the Future No. 13'?"
Izuku winced. "A-Ah, that's-"
"Wow, you wrote all this?" Rias asked, skimming through the pages. "I knew you liked heroes, especially All Might, but this takes it to the next level."
Izuku blushed at that, looking down in embarrassment as he rubbed his head. "W-Well, that's…"
"Oh~ What's this? Mount Lady is 'sexy', is she?" Rias said, her tone hiding none of her amusement. "Now we know you're into taller girls, huh?"
"W-Wait, you're misunderstanding!" Izuku waved his arms sporadically. "Y-You see, at that time, Mount Lady was a brand new Hero on the scene! I watched her help Kamui Woods and several other Heroes take down a villain rampaging through town. She ended up dealing the final hit and um… made a point to… flaunt her assets…" He coughed, trying not to sound demeaning. "I-It's not unusual for some Heroes to use their looks to their advantage, man or woman. Mount Lady was definitely trying to get that sort of attention when making her debut."
"I'm only half-convinced because it's you saying this. Just don't let Koneko see this, you naughty boy."
Izuku let his head hang, refusing to offer her the dignity of a response.
"Still… I have to admit, these notes you took are quite impressive," Rias continued, causing Izuku to look back at her again. "I get that you're a fanboy, but I have to ask… why take notes on so many different Heroes? I know that you admire All Might the most, but you've got a whole catalog of Heroes in here."
Izuku gave a nostalgic smile, reaching down and grabbing a notebook, holding it up, and flipping through the pages. "Because… I thought that maybe if I could figure out how so many different Heroes made it… How their strengths worked and how I might be able to use them to my own advantage… I'd be able to get into U.A."
Izuku closed the book, gazing at the charred, crinkled cover with a gentle expression. "I thought if I just worked hard enough and studied hard enough, I could make it, even without a Quirk. But now that I think back, it really wasn't in the cards for me, huh? Not without knowing about my Boosted Gear." His eyes trailed over to Rias. "Then I met you, Yuuto-san, Koneko-chan, and everyone else. I have the chance now, thanks to you. I'm really glad that we met."
Izuku then grabbed his book bag from the coffee table and pulled out a bundle of notebooks. "There's… something I want to show you." He undid the strap and pulled out a notebook at the center, turning around with a sheepish expression.
"I was… sort of hiding this because I was kind of embarrassed, and it slipped my mind after training with Tannin-sama, but I think now's a good a time as any to show you." Izuku held out the notebook in his hand, handing it to Rias to read.
"…'Devil, Angel, and Other Supernatural Analysis for the Present No. 1'…" Rias read aloud, slowly pulling the cover back to read through the pages.
"I made sure to include everyone's abilities in there and what their strengths and weaknesses are! Not to mention I made note of all the people and stray devils we've fought, like Raynare and Chuuya!" Izuku explained with a glint in his eyes, watching as Rias looked through it in stunned silence. "I even have a couple of ideas on how everyone can improve!"
"Izuku, this is… amazing…" Rias mumbled, looking back up at the green-haired teen. "You didn't have to do all of this."
"I wanted to. I'm your Pawn now. And like you said, we're all family." Rias nodded with a knowing smile, "We're in this together. Me, Ibara-san, Momo-san, Koneko-chan, Yuuto-san, and Ochako-san. We don't want you marrying Riser anymore than you do. We'll all do our best."
Rias smiled wider, "Izu… come'er," she reached her arms around him and pulled him into a hug, resting her head against her pillow-like chest.
"Erm… Buchou… what are you-?" Izuku whispered, blushing.
"Shh… let's stay like this for a while," Rias whispered, nuzzling her face against his hair. Izuku slowly nodded as he relaxed in his master's grip, feeling a little more comfort in her arms. "Hey… Izuku?"
"Yeah?"
"I… I'm glad we met, too."