Chapter 8: Ring of Gluttony!!!
"Alright, brats! It's time for you to get your ranks," Kalego announced with his usual sharp tone. "Get in line." At his command, the students immediately scrambled to form a line,
Meanwhile, Izuku hung back, casually taking his place at the end of the line. He figured it was safer to go last—just in case something absurd happened… again.
'You really know how your luck works, huh?' Nana's voice teased lightly in his mind, amusement clear in her tone.
As the line shuffled forward, Kumara turned to him with a polite smile. "Well, it was nice meeting you, Izuku. I hope we'll cross paths again soon."
"Same here," Izuku replied sincerely.
Kumara then shifted his attention to Sullivan. "There's something important I'd like to discuss with you, if you don't mind."
"Not at all," Sullivan said with a warm nod. "Opera, please escort these lovely ladies to my office. I'll join you shortly." Turning to Izuku, Sullivan added, "Izuku-kun, Grandpa has some work to do, so I'll see you later. Take care!"
"Bye! See you back at home!" Izuku called after him before noticing Ameri approaching.
"I must take my leave as well," she said, then leaned in close, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Meet me after school tomorrow. I have a favor to ask of you."
Izuku blinked in surprise. A favor? From Ameri? He had no idea what she might want, but he wasn't about to refuse. "Alright," he agreed, nodding.
Before he could ponder further, a sudden force knocked the air out of his lungs as he was tackled to the ground.
"Gotcha, Izu-chan!" Clara cheered, sitting triumphantly on his back.
"Clara, what are you doing? Get off him!" Eiko yelled, pulling Clara away from Izuku.
Izuku groaned, struggling to catch his breath. Clara's expression quickly morphed from playful to panicked as she noticed his discomfort.
"Izuku, are you okay?!" Clara cried, immediately activating her bloodline ability to produce medical supplies. Bandages and ointments began piling up around her.
"It's fine, Clara. Really," Izuku reassured her, forcing a small smile. "I'm just a little sore."
"Are you sure?" she asked, her worry still evident.
"Positive. No need to fuss," he said gently.
"Well, now we know for sure you were holding back during our brawl," Alice remarked, narrowing his eyes.
"To be fair, you were doing the same," Izuku countered.
"Fine," Alice sighed. "But next time we fight, I don't want you holding back."
"Sure thing, buddy," Izuku said, though his smile was slightly strained. He wasn't entirely convinced Alice could handle a 100% punch and he didn't want to find out the hard way.
As their banter wrapped up, the rest of the Misfit Class swarmed around him.
"Dude, that was so cool," Shax said excitedly.
"Yeah, seriously," Jazz added. "If I'd known you were such a badass fighter, I would've put all my chips on you!"
"Izuku-dono, I would like to spar with you someday," Garp said earnestly. "It would be a great opportunity to test our strengths and improve."
"That was really impressive. You almost managed to woo me, you know," Elizabetta teased with a playful grin.
Before Izuku could respond, their homeroom teacher's voice cut through the chatter. "Hey, brats! Stop goofing around. You lot are the only ones left."
Sure enough, only the Misfit Class and Kalego remained in the gym. Without delay, they formed a single line in front of an oddly smug-looking, three-eyed owl. One by one, they received rank badges from its stomach pouch.
For now, the class ranks were divided into three groups:
The first group included students who earned the ALEPH (1st) rank: Caim, Agares, Garp, Elizabetta, Allocer, and Shax.
Next came the BET (2nd) rank, consisting of Crocell, Sabnock, Eiko, and a platinum-haired student Izuku was struggling to keep in sight.
Jazz and Clara earned the GIMMEL (3rd) rank.
Lastly, Asmodeus Alice stood alone with the DALETH (4th) rank—the lowest rank required to graduate from Babyls Academy.
Finally, it was Izuku's turn. He stepped forward and stood before the Ranking Owl, ready to receive his rank.
"Hey, little guy, don't bite my hand, alright?" Izuku said, crouching slightly as he addressed the Ranking Owl. It stared back at him with its usual stoic, emotionless gaze.
"Don't bother," Kalego said flatly. "The Ranking Owl hasn't uttered a single word in centuries. I doubt that's going to change anytime soon."
Izuku nodded and cautiously reached toward the owl's pouch, his hand hovering just above the opening.
'I really hope nothing absurd happens this time,' he thought nervously.
'Izuku,' Nana's voice echoed in his mind, laced with exasperation. 'You've been through enough to know better than to tempt fate like that.'
'What do you mean by—'
Before Izuku could finish his thought, the Ranking Owl suddenly released an ear-splitting cry and shot into the air, its wings flapping wildly.
"Hey! Stop that! Where the hell are you going? I didn't even get my badge yet!" Izuku groaned, watching as the owl flew off. Then he noticed everyone staring at him, their faces a mix of shock and confusion. "Guys, I swear I didn't do anything weird with that bird!"
"Izu-kun... what's that?" Clara asked, pointing at his hand.
"Huh?" Izuku glanced down and froze. A gleaming gold ring had appeared on his middle finger.
'Th-that can't be...' Sabnock's eyes widened as a memory surfaced—a prophecy etched into the scroll of prophecy...
******
He shall make one and all of his servants.
He shall form blood pacts and heal all demonkind.
He shall descend from a foreign realm
And wear the golden ring of Solomon on his right hand.
******
'No way... is that the Golden Ring of Solomon?' Sabnock thought, his heart racing. But then he hesitated. 'No, I'm overthinking this. I've never heard of the Ring of Solomon appearing like that...'
Meanwhile, Izuku was desperately tugging at the ring, his face scrunched in frustration. "Why won't this thing come off?! Someone help me!" He stepped toward his classmates, but they all instinctively recoiled, their expressions a mixture of fear and awe. "What's wrong?!" he asked, glancing around nervously.
"T-that's because..." Eiko stammered, her trembling hand pointing toward his shoulder.
Izuku turned his head slightly and froze. A shadowy, demon-like entity was perched on his shoulder, its form flickering and smoky, like living darkness.
'Nana, am I hallucinating, or is there really something that looks like Tokoyami's Dark Shadow on my shoulder?' Izuku asked, his mental voice tinged with panic.
'Unfortunately, you're not hallucinating,' Nana replied with a weary sigh.
Before Izuku could process her words, the shadowy figure opened its mouth and let out an agonized, earsplitting scream that reverberated through the entire school.
******
A Few Minutes Ago…
Sullivan's Office
"So, what do you want to talk about?" Sullivan asked, his ever-friendly smile in place as he gestured for Kumara to sit.
"You already know why I'm here," Kumara replied, her gaze locked on him. Then, with a flick of her wrist, she glanced over her shoulder at Moana, who had been standing quietly behind her. "Go outside and ensure no one interrupts us."
Moana nodded without a word, casting a brief glance at Opera before stepping out and closing the door behind her.
Sullivan waited for the click of the door before speaking again. "Alright, then. What's on your mind?"
Kumara didn't waste time. "Is that boy really human?" she asked bluntly.
"Oh, straight to the point! That's what I've always admired about you," Sullivan said with a chuckle. "And to answer your question—yes, as far as I know, Izuku is human."
"Then how do you explain that absurd power of his?" Kumara pressed. "He wasn't using any kind of magic tool and humans aren't born with natural or bloodline magic either. So what was that?"
Sullivan leaned back in his chair, his expression thoughtful. "I don't know how or where he got that power," he admitted, tapping his fingers against the armrest. "I even combed through overworld records. There hasn't been a single reported case of powered individuals in over two centuries."
"You've asked him about it, I assume?"
"Naturally," Sullivan replied. "But he seemed... uncomfortable discussing it. He did promise to share more once he was ready, so I didn't push him."
"You didn't push him?" Kumara repeated, raising an eyebrow.
"Of course not," Sullivan said firmly. "The last thing I want is for him to feel cornered here in the Netherworld. But forget about that for now, after all, I'm more interested in knowing your thoughts on him."
Kumara leaned back in her chair, her fingers idly stroking one of her tails as she considered his question. A small smile tugged at her lips. "If I had to put it into words," she began, Her tone was filled with a hint of intrigue. "I'd say he's charismatic and mysterious."
Sullivan leaned forward slightly, genuine curiosity lighting up his expression. "Care to elaborate?" he asked in a soft tone. He knew that Nine-Tailed Demons, such as Kumara, were highly respected for their instincts, intuition, and sharp minds in the Netherworld, and he was curious to hear Kumara's thoughts on Izuku.
Kumara looked at Sullivan and let out a small chuckle. "I don't think I need to explain the charisma to you," she said. "His way of conducting himself, the way he interacts and treats those around him, and that reassuring smile of his are simply magnetic," she leaned forward, a hint of excitement in her voice. "Just take a look at how many people have been drawn to him, even someone as proud as Asmodeus has become part of his inner circle."
"Yeah he does have that kind of effect on people around him," Sullivan replied with a pleased smile.
Kumara's smile faded, her brow furrowing. "That's what's so confusing," she admitted, her tails flicking restlessly. "How can someone with such a calming aura carry such a strong scent of anger, sadness, and longing? And he hides it so skillfully, acting as if nothing bothers him. It's so well-hidden that most wouldn't notice, but it's there. Always."
Her fingers tapped the desk as her thoughts shifted to Izuku's abilities. "Then there's his power. During his fight with Ameri, she had a clear advantage in physical strength, but he still managed to corner her and even forced her to use our bloodline magic. And that final attack of his..." She trailed off, her eyes narrowing. "It was powerful enough to make me question if I should intervene."
Sullivan's warm demeanor shifted as his eyes narrowed, his voice taking on a rare edge. "Kumara, let me make one thing clear—I don't want my grandson to become a pawn in whatever games you Crowns are playing."
"I understand your concerns, Lord Sullivan," Kumara replied calmly, "but please trust me when I say that I have no intention of using your grandson as a pawn in any of the games that the Crowns may or may not be playing," She thought to herself, 'Besides, he is far too unpredictable for anyone to effectively utilize him at this point.'
Before Sullivan could respond, an agonized screech shattered the moment, reverberating through the air.
"What in the Netherworld was that?!" Kumara exclaimed, her ears twitching in irritation as she instinctively covered them.
Sullivan was already on his feet. "We'll find out. Let's go before it deafens us all."
******
"Izuku, make that damn thing stop!" Alice yelled, covering his ears against the ear-piercing screech.
"But how!?" Izuku panicked, glancing at his classmates, many of whom were on the ground, writhing in agony from the sound.
"Leave it to me, my rival! I'll silence this beast for good!" Sabnock declared, marching toward Izuku with determination. To his credit, the shadowy figure did stop screaming. However, before Sabnock could celebrate, the smoky entity reached out and placed a hand on his face, causing him to collapse instantly.
"What the hell!?" Izuku's panic deepened as he rushed toward Sabnock. "Sabnock, answer me! Are you okay!?"
Kalego, fed up with the chaos, approached from behind, his expression colder than usual. He reached out to grab Izuku's shoulder. "Stand still, Izuku. Let me take a closer look—"
However, in the next instant, Kalego was stunned. It appeared as if his hand had disappeared. But it was just an illusion created by a demon, who warned Kalego not to touch Izuku.
'No, it's an illusion,' Kalego realized as the smoky figure glared at him. 'A threat. I see.'
Undeterred, Kalego stepped back and assessed the situation, his expression grim. 'This is an item that needs to be purged,' he decided, raising his arm. But before he could strike, Izuku's Danger Sense activated. With a jolt, Izuku leaped several meters back.
Before he could ask his teacher what his intention was his grandpa showed up on the field along with Kumara.
"Really, Kalego?" Kumara said, crossing her arms and giving him a sharp glare. "Your solution was to blow off your student's arm?"
"He was going to do what!?" the students yelled in unison, staring at their teacher in shock.
Kalego averted his gaze, clearly displeased but unwilling to argue. "I thought it was an item posing a threat to the students," he explained tersely. "It needed to be removed."
"Nevertheless, your method was unjustified and extreme," Kumara replied, still giving Kalego a stern look, "you are a teacher, and you should be coming up with solutions that don't involve hurting your students."
Kalego sighed, clearly frustrated but unwilling to push the issue further. "Yes, I understand."
Meanwhile, Sullivan approved his grandson.
"Be careful, Grandpa," Izuku warned, sounding worried, "I don't know what happened, but this thing immediately took out Sabknok."
"Oh, don't worry about me, Izuku-kun," Sullivan reassured him, "grandpa is very strong," and then as soon as he reached Izuku, the black smoky entity tried to attack him.
"Watch out!" Izuku cried out in warning, but to his surprise, Sullivan simply placed one hand on the smoky thing's mouth and muttered, "Here, eat up," and then the smoky demon started to expand, growing larger and larger until it finally went back inside the ring.
"It went back," Izuku said as he curiously examined the ring.
Sullivan dusted off his hands, smiling as if nothing had happened. "Izuku-kun, that's the Ring of Gluttony. It's a magic item designed to store its user's magic. But when it's starving, it starts consuming magic indiscriminately."
"Consuming magic…" Izuku studied the ring nervously. "Is it safe for me to keep wearing it?"
"Absolutely!" Sullivan reassured him. "Once it's fed enough, it'll be harmless. Poor thing must've been crying out from hunger."
Sabnock groaned as he sat up, his strength partially restored thanks to Kumara sharing some of her magic. "To think it could drain so much magic from someone… The principal really is incredible."
"One thing to note, Izuku-kun," Sullivan added cheerfully. "Once you put on that ring, it can't be removed."
'That's… oddly convenient,' Nana remarked dryly.
'No kidding,' Izuku thought, sharing her skepticism.
"But what about his rank?" Kalego asked, breaking the momentary calm.
"You're his teacher, aren't you?" Kumara said with a raised eyebrow. "You have the authority to decide."
Kalego let out a sigh and said, "Tsk... fine." He brought his hands together and closed his eyes. Suddenly, his hands started to glow and in the next moment, a badge appeared in his hand.
"Izuku Midoriya," Kalego said, "based on your performance in the Familiar Summoning, Flying Race, and Mock Battle, I am bestowing upon you GIMMEL (3rd) rank with the authority as your homeroom teacher and overseer of these exams," he said placed a golden colored badge in Izuku's hand.
"Now let's take a picture to remember this moment," Sullivan said and produced a flying camera, "everyone say, Devil~."
"Devil~," everyone said in unison and clicked the picture.
And thus, after a long and exhausting day, Izuku finally returned home.
******
Sullivan's Mansion
Later that evening, after a long and tiring day at school, Izuku sat down to a peaceful dinner with his family.
"Opera, can I get another serving, please?" Izuku asked, his voice still filled with exhaustion from the day's events.
Opera nodded and served him a generous portion of food.
'Izuku, don't you think it's strange that the amount of food you're eating has tripled in just one week?' Nana's voice sounded in Izuku's mind, a hint of concern in her tone.
Izuku paused for a moment, staring down at his plate. He had just finished his fifth full serving of food. 'Now that you mention it...' he thought, 'my appetite has increased dramatically. I don't think I've ever eaten this much before, even in my past life.'
'Do you think we should be worried about this?' Nana asked, a flicker of concern still lingering.
'I'm not sure,' Izuku replied after a brief pause. 'Maybe we should wait a few weeks and see if we notice any other changes in my body.'
'You're right,' Nana agreed, 'there's no need to jump to conclusions. Besides, the food here is so much better than what you had to survive on for the past 16 years.'
Izuku smiled at Nana's words but decided to end the conversation there. He didn't want to spoil the peaceful atmosphere of their dinner by dwelling on the past. Instead, he focused on the present, savoring each bite of the delicious meal, grateful for the warm and loving family around him.
Meanwhile, Sullivan sat quietly, his gaze flickering between Izuku and the empty space beyond the dining table.
'How can someone with such a calming aura also carry such strong scents of anger, sadness, and longing?'
His mind kept circling around these words as he observed the young teen in front of him.
'Kumara was right… I can't tell if something's bothering him or not. But there must be some truth to her words, Kumara wouldn't dare to deceive me,' Sullivan mused. 'Perhaps I should ask him about it.'
"Hey, Grandpa," Izuku suddenly spoke up, breaking Sullivan's train of thought. "Today during the Mock Battles, I saw a few floating cameras. Do you think I could get the footage from some of the battles, at least the ones my classmates were involved in?"
Sullivan raised an eyebrow. "Well, I can certainly try, but what's your interest in the footage?" he asked, genuinely curious.
"You see, Grandpa," Izuku explained, rubbing the back of his neck, "I want to review the footage to understand my classmates' abilities better and figure out how I can improve my own performance. Plus, if they ever need help, it'd be good to know how to assist them."
Izuku paused, then added, "Also, all the bloodline abilities and magic I saw today were fascinating. I was hoping to get a chance to analyze them," he asked with stars in his eyes.
"Analyze?" Sullivan's brow furrowed slightly.
"Yeah, it's just a hobby," Izuku admitted with a slight blush, producing a notebook from his bag. He handed it over to Sullivan, who took it with curiosity.
Flipping through the pages, Sullivan was surprised at the thoroughness of Izuku's observations. Most of the notes were speculative, but they were well thought out—almost shockingly accurate for someone so new to the world.
After a few moments, Sullivan handed the notebook back to Izuku. "That was quite impressive."
"Really!?" Izuku asked, eyes wide with excitement. "You don't think it's creepy or anything?"
"Of course not," Sullivan chuckled. "On the contrary, once you understand the role magic plays in their abilities and learn more about our world, your notes will become even more useful."
"Thank you, Grandpa!" Izuku said, beaming.
The conversation shifted, and they continued chatting about the events of the past week. Izuku shared his observations, and the evening passed peacefully as they enjoyed each other's company.
As dinner wound down, Izuku stood up, stretching his arms with a groan. "Thanks for dinner, Opera," he said, still sore from the day's battle. "I think I'll head to bed early tonight."
"Here," Opera handed him a small vial filled with a glowing green liquid. "Apply this before you sleep. It'll ensure you wake up without any aches tomorrow."
Izuku accepted the vial with a grateful smile. "Thanks, Opera. I'll be sure to use it. Goodnight, Grandpa. Goodnight, Opera."
"Goodnight, Izuku-kun," Sullivan called after him. "Since you'll be starting your real classes tomorrow, make sure to get plenty of rest."
Izuku nodded, then headed upstairs to his room.
Once he was gone, Opera turned to Sullivan. "Izuku-sama has adapted to life here faster than I expected. And in such a short time, he's done so much."
Sullivan chuckled softly. "Izuku does have a knack for finding trouble, doesn't he?" He smiled fondly at the thought. "But this is only the first week of school. With him here, I'm sure we'll witness many more intriguing events in the future."
to be continued ...
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