A/N: found the picture on Pinterest, there was a different one in mind but for the life of me I can't find it but perhaps I'll recreate it someday. Also there is a drawing at the bottom I did myself, anywho hope you enjoy!
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Chapter 13;
The Netherworld- the realm where all demons live. And the Monarch who rules is- The Demon King! However, the Demon King's throne has sat empty for ages. Only the most worthy will inherit this seat of sovereignty. But who will it be?
Irumi, age 14. One day she found herself the granddaughter of a demon named Sullivan. Sullivan loves and spoils Irumi and is even sending her to the most prestigious school in the land. But there are a few problems. 1. The school she is attending just so happens to be the demon school known as Babyls. 2. She is still very much human in her capabilities, knowledge, and mindset. 3. Should they find out the part of her being human- they'd eat her. And 4. Her heritage and being is completely shrouded in mystery. Will this pitiful girl who was sold off to a demon by idiotic humans make a better life for herself in the Netherworld? One way to find out!
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Tears began to gather in beautiful blue eyes, staring at them all in hurt. Why were they avoiding her? Did she do something bad? She just needs help to get this awful ring off!
Elizabetta was beginning to feel bad as she huddled back away from her smaller classmate, and upon seeing the formation of tears began to sweat, "ah..you got a thingy.." the tall beauty motioned at Irumi's shoulders.
"E-eh?" Irumi sniffled, blinking her big blue eyes as she turned to look over her shoulder. And sure enough- a strange black shadow loomed. It had no true definition, like a static shadow with the barest hint of a face, two horns, and two arms. It's lower half- instead of legs was a long line that attached itself to the ring stuck permanently on the middle finger of her right hand.
The young girl began to turn blue then white from the shock, fear bubbling intensely within her as she stayed in a staring match with it. "Ahhh!" Irumi shrieked, trying to get it off. "Get it off get it off get it offffff!!" She sobbed as she wildly shook her right arm.
Irumi began moving towards Kalego who also quickly moved away again. "Stop waving it around you little fool!!!" She backed off, not wanting to cause an issue with her teacher as she fearfully squeaked.
The black shadow paused, turning agitated as its hunger hastened, and his user's fear flushed into its being. Taking a deep great breath, it shrieked a bloodcurdling sound bringing many demonkind to their knees- some even collapsing enough for infirmary usage.
"What the?!" Lied gasped, clutching his ears in pain."That scream sounds like death incarnate -degozaru!!" Garp yelled out, knelt close to the floor. "My ears hurt!!!!" Jazz grunted, eyes squeezed shut tightly. Much like these three who fell to the ground, the other classmates weren't faring any better.
At the school, Sullivan looked up from his paperwork, Opera by his side pouring a cup of tea, neither seeming too affected. "That noise...how intense is it coming from there?" the elder demon wondered, getting up from his desk. He looked out towards the direction he was certain the flight race was being held...Irumi- is his precious grandchild alright?! With haste he tasked Opera to check on the staff and students as he rushed out of his office, preparing to take flight to the hellish sound.
"E-everyone!? Are you okay??!" Irumi shouted, shocked and confused why they all were expressing such pain. "You mean you aren't in pain, Irumi?!" Lied yelled, staring at his classmate in disbelief- it felt like his ear drums were about to explode!
To the young girl- the noise sounded like a mere distressed kitten mewling.
"Then hurry up and cover it!!" Garp cried, on the brink of tears as he curled on the floor. "A-ah right!" Irumi squeaked, looking to the black shadow as her fear vanished and replaced with determination towards the task she must perform. "L-like this?" She uttered confused, cradling the being close to her chest and swayed it to a soothing rhythm. "WE MEANT THAT YOU NEED TO COVER ITS MOUTH!!!"
The cries- or hellish screaming in the others perspective, died down and Clara in much less pain and wanting to help her Irumikins came over, beginning to sing a very offkey Netherworld version of Rockabye Baby. "NOW THERE'S MORE NOISE, DON'T ADD FUEL TO THE FIRE!!!!" Lied cried out again, pressing the palms of his hands closer to his sensitive elongated ears.
The shadow-like monster quelled its rage, beginning to dance to the off beat tune of Clara's song.
"Hey wait, it seems to like it.." Jazz observed, the entire class got back up from the ground, a few still quite disoriented while others recovered immediately. "Devi-cool! Have it dance to Kuromu next!" Lied requested while taking his cellphone out to record. "Maybe it'd like some snacks!" Garp added, holding a chip bag. "Do you think it'd eat more?" Jazz questioned, leaning in close to observe it. Irumi is now surrounded by the majority of the Misfit class, watching them all with uncertainty.
"Stop fooling around you idiots!" Kalego shouted, irritated further at how quickly these students of his became careless in front of unknown and still very present danger.
Sabro mustered up the courage to come closer to Irumi after Jazz, Lied, Garp, and Allocer were scolded to back away from their classmate and the peculiar being. "H-hey, don't come closer, it's still dangerous!" Irumi warned, taking a step back and trying to pull the shadow-like creature away from them all. "Don't worry my dear Rival, leave it up to me!" Sabnock exclaimed in his brash bravery- Or in Kalego's opinion- utter stupidity.
The shadow snuck closer to Sabro, sniffing in curiosity before lifting its little arm and tapping his forehead. Color drained from Sabro instantly as he collapsed to his knees, arms curled close to his torso as he briefly lost consciousness from how much magic drained out of him at such a rapid speed. "Gyahhh?!" Irumi yelped, startled at what happened, putting extra effort to pull it away. "Sabnock-kun?!"
"Moron, don't waste our time! Let me take care of it Irumi-sama-Erk!" Asmodeus fell gracefully to one knee, turning pale as he began to cough up blood, the shadow creature nibbling at the back of the pinkette's head. "Deja vu!!" Irumi cried, turning ghostly pale in shock and fear of what was stuck to her finger.
"It-It's alright Irumi-sama! I merely am a bit dazed by the magic drain I seem to be experiencing-blurg-" Asmodeus attempted to speak to ease Irumi's worry but in the end began hacking up more blood, though somehow managed to stay fairly clean and pristine despite the blood caking his hand and dripping down his chin. "You are not alright!!" Irumi nearly screamed out in worry, trembling at how much blood he was coughing up.
Upon hearing about the magic drain when the black shadow creature touched the newly ranked daleth, Kalego glanced over his short blue-haired student, peering at the golden piece of jewelry. 'Could it be..a glutinous feeder ring..? But I've never heard of one to emit such a horrid presence nor be capable of vocalization...to be certain..' Kalego stepped forward as Irumi, cowering back from everyone while trying to hug the dangerous thing close to her and out of reach to all others. "Irumi, let me see that for a moment-uh?!"
Kalego had reached out, grasping Irumi's shoulder gently to peer down at the beast and the ring it was attached to when his vision startlingly changed and arm seemed to disappear. "S-sensei?" Irumi whimpered in confusion as she glanced at Bablys' guard dog.
The Naberius had frozen up, he could no longer see his previous surroundings any longer; it was only him and that. His new surroundings were pitch black, a haunting aura radiated and seeped through him at every angle. Then it was the pain, misery, despair, hatred. That's all one could feel in this darkness and then he looked up.
Looming above him was a colossal being, he couldn't tell when this figure began nor ended within the darkness that cornered him. Its eyes smoked a radiant blue flame, skin a dimly glowing blue and purple-almost like swirling nebula clouds trapped in its complexion.
Kalego couldn't breathe as its gaze fell upon him, absolution and threat overbearingly heavy, cutting through the miserable setting of before with a tilt of its head. "-ei, sensei?" His clogged ears popped, its opened mouth letting out such a soft and worried voice. "Sensei?" It said-no Irumi said again. He blinked his eyes, surroundings returning to what it was as well as his left arm.
He was gasping, finally capable of freely breathing without that overbearing pressure. All he wanted to do was collapse, feeling shaken by that gaze and whatever those swirling emotions were before his eyes met that thing. Half hugging his returned arm to his chest, he looked at Irumi and that worried blue eyed gaze. For some reason he wanted to impulsively declare he was perfectly well, but not so either. Could feel the words beginning to form in his throat, touching the tip of his treacherous tongue before he clenched his jaw and refused.
Kalego's eyes narrowed in suspicion, was that a warning? Was it actually a hallucination? Is that thing truly a feeder ring? Was it that thing that caused him to see that or was it Irumi? What was it even trying to say? His narrowed eyes moved to stare at Irumi's petite hands, clenched over the ring in a nervous fit.
It can't be helped, he'd rather face the punishment of getting rid of it then leave such an unknown alone. Power began to build within his hands, Irumi continued to stare up at him in that innocent worried gaze that left him feeling strange and wronged. This student specifically shouldn't stare at him like that, like a lost puppy in worry of its pack.
Kalego swallowed back the pain that seemed to begin entrapping him, making his movements almost sluggish and weak.
"I-is something..?" Irumi questioned shakily, those pretty blue eyes flicking from his raised hand to his eyes.
The guard dog of Babyls gritted his teeth, turning his sight away from those trusting eyes to sever the finger that carried the ring completely off but in the end was stopped.
"Grandpa!" Irumi chirped out in relief at seeing the powerful demon, but turned confused at why he tapped his pointer finger against Kalego's hand. "So mean! You can't go and blow off my darling Ru-chan's hand!!!" Sullivan huffed, moving his finger away when Kalego's gathered magic dispersed. The Naberius scoffed, looking away sharply when hearing Irumi's petrified squeak, trying to hide his confusion over the weird relief blooming in his chest.
"W-wait what?!" Irumi looked between the two with wide eyes, trying to cradle the shadow creature again to keep away from the others.
"Hmm so this is the thing that got so loud." Sullivan mused, walking over to Irumi now that Kalego was more or less dealt with. "A-ah watch out grandpa!" The shadow creature drifted over to the archdemon curiously and obviously hungry. "Oh my it seems to be hungry, well alright here you go! Eat up!"
Magic surged forward, filling the creature till it was comically rounded. Steaming and looking both dazed and satisfied, the shadow-demon shrunk, receding back into the ring. "There we go!~" Sullivan smiled down at Irumi who was still gawking.
"What..what was that?" Irumi squeaked but looked far more relieved with it back in the ring and not posing a threat to her classmates any further. "That was a gluttonous feeder ring, it stores magic the wearer can use. It seemed quite hungry so it was feasting on any and all surrounding magic- after feeding it became useless so don't worry. Since you already used it Ru-Chan sadly this means you can no longer take it off either. But think of this as a tool to help get used to manipulating your mana pools." He mused out while rubbing her head and throwing her into a hug afterwards.
Irumi blinked from her position in her grandfather's arms, nodding as she took in the information.
Sullivan tilted his head, lovingly cradling Irumi. "Mister Owl sure has put some weird things in my dear Ru-chan's possession, huh? I'm already looking forward to seeing what happens next as you enjoy your school life!" He leaned in afterwards; voice barely above a whisper, "you are a rare blessing after all." Irumi blushed but couldn't keep down the smile that pulled at her face being called a rare blessing.
Afterwards the class gathered up for a picture to commemorate the strange occurrence at Sullivan's persistence and the majority's excitable agreement. Irumi still worried over both Asmodeus' and Sabnock's conditions but was promised they'll get checked over once they get back to campus grounds.
And with that, the flight race came to an end. The incident left Irumi without a badge and hence so as a result of the ranking test became the lowest rank, Aleph '1'.
Irumi smiled cheerful and relieved at her marked placement on the bulletin board, clueless to the most recently issued student paper in which the guardian of Cutthroat Valley is her pet and she had 'tamed' Sabro Sabnock along with 'exerted dominance' once again over head of the class- Asmodeus.
'A lot happened but this is the first time they properly evaluated me! The lowest score won't stand out much at all, thank goodness!' She thought in relief, cheerfully smiling as she turned away from the board and steadily growing crowd that gathered to gawk at her. Cheerfully humming to herself as Azz stared questionably at their surroundings and Clara sang a boisterous happy tune.
"Hey...you see him?" A student whispered in the far side across the hall. "Yeah, I do.." the other replied, both openly gawking.
"He made the 'Guardian of the Valley' his pet!" "Shh! Don't talk too loudly or else he'll beat us!" A small demon whispered harshly to the one who shouted in the sea of whispers. "How scary!"
Despite what Irumi assumed; her ranking as being the lowest of the low did get her glanced over, however certain other parts of her still stand out too much! Unknowingly having spurred on her demonic reputation to now include her conquering over Sabnock and the Guardian! Her daydream of a peaceful school life is still far out of sight.