As soon as Iruma stepped outside, his massive black wings unfurled behind him. With a single powerful flap, he shot into the sky like an arrow loosed from a bow.
Opera, watching from below, narrowed his eyes. "Those six black wings… they're not something a demon should possess. And there's no way a human—"
Before he could finish, Sullivan laid a cheerful hand on his shoulder. "He's my grandson. Naturally, he has powers of his own."
Opera fell silent. Of course. No wonder Sullivan had gone all the way to the human world to bring him back.
Above the clouds, Iruma soared high over the demon realm. He had to restrain himself—flapping too hard could rip the skies open. The power of these wings was already becoming familiar. If he ever went full speed, tearing through space itself might just be possible.
Especially since the system had said: "There's no upper limit."
In a blink, he arrived at the school gates, landing carefully to avoid unnecessary panic. Demons nearby instinctively stepped aside, giving him a wide berth. His reputation had spread fast, after all—he wasn't someone any of the freshmen dared to cross.
Iruma ignored the stares—half fear, half awe—and walked calmly toward the entrance.
Up ahead, four student monitors stood chatting by the gate, unaware that someone of far higher authority was approaching. That imposing, crimson figure was none other than Ameri Azazel. With swift strides, she marched straight to the group and barked out:
"Cut the chatter! You're devils—use your voices to strike fear!"
"Yes, Ma'am!"The four instantly snapped to attention, like soldiers before a general.
"Intimidation starts with how you speak. Don't slack off!"
"Yes, Ma'am!!!"They bellowed louder, now shouting greetings to every passing student:"GOOD MORNING! HAVE A TERRIFYINGLY GOOD DAY!"
Ameri gave a nod of approval and turned on her heel to leave.
Iruma, just approaching the gate, spotted her instantly. That vivid red silhouette—there was no way to not see her, considering her height. If he missed that, he might as well donate his eyeballs.
But something stirred in his chest.
Is this… nervousness?
Even just seeing her back made his heart race. In his past life, he'd been the lowest of the low, a clown among clowns—but maybe now… maybe there was a chance for something real. Something like love.
No mind control, no forced romance. That wasn't his style.
All he'd done was tweak the body to pass as plausible—enough to keep Sullivan and Opera from noticing anything strange.
Just as he passed the gate, a familiar voice burst forth:
"Good morning, Lord Iruma! I have waited exactly six hours and six minutes for you!"
Asmodeus.
All around, demons paused, drawn in by the surreal sight of the top student bowing to the Special Rank transfer. Iruma just shrugged casually.
"Morning, Asmodeus. You really didn't need to wait that long."
Asmodeus lit up, nodding with fiery resolve. "Understood! And please—call me Azz. Only you may call me that!"
"Azz, huh?" Iruma scratched his chin. "I like it. Has a nice ring to it."
Without missing a beat, Asmodeus jumped up. "Please, allow me to carry your bag, Lord Iruma!"
Gasps and whispers exploded around them.
"He actually submitted to the Special Rank student…""Are you blind? Look at the guy! His presence alone makes the air feel cold.""I heard he didn't even lay a hand on Asmodeus—he just looked at him and won the duel!""He's not a student. He's a straight-up monster…"
Iruma sighed. "Boring."
He walked on, ignoring the chatter. With Azz at his side, there was no need to check signs or maps. The guy practically was a walking guide app—albeit one obsessed with loyalty.
"Next is some sort of summoning thing, right?" Iruma asked, yawning.
"Yes!" Azz replied eagerly. "We'll be paired up—just you and me, Lord Iruma. Today is the Familiar Summoning Ritual. We'll be heading to the Summoning Chamber shortly!"
"Familiars, huh…" Iruma murmured, eyes narrowing.
He was beyond categorization now—no gender, no race. He was something other. He could summon anything—or nothing at all. Did he really want a familiar?
Azz, noticing his silence, misinterpreted it. "Ah—are you wondering what kind of familiar to summon? Don't worry! It's a yearly tradition for all new students. Every freshman summons a creature that represents their strength and will."
"And the kind of familiar summoned determines the summoner's rank. That rank affects how we're graded here at Babylus."
"Interesting…" Iruma said thoughtfully. Of course, outwardly he played it cool, but in his mind, plans were already forming.
Summoning the teacher? Kinda awkward.Summoning something from outside this world? Even weirder.Guess I'll go with instinct when the time comes.
While thinking, they arrived at the massive doors of the Summoning Chamber. As the ancient wood creaked open, a crowd of students was already inside—buzzing with nervous energy.
Iruma smiled faintly.
Let the show begin.