The Abnormal Class sat in silence as Professor Kalego's cold glare swept across the room.
"You have three days to find a battler. Participation is optional, but only those who contribute meaningfully will earn rank advancement."
The words echoed like a quiet threat. Some students gulped. Others smirked.
Iruma, calm and composed, sat with his arms folded. So it begins... the next step.
After class, the students scattered like flies — Sabnock immediately finding a poster that drew his eye.
"The Demon King Battler?" he read aloud, eyes gleaming. "They study the previous Demon Kings and plan how to become the next one...!"
"It suits you," Iruma said flatly.
Sabnock grinned, "You're damn right it does!"
Iruma, Alice, and Clara wandered through Babyls' twisting towers, stopping by the Diabotany Battler, where Suzy Stolas stood too close with her plants wriggling toward Iruma, causing Clara to screech. They passed the Library Battler, the Vocal Magic Battler, and even a Battler That Doesn't Exist (yet) — Clara took a flyer anyway.
Alice turned to Iruma.
"Have you found anything that interests you?"
Iruma paused, expression unreadable. Then, quietly—
"There's one. The Execution Cannonball Battler."
In the wide, echoing practice hall, the Battler President tossed a heavy iron ball toward Iruma with a casual flick of his wrist.
"Heard you ranked up from the Cannonball Exam. Let's see what you've got. Throw it."
Iruma stepped forward, face calm, and whispered the chant:
"Libera."
Magic coursed through him as he hurled the ball forward. The air distorted, magic flaring.
But the summoned dragon that followed was... smaller than before. A compact drake of blue energy rather than the great serpentine beast it once was.
The Battler President raised an eyebrow. "Interesting. It's... controlled."
Watching from the shadows above, Sullivan smiled faintly.
Later, in Sullivan's lab, the old demon handed Iruma a modified ring interface.
"This will help you control your magic better," he said with an excited hum. "I've added settings: Lesser Devil, Demon, Majin — and one special emergency mode..."
Iruma tilted his head.
"...'Pandora'?"
Sullivan nodded, serious for once.
"Only use it when absolutely necessary. It unlocks your full magic potential for a short time. It's dangerous, but powerful."
Ali's voice whispered softly into Iruma's ear from the ring.
"You can channel your chakra through it, y'know. Maybe even summon that big Susanoo you've been trying to master."
Iruma's eyes widened slightly.
"How do you know about that?"
Ali chuckled. "I've been with you for weeks now. I feel your training. And let's be honest — I am smart."
Iruma let out a rare laugh, soft and real.
"Heh. Fine. You've earned it."
"Of course I have. I am Ali."
As Iruma left the lab, new ring glinting on his finger, his expression sharpened.
Step by step... more control, more power. But I won't lose myself. I'll use this to protect everything I care about.
Ali pulsed gently at his side, no longer just a ring — but a partner.
And the path forward lit itself slowly in violet flame and moonlight.
The halls of Babyls were buzzing with battler recruitment. Flyers danced in the air, spells occasionally misfired from excited students, and magic pulsed through the stone corridors like heat.
Iruma walked quietly, hands in his pockets, eyes scanning from behind his fringe. Alice and Clara had gone ahead to check out more eccentric clubs. Iruma stayed behind, drawn by a strange hum he couldn't quite explain.
That's when he saw the sign: "Magical Tools Battler – Invention Through Magic."
Standing in front was a second-year student, pale, gaunt, with wiry hair and hollow eyes. His rank badge: Bet (2). Despite that, he looked calm... oddly composed.
Iruma approached him.
"You're the leader?"
The student blinked, a bit surprised. "Yeah. Name's Amy Kirio. You're...?"
"Iruma. Just curious—what's your battler's plan for the competition?"
Kirio smiled thinly. "I want to give weak demons the power to cast high-level magic using artificial tools. A way to bypass the hierarchy. Something the strong won't see coming."
Artificial magic for the weak? That's exactly what I was thinking about... Iruma narrowed his eyes, interested. This might be worth observing.
"Can I take a look around?"
Inside, the battler was cluttered and chaotic. Shelves of glowing crystals, half-finished constructs, enchanted gears, and magical dust floated in the air. Kirio lay on a bench, pale and coughing up blood from overexertion. Iruma instinctively knelt beside him, helping him sit up.
"You're pushing too far."
Kirio chuckled. "That's how progress works." He gestured to the glowing orb on the table. "These are my projects. Tools that react to magic. Here—watch this."
He poured a thread of magic into the orb, and it glowed like a miniature sun. A Moveable Doll danced with unstable grace. Then his knees buckled again.
Iruma caught him. "You need to rest."
"Before that—look." He pointed to a busted machine. "That's the Gabu-Ko. It enhances magical output for weak demons. But the heart-shaped core is unstable. I can't fix it yet."
Iruma studied the fragments. His fingers moved on instinct—precise, controlled.
"You... know how to fix this?"
"I had to fix old electronics to survive back home. Just muscle memory."
Kirio's eyes widened. "Home...? Then you are marvelous one, Iruma." In contrast, his eyes are glowing because he found someone like Iruma who's also interested in this topic.
Kirio thinking Iruma as a small clan or weak clan member at first. Because he sees Iruma batch Rank 3 [ Gimmel ] which his higher than him,, but not like top student.
But kirio also thing that iruma can help him despite being One rank higher he think Iruma do have higher magic mana or some skill that is unique.
The heart piece clicked into place. Kirio placed the glowing orb onto the machine.
A pulse—then light exploded from the Gabu-Ko, filling the room like a dome of morning sun.
Kirio's voice was soft now. "Weak demons die out here. Our world worships magic and despises those without it. My dream is to even the field... give everyone a chance to fight back."
Iruma stared at the light, thoughtful.
Power... not to dominate, but to uplift. This world needs that. Someone like him...
"What if I didn't have magic?" Iruma asked. "Would I still be welcome here?"
Kirio tilted his head. "I'd take you in without hesitation. With your hands and mind, we could build miracles."
Later that evening, Iruma returned to the Misfit Class dorm.
"I found my battler," he told Alice and Clara. "I'm joining the Magical Tools Division."
"We're coming with you!" Clara shouted with a grin. Alice nodded with his usual poise.
"Where you go, I follow. It's that simple."
The next day, Kirio tried another prototype. Sparks flew, and he fell to the floor again—only to open his eyes and see Iruma, Alice, and Clara staring down at him.
"You... came back?"
"I said I was joining, didn't I?" Iruma replied.
"No wait! I'll be joining Raim-sensei's class, Iruma-chi!" Clara beamed excitedly.
"Alice, will you join too?" Iruma asked, his eyes locking with Alice's.
"Of course, Iruma-sama. But… you never told me—why are you joining a battler that's mostly about tools?" Alice asked, curiosity in his voice.
"Because he and I want to do something for the future of lower-ranked demons," Iruma said, pointing toward Kirio.
"Also," he added casually, "I used to be Rank 1 — [Aleph]."
He said it only to influence Alice, nothing more.
Upon hearing this, Alice's eyes sparkled as if he were seeing a divine light shining from Iruma's back.
Then, dropping to one knee, he declared, "Iruma-sama is my king—my life! Anyone with such a noble dream deserves my absolute loyalty!"
Kirio, who had been worried that no first-year students would join him, was stunned. Not only had he gotten the most famous student, The honored Suzuki Iruma, but also The top scorer, Asmodeus Alice.
Kirio blinked slowly... then passed out.
---
Meanwhile, in the Student Council Office...
Ameri stared at her untouched tea, grumbling.
"He didn't join... he didn't even come talk to me!"
Her pride flared. Was he intimidated by my position? Did he feel unworthy?
Then her phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Sorry I couldn't stop by," Iruma's voice came gently over the line.
She froze. Her face flushed.
"Y-you should have come anyway! That's protocol! You... you owe me—!" It's feel like she is hurt in her own heart.
"I already joined a battler."
Silence.
Then came the verbal avalanche. "Iruma-kun, you absolute... You could have said something earlier! You can't just go around rejecting official invitations! This is the Student Council!"
The lecture lasted two hours. [ Mostly being Ameri asking him is he oke? Did he eat well? That stuff and also Iruma telling about many interesting Story of Human world about Romance]
Ali's voice hummed softly through the ring later that night as Iruma rested.
"You picked a good one, y'know. That girl's vision... matches yours."
Yeah... I felt that too.
"Just don't forget: ideals are fine. But always be ready for the ones who twist them."
Ali thinking in his head, "Love and war" while laughing
And iruma asking , "Hey why are you laughing?"
"It's Nothing Iru-boy"
Iruma closed his eyes, the light of the Gabu-Ko still vivid in his memory.
Then I'll build something stronger. Like Gun? Vehicles?.