We Be Monsters

By: Bubbajack

Beta: IcySnowSage

Disclaimer: We don't own shit.

Ch.3: Hell on Trial.

It was the day of the trial and Izuku, due to not needing to sleep, spent a majority of the past week fretting about today. As it drew closer he spent more and more time at night wandering the streets of the Chiba prefecture as his constant mental mutterings would keep Mina awake at night. He had become very familiar with the streets and back allies of his temporary home. That is not to say strange things didn't happen to him on occasion. The first of many such occurrences happened the day after his first meeting with Kahlua Shuzen and her sister Kokoa, Izuku was asked to come downstairs by his nervous mother. Izuku didn't think much of it at first, As his mother was well, always nervous. So he walked down stairs and inquired. "Yes mom?"

"W-Why are there s-skeletons on the Ashido's front lawn Izuku d-dear?" Inko asked.

Izuku blinked, slowly before he went over to the window where Gendo was using a pair of binoculars out his living room window to spy on this new potential threat. Izuku looked out the window to see no less than twenty skeletons just standing there forming a perimeter around the Ashido's house.

"Good morning Izuku-kun!" Emma said chipper as always.

"Dear, there are skeletons on our lawn," Gendo reminded his wife as he sent the resident necromancer a glare that made his glasses shine.

Said woman nudged her husband hard in his kidney, never losing her smile as she handed Izuku some morning tea. "Now, now Gendo, don't be like that to Izuku-kun! He's still coming into his quirk and still trying to figure out how it works and its full limitations."

"I'm sure the fact you're practically planning on writing a book on the boy has nothing to do with this," Gendo ground out in pain.

"None at all," Emma replied with a smile. "If I do end up writing a book you will of course get some of the proceeds Izuku-kun, say fifteen precent?"

"That's fine?" The Archlich replied in confusion. "I'm writing down everything I'm capable of anyway so having some extra help won't hurt."

Emma agreed wholeheartedly. "Yes, now, as to… this," Emma gestured to the cohort of skeletons on her lawn. "Any idea how this happened?"

Izuku ran a hand through his shock white hair. "Well, Mina wanted them to guard us… but I guess they couldn't do that as ghosts… so in order to do that they might've repossessed their former corpses?"

Emma nodded writing this down on a notepad. "Uh-huh, uh-huh makes sense. So twenty World War Two soldiers are surrounding the house to protect you and Mina then?"

"There were forty… I don't know where the other twenty are."

Gendou sighed. "So we have twenty potential skeletons unaccounted for? Do I need to put an APB out on the undead… I can't believe I just said that."

"I'll go out and talk to them," Izuku replied. "Maybe I can find out where the others are."

He barely noticed the chill of the morning as he made his way across the lawn, careful not to accidentally kill any of Emma-sans rose bushes or anymore of their lawn. The skeletons stood at attention as he approached. "Our emperor!"

"At ease gentlemen, I would like a sitrep on the locations of your fellows," Izuku all but demanded.

The skeletons looked at each other and one of them Takahiro Izuku thought, replied, "They are fulfilling your orders by protecting your concubines my Lord."

"Crap," Izuku said to himself.

Across Japan several people were waking up to find skeletons standing guard in their homes. Izuku would be blamed for this, and a good laugh would be had on his behalf after he profusely apologized.

Izuku had taken late night walks as the trial neared, becoming more and more anxious. So he walked the streets at night… but he didn't walk alone. Nowadays he was followed by no less than ten skeletons. In truth, Izuku didn't mind their presence, but they made it difficult to go into certain places… like stores, restaurants (not that he needed much in the way of actual food), or anywhere that wasn't a costume shop really.

On the flipside, he could walk down the street freely as people tended to give the walking dead a wide berth, on trains they would all but jump out of their way. He felt somewhat bad about that, and the younger crowd kept wanting to take pictures with them. Meaning Izuku found himself suddenly very popular with teens his own age in Chiba prefecture.

Tonight he found himself standing at the docks listening to the surf and seagulls and just waiting for dawn, wishing today was over already. "My Lord, if I may speak frankly?" Takahiro, his right hand skeleton asked.

"Go ahead."

The skeleton spoke, likely through his own form of limited telepathy. "You seem nervous of late. Is something the matter?"

Izuku laughed a little at that. "I am expected in court in a few hours. I am… nervous."

The skeleton nodded. "Ah, His Eminence is presiding over a court case. Yes it all makes sense now. Weighing the life of an individual is a rather difficult burden to bear. May this lowly one ask the charges of the accused? Perhaps I can share some insight."

Izuku was silent for a time. "Both stand accused of Manslaughter as the highest charge. One bullied and abused a boy to the point he comminted suicide. The other… the other failed to stop it when he was in a position of power to do so."

"I… see… so a child saw fit to take their own life due to one of his peers. Tell me my Emperor does the younger of the accused have a goal, dream, or aspiration?" The undead inquired curiously.

'Yuuei,' Izuku thought, the very name of the school he once aspired towards put a bitter taste in his mouth. "Yes."

Takahiro continued, "Then what better punishment than to deny him his dream for all time? Allow him to live, knowing he will never be able to attain his aspirations. That he will forever be less than what he feels he should be."

Izuku thought it over. The young Archlich thought that yes, if it were up to him, this would be a fitting punishment. 'Bakugo being able to go to Yuuei but unable to join the Hero Course? Yes, that would be great. It would piss him off 'so' much,' He thought.

"As for the other person, is he a high ranking military officer or similar civilian ranking?"

"The equivalent of a general I suppose," Izuku said, his thoughts and tone becoming morose as they turned towards All Might. "He is extremely well liked by the people."

The skeleton was silent for a moment before he said, "Cut his pay. Fine him heavily but do not deprive the people of a useful resource. Death or forced retirement would only serve to strengthen our enemies and weaken ourselves. People need someone to look up to."

Izuku mulled it over for a moment. "True, true. Thank you Takahiro, you've been very helpful."

"You are most welcome my Emperor. If you must prepare for court, then may I suggest we head back early so as to give you time to prepare?"

"Good idea," Izuku replied as he turned his back on the scenic view of the sun rising on the horizon over the waves.

He arrived at the house and slipped into the front door like a ghost. Hoping he didn't wake anyone up.

"Out for another late night walk Izuku-kun?"

The boy almost jumped when he heard Emma ask that question. She was in a chair in the sitting room nursing a cup of tea.

"E-Emma-san!" Izuku said, putting a hand over his heart on instinct. "You scared me."

"Sorry, sorry… so today's the big day," Emma said, her eyes both violet at the moment flicking to Izuku. "You're nervous, it's perfectly natural."

Izuku sighed, a nervous tick he hadn't let go of even though he didn't need to breathe anymore. "Thanks."

"You're welcome. Have you decided what to wear?" Emma asked as she made her way into the kitchen, intent on fixing her not-quite-son-in-law a cup of tea.

"I… d-don't have a p-proper suit," Izuku admitted.

"That's fine," Emma looked around as the kettle boiled as she whispered conspiratorially "Don't tell my husband this Izuku-kun, but I feel that as bad as the system has failed you, you don't owe them anything. Much less going to court dressed to the nines. You are far more important than any court case Izuku. You are an Archlich. You're a god in the flesh to ten percent of the world's population. That's a lot for a fourteen-year old boy to handle but it also grants you some privileges… like dressing however the heck you want to."

"So I s-should wear my f-fuck the police shirt then?" The undead teen asked.

Emma laughed quietly at his reply. "Well, maybe not that shirt."

"R-Right!" Izuku said as he accepted a cup of green tea from the brewess. "I was considering b-bringing my Ipod into the courtroom so my thoughts don't jump into everyone else's heads... " Izuku stopped. "Wait! What if I get called on to testify?! I can't properly do that! I project my emotions, and my words when I g-get emotional and I'd c-color the jury's thoughts on the c-c-case and…"

Emma put her hands on Izuku's shoulders. "Calm down Izuku calm down! I'd tell you to breathe, but you don't need to do that anymore. So just count backwards from ten," Seeing him beginning to calm, The matron of the Ashido household smiled. "There ya go! Something you need to learn and that I'm going to teach you, Izuku-kun are coping mechanisms for stress so you don't get all wound up like that. It's not good for you, you know?"

"T-Thank you Emma-san," Izuku said with a bow. "Isn't this something you would do as a quirk councilor or RN though? Don't I n-need to be a patient of yours f-first?"

Emma just giggled behind her hand, her eyes turning a bright vibrant green in the process. "Oh Izuku-kun, you've unofficially been a patient of mine since the day we've met."

The Archlich blinked. "Oh! Um, do I need to pay you at some point or…"

Emma waved her hands dismissively." No! Nonono! You being friends with Mina is all the payment I could ever ask for."

Izuku frowned at that. It didn't sit right with him, getting something for free that other people had to pay for just because he was her daughter's friend, possibly best friend… maybe more? Izuku gave his head a shake. 'Now isn't the time to think about that Izuku!' He chastised himself.

"I still feel like I should pay you something," Izuku grumbled.

Emma got a sly grin on her face as her eyes turned dollar bill green. "Well if you feel that strongly about it. When you win, and you will win, force All Might to make a donation to my hospital here in Chiba. That way, you'll be indirectly paying me, and can take full advantage of any service I can offer you."

"If I win I'll do that," Izuku promised.

Emma clapped her hands together. "Great! Now how about you help me cook breakfast?!"

"O-Okay?!" Izuku said somewhat eagerly, even if he was caught off guard.

"Good, good! Cause lemme tell you, girls like guys who can cook! My Mina especially, though she's an old hand in the kitchen herself."

The Archlich opened the fridge and got out eggs, sausage, and the rice steamer for a typical japanese breakfast before looking at Emma, who smiled. "Good idea, a normal breakfast is good every once in a while."

"I did like that Queesh you made the other day though."

"Oh the quiche?" Emma Emma said, "I'm glad you liked it, but you're putting too much stress on the qu sound in quiche. It sounds more like a Keesh vocally."

"Oh, thanks."

"No problem. If Mina is good at any subject, it's English. It's her second language."

The two carried on with idle chit chat as they cooked. Before long, either the smell of food or tea and coffee brewing drew the remaining occupants from their beds. Mina, the last to arrive, shuffled into the kitchen like a zombie, like she always did before she had her first cup of coffee in the morning.

"Morning Midori," Mina yawned as she accepted her cup of life rejuvenating back nectar and downed it in three gulps. "Ahh~! I'm alive again!"

"Welcome b-back t-to the l-land of the living M-Mina," Izuku joked as he pulled out her chair for her.

"Thanks Midori," whether she was playing along with his joke or thanking him for being a gentleman and holding her chair out for her, none could tell.

Izuku was the most confused of all. "You're welcome?"

Gendo interrupted what could've been another in a long list of 'moments' between his little princess and the Midoriya boy by clearing his throat. "Today is the day of Bakugo and All Might's trial. Since basically any courthouse is likely to be packed with All Might's supporters, a local well off Judge has been gracious enough to allow the proceedings to take place at her home."

This was news to Izuku. "Really?"

Gendo nodded, taking a bite of food before he carried on, "Indeed. Furthermore, due to the risk of the jury pool being completely tainted due to All Might's fame and heroism, it has been decided that the case will not have one, and all evidence and agreements shall be presented to the judge herself who will then delebriate in her chambers and come back with a verdict."

"W-Will I have to testify?" Izuku asked worriedly.

Mina on instinct reached out and took his hand clasping it in one of hers. He took what little strength and reassurance from it he could. "It'll be okay Midori, just get through today, and then… then we figure out what to do with the rest of your life, one day at a time," Mina then looked at her father and asked, "What's the name of the judge anyway?"

Gendo coughed a bit, clearing his throat as he said, "She's a rather new young judge from a well to do family by the name of Beni-enma. Now, just because the trial won't be taking place at a courthouse won't mean you won't be under guard Izuku. Allure, Midnight, MON, Kahlua, and Kokoa Shuzen will all be guarding you both to, during and from the trial at all times. In fact, Kahlua and Kokoa have been shadowing you on those late night walks of yours."

Izuku was surprised to hear that. "They have? I wished they would've joined me. I would've liked the company."

Feeling Mina's grip suddenly tighten on his hand he looked over to see the horned girl glaring daggers at him. "Going out on midnight walks alone Midori?"

"I brought the skeleton guards, well more like they followed me but still! Besides, It's not like I can't defend myself Mina-san."

The pinkette's glare faltered before dying out completely. "True, I just… worry."

Izuku did his best to smile. "I know you do, you're a good friend."

Everyone rushed around getting ready for the trial. Izuku, though the most nervous, had to do the least. He threw on a pair of charcoal washed jeans, a shirt with green lettering on it that said, "Go have a nice day somewhere else." Along with a frowny face, and his usual boots.

Everyone else by contrast was putting on their best suits or kimonos, Izuku meanwhile set himself up to answer the door in case anyone knocked, as he steadily 'ate' his way through a packet of sakura tree seeds, not out of hunger, but out of nervousness.

He almost jumped when the first knock came. Quickly glancing outside the front curtains to see who it was, Izuku answered the door to see both of the Shuzen sisters standing on the front steps.

Kahlua smiled when she saw him. "Hello Izuku-sa-AHH!" She tripped and fell forward only to be caught in a bridal carry by the boy in question.

"Are you alright Kahlua-san?" Izuku asked in concern as Kahlua's tan cheeks began to redden from embarrassment.

Kokoa rolled her eyes with a teasing smirk on her lips. "Neechan is fine, she just likes being held in your arms is all. Sup, Izuku-san?"

"Kokoa! Stop telling fibs on your big sister to make yourself look cool," The 'assassin' said with the blush staining her bronze cheeks glowing even brighter.

The red headed vampiress scoffed as she came inside. "Like I need to lie in order to make myself look cooler than you, you klutzy vampire," She scanned the room and asked. "We're the first ones here aren't we?"

"Uh y-yes!" Izuku gently set Kahlua up straight and stammered out. "You are."

Kokoa started muttering things like, "Lazy," and "Unprofessional." Before shaking her head and going off on a tirade. "MON is supposed to be guarding Izuku-sama! I mean he's the first Archlich in centuries and we're here before they are! Not to mention that useless former senior of mine!"

"Watch your damn mouth you little brat!" Allure said, entering through the front door with a flying kick to Kokoa's head, sending her toppling end over end. Following close behind her was Midnight, Gunhead, and all of MON, including Smith and Nuri.

"Nuri-san, nice to see you again," Izuku said with a bow.

"Izuku-kun, always a pleasure. I didn't happen to miss breakfast did I?" He asked hopefully.

Izuku rubbed the back of his head. "You did unfortunately."

"Damn!" He said snapping his fingers, "Aw well, maybe I can beg Emma-san for the recipe for her pot roast."

"No need to beg Nuri-san," Emma replied as she came down the stairs wearing an elegant white kimono that had little rabbits outlined on it, her pink hair tied up in an elaborate bun.

"You look great Emma-san," Izuku complimented absentmindedly catching a baseball bat swing from Kokoa aimed at Kurumu's head, surprising both girl's at how easily he caught and stopped all momentum of the 100 kg bat. Midnight took that moment to chastise them and say. "That's enough, you two. Play around later."

"Whatever," Kokoa said, yanking on her bat twice before finally pulling it out of Izuku's grip and tossing it behind her back, where it turned back into her flying pet bat, Komori.

"Izuku-sama is strong!" Komori complimented. "Strong enough already to stop a blow from Kokoa-sama!"

"He's an Archlich. They are far from weak, though not as strong as Ogres they are more than a match for most Vampires," Nuri chided. "You undead have gone unopposed for far too long if you think you're the top of the food chain."

"No one asked you bus driver!" Kokoa hissed. "Why're you even here anyway?! Don't you have a group of students or elderly to be ferrying around?"

"Kokoa, enough!" Izuku said with a bit of force, mainly because he didn't want to see her turned into a smear on the floor in someone else's home. "Nurihyoi-san is… you've no idea what or who he really is do you?"

Kokoa blinked, surprised Izuku was being so defensive of this person. "Izuku-sama… He's just a bus driver… right?"

"He is not just a bus driver," He looked to said man for permission to continue.

Taking a puff off his cigar and grinning in amusement, he waved a hand. "Go ahead."

Izuku locked eyes with the vampiress. "He is Rikuo Nura Third Head of the Nura Clan, and a Nurarihyon."

"Nurarihyon?" Kokoa asked before she burst out laughing. "They're a myth, Izuku-sama! Even amongst monsters! Like humans ideas on Bigfoot!"

Izuku rubbed at his eyes in exasperation. "Nuri-san a demonstration please."

For a brief instant, a wave of Yoki engulfed the room, sending everyone sans Izuku and to their knees. "I trust that was sufficient?"

Izuku helped Emma and then Kahlua to her feet again. "More than, thank you Nuri-san," He looked to Kokoa who was forcing herself back to her feet shakily and asked, "Do you need more proof, Kokoa-san?"

"No, I'm good," The redhead said as she coughed a bit in embarrassment to hide her blush.

"What the hell was that?" Mina said as she came running down the stairs in a pink kimono that had sakura trees emblazoned on it, with a golden silk obi holding it shut. Though it did burst open rather revealingly around the chest region, nothing explicit was shown.

"Oh wow, Mina you look amazing!" Izuku complimented without thinking.

"Oh, this old thing," Mina said, doing a quick twirl for his benefit. "I've had it forever. I'm surprised it still fits."

Emma gave a little chuckle. "It kind of doesn't dear. When you first bought it, It went down to your feet, now it barely covers your knees, and then there's your… top."

Mina looked down then back up before she arched an eyebrow and said, "So? I look good in this kimono damn it!"

"Ah, so Izuku-san's opinion is the only one that matters," Kahlua said, "Mina-chan truly is the legal wife. Even if she doesn't realize it yet," the blonde vampire said with airheadedness showing.

"I am not… not yet, anyway!" Mina added.

"Not ever if I have anything to say about it!" Gendo said, coming down in a black pinstripe suit, his glasses shining dangerously in Izuku's direction, causing the Archlich to gulp nervously.

"Dear," Emma said in a dangerous tone that all men knew while she came forward and adjusted his blue tie a little bit too tightly. "Be nice. Izuku-kun is stressed out enough as it is."

Gendo loosened his tie and nodded himself. "Yes dear."

"Gen-chan!" Gunhead said happily upon seeing his dearest friend. "Looking sharp!" Before he took out his cellphone and snapped pics of Emma, Mina, Kahlua, and even Midnight posed for him.

"Gu… I'd say thanks for coming, but I think I've given enough thanks as it is seeing as I've let you turn my parlor into a photoroom."

"Can I just get one more picture with all of you together?" Gunhead pleaded.

"Only if Izuku-kun joins us," Midnight teased. "He is our husband after all."

The Archlich would have blushed if he could've. "Y-You're n-n-never gonna let that go are you Midnight?"

The 18+ heroine shook her head. "Nope," She said, popping the 'p'. "Now get in here lover boy."

So, with one final picture taken with several pretty girls crowding around an Archlich, the group set out. The moment Izuku stepped outside he was scooped up into the armored arms of one Tionishia. "Izuku-sama! Good morning! I'd have come inside but it was too small for me!"

"Hello Tionishia good morning!" Izuku replied, not at all bothered by her hug. That was one of the many things Tio liked about him. She didn't feel the need to hold her strength back all that much with him. Unlike with everyone else who were so delicate like porcelain dolls by comparison.

"Hey Tio, put the kid down!" Zombina called "We gotta get going!"

"Um… maybe I could carry him on my shoulders?" Tio suggested.

Smith popped up from behind Zombina. "That's not too terrible of an idea actually. We can have Doppel act as a decoy in the car while you get Izuku there safely. Manako will provide both backup and overwatch."

"I'll follow from a distance as well," Kaluha offered. "While the others shadow the car."

"Neechan~n! I want to protect Izuku-sama!" Kokoa complained.

Kahlua patted her sister's head, "You will be by diverting any potential attackers towards you instead of at Izuku-san."

"But… you're not taking me seriously again," Kokoa said almost under her breath.

It was then that Izuku spoke up, "Kokoa-san, it's because both Kahlua-san and I believe in you that we need you to do this. If both of you weren't there, guarding the car, anyone with even half a brain would know something is up. Yet if you're there they are likely to think I am, and thus, attack. After all, who would suspect a powerful vampire like yourself to be guarding a body double?"

"Ohh… Izuku-sama is very smart."

"Not really, it's just a basic strategy. Divide and conquer, but I am relying on you to get the job done… I can do that, right Kokoa?" Izuku asked.

The redhead snapped to attention. "Yes Izuku-sama! I won't let you down!" She promised before she all but skipped off.

Kahlua turned to the Archlich after she was sure her sister was out of hearing range. "Izuku-sama is a good liar," she complimented.

Izuku shook his head. "I didn't lie. I am depending on her to be a part of the car detail in order to pull it off. I just told it to her in a way she needed to hear. Now, let's get going shall we Kahlua-chan, Tionishia-chan?"

"Yes Izuku-sama!" Both girls said at once before taking off running with an improved opinion of the young Archlich.

Mina sat in Nari-san's Rolls Royce with her arms crossed in a huff. She had hoped she could spend this ride chatting amicably with Midori, encouraging him and reassuring him everything was going to be okay at the trial, only for MON to pull a fast one at the last second. Dopple-chan, who was currently wearing Midori's face leered at her from her right side as she glared out the window. "Awe, c'mon Mina-chan! Gimme a chance!"

"Piss off, you face stealing bitch," Mina growled, not deigning to face the doppleganger.

Instead of being offended, Dopple just giggled. "Tell me, what do you see in him anyway? Izuku I mean? It can't be his looks right? I mean he's a walking corpse."

This time Mina did turn to glare at the face stealer. "Do you honestly think I'm that shallow? Izuku is so much more than his looks. He's put up with more than I can likely ever comprehend. It took ALL MIGHT the Symbol of Peace, the Number One Hero in Japan, to finally break him! For a decade, he put up with people belittling him, telling him he'd never amount to anything just because he didn't have a quirk! But he carried on believing he could become a hero. That takes guts."

"So his personality is the turn on is it? Interesting," Doppel replied while smirking to herself.

"That's a part of it," Mina said. "He's not even sure if he wants to be a hero now, and I can't blame him," Mina grinned wickedly. "The best part is? He doesn't have to be a hero! He's now more important and famous than any hero, even All Might."

Doppel chuckled. "True, true. So what about you? Are you still planning on being a hero after all of this?"

"Yes actually," Mina replied after a moment of thought. "I've always wanted to help people like my mom and dad, and this seems the best way to do it. Especially with my quirk being what it is," Mina said as she fiddled with her quirk in her hands working on thickening it to a gelatinous thickness. She'd been messing with her quirk whenever she got bored which was often, and she'd try to do what Izuku suggested. She'd managed to turn it into syrup so far which was useful in its own right.

"What're you doing?" the Doppelganger inquired as Midnight and Kurumu looked on in interest.

"Quirk training?" Midnight inquired surprised. "That's not usually something they start teaching at Yuuei until second year."

Mina was surprised to hear that. "Really? Well this is something Midori brought up, that if I tried hard enough I could turn my acid into something akin to ballistics gel. It's nowhere near that yet but I've already managed to get it this far."

"Izuku-sama is dangerously smart when it comes to the application of quirks. With a bit of direction, he could easily apply this same mindset to Yoki. Demonic energy," Kurumu replied to the obvious confusion on Mina's face.

"Oh! Yeah, easily. He's wicked smart," Mina agreed…. Moments before a thump was heard as something heavy landed on top of the car and a chipped katana blade pierced the roof. "What the hell?!" The pink alien girl swore.

Kurumu looked out the window only to duck back in when a knife was thrown at her head. Replying with a grimace. "It's the Hero Killer Stain!"

"Why's he here?!" Mina replied.

"Midoriya Izuku! You will die for trying to besmirch honor the one true hero that is All Might!" Stain hollered.

"Well, that answers that," Doppel said as she glanced at Mina. "Can you fight?"

In response, Mina covered her hand in sticky acid and gripped Stain's katana, melting clean through it, causing Stain to fly off the top of the car. The Villain didn't go quietly however, throwing a pair of knives and blowing the back tires, and causing the car to spin out of control before crashing into a guardrailing.

Mina dizzy from the impact, felt herself being pulled from the car. The bright light of the sun hurt her eyes for a moment, and she felt wobbly and she found herself being steadied by Midnight. She faced the direction Stain should be coming from and was surprised at what she saw.

Skeletons. Her skeleton guard was climbing out of the trunk of the Rolls Royce, each armed with a World War two katana. They tore the sheaths away as they charged the Hero Killer each raising their blades to slash or run him through. The Hero Killer was quick on his feet however and managed to avoid every slash and stab only to slash the head off the last skeleton. It exploded in a wave of black energy, that caused Stain to let out a groan of pain. Then Kokoa stepped up with her bat in the shape of a mace and jumped up to smash Stain into paste while he was disoriented from the destruction.

Shaking his head and getting back to his senses Stain dodged out of the way of Kokoa and the crater she created. He pulled out another knife and threw it at Kokoa. She barely dodged the knife but was nicked by it drawing a small amount of blood. Stain acted fast and ran right at Kokoa and dodged right under her hammer and grabbed the knife that cut her. He licked the blade and absorbed the vampiric blood into his body and activated his quirk.

Kokoa started to feel a stiffness in her limbs and noticed that her usual super strength was failing her. She pulled back her hammer and threw at Stain hoping to hit him. Only for Stain to dodge again and make his way towards the other heroes and "Izuku".

The skeletons looked at each other and nodded before they ran at the Hero Killer. They seemingly looking to do the same trick as their brothers in arms only as Stain prepared to jump away, the undead soldiers plunged their weapons into their own bodies, twisted them, and pulled, causing them to explode in a shower of dark energy. Again this repeated with every skeleton in the group using suicide tactics to wound stain at the cost of their lives. Some died, others were healed by the same explosion who then repeated the same action who then kept repeating the process until only one of them was left standing. Its form started to pulse with energy it absorbed from its brothers.

Stain for his part looked rather weak. He was on one knee and was using the remains of his melted katana to prop himself up. "You… haven't won Midoriya Izuku! I… won't let you… get away with… dragging All Might's name through the mud. He is the symbol of a true hero"

"Dragging All Might's name through the mud?" The villain turned when he saw the pink girl call out to him. "He started this, not Izuku!"

"Explain, girl," Stain said as he weakly rose to his feet as the last skeleton picked up two katana's on the ground as bones around the area started to move towards it.

"He… he…" Mina was trying to find the strength and courage to say what needed to be said.

"He caused me to jump off my school roof," A voice rang directly inside of Stain's head replied.

Mina did not expect this. "Midori…"

"Izuku-sama, we've just received word that the car carrying your double has been attacked by the Hero Killer Stain," Tionishia said worriedly as she ran down the street.

Izuku made a split second decision. "Take us to the site of the fight."

Kahlua, who was easily keeping pace with the Ogre, added her two cents. "Izuku-sama I think we should get you to the site of the trial…"

"No! Take me to the site of the fight… now! I want Manako prepared to fire on my order," Izuku demanded unconsciously tapping into his reserves of lifeforce to use both Command Monster and Command Undead that pulsed out of his body and into his two bodyguards making known one thing, "OBEY!".

"As you command Izuku-sama," Both women replied. Before they ran down a different street, with Manako following them from the rooftops.

Stain turned around to face the boy. The undead was dressed so casually as he stood there. He noted the boy was looking at the remaining skeleton, and glanced at it himself. It was now tar black with the skulls of its compatriots being used as shoulder and shin guard armor, multiple arm bones, leg bones, and ribs fused to its body giving it a bulky and almost armor like appearance. A headdress of human rib bones giving it a look reminiscent of horns like a samurai's helmet on its head. In its hands it now held two katana, and a crimson fire burned in its hollow eye sockets as four more arms sprouted from its back.

"Your name?" The boy inquired of it.

"We are Gundan," The black Skeleton replied.

'Legion,' Izuku thought to himself. 'Fitting.' He then spoke to it. "Gundan, your mission remains unchanged, go and protect your Empress."

"Yes, my Emperor," Gundan said as he marched over to Mina standing in front of her protectively as it grabbed four more dropped katana and took a stance of an asura waiting to smite sinners.

Izuku then turned to the Hero Killer. "I should just kill you and reanimate your corpse, for daring to put my Mina in danger."

Mina clasped her hands in front of her when she heard that, her cheeks tinging purple as she flushed.

"You…" Stain said trying and failing to get his second wind as the blood he digested pulsed within his body and gave him new strength. "What were you saying about All Might?"

"He caused me to jump off my school roof," Izuku reiterated. "He's," Izuku gestured down at himself. "Why I look like this now."

"No!" Stain denied as he shook his head. "All Might wouldn't… He's the only real hero out there! He's not like all the fakes!" Stain cried in denial as his eyes started to glow red.

Bitter laughter rang out in everyone's heads. They quickly realized Izuku was laughing. "I… used to be just like you… it's so damn sad in hindsight. Putting All Might on this pedestal, thinking he was faultless, the perfect hero," Izuku looked at the villian with something akin to pity. "Unlike you though, I've woken up to the harsh reality that no one is faultless. Not even All Might. I paid for his faults… I wonder what you'll have to pay to come to your realization of the same thing?" Izuku said before he made a gun with his thumb and index finger, and pressed his thumb down.

Seconds later, the Hero Killer was struck in the head with a rubber bullet and sent skidding across the road and stood till tall with a look of astonishment on his face until a second bullet hit him right between the eyes, making everyone blink in surprise. Izuku looked over to the assembled Heroes who had just watched the confrontation take place. "You might wanna get him in handcuffs while he's out cold guys."

That prompted Midnight and Gunhead into action, and they rushed over to secure the S-rank criminal. Once they had him in quirk nullifying cuffs, Midnight replied. "That was… impressive but also stupidly dangerous Izuku-kun."

"Well I didn't see any of the so-called professionals doing anything so I decided to step up," Izuku replied.

Midnight took the blow to the chin with humility. As he was right, she didn't do anything nor did Gunhead or Allure, or anyone else on the protection detail. "You're right, but in our defense, your skeletons and Kokoa had things well in hand."

"Not the point Midnight," Izuku sighed and shook his head. "You can't just wait around for someone with the right quirk to show up and save the day. You're a Yuuei alumni right?" Seeing her nod, he asked, "Plus Ultra is the motto of that… place. So tell me, are you only supposed to give plus ultra while in school and then give up once you actually become a hero?"

Midnight hissed through her teeth. Once again, Izuku had hit the nail on the head, his words, as blunt as any hammer. "Alright, alright, I get it Izuku. I'll try harder from now on."

"That's all I ask Nemuri-san," Izuku said as he looked at Gunhead. "You could've shot him anytime you know? The skeletons are dead. They can't die twice."

"My, my, Izuku-chan has a cold side to him it seems," Gunhead replied with a little laugh.

"I'd like to think of myself as utilitarian. Using materials available to me to fulfill my means." Izuku replied, "Next time, please take the shot Gunhead-san," Izuku said before he walked over to Mina. "Mina-chan are you alri-" He didn't get to finish as he was suddenly glomped by the pink girl.

"Midori! That was… are you okay?" She asked worriedly as she held him to her.

Stiffening a moment before returning the hug, the archlich replied, "I'm fine, Mina-chan. We need to get going to the place where the trial will be held though. Does anyone have the address?"

Nurari popped out of the driver's seat of his car. "Right here kiddo… that son of a bitch put a hole in my fucking roof and burst two of my tires!" Before Izuku took the paper he saw Kokoa struggling to her feet and went over to help her up.

"Thank you for trying to protect Mina and the others for me Kokoa," Izuku said while the red started to blush in embarrassment at his tender touch and how what scratches she had were healed by the energy pulsing from his hands.

"You are too kind Izuku-sama. I was trying to do what was needed of me." She almost stuttered out as she went to go stand next to her grinning sister.

Taking that as his cue Izuku went and grabbed the slip of paper. Izuku then read it over carefully several times before tucking it away in his pocket. "Okay, I'm gonna give this a shot. I need everyone to join hands in a circle please and someone needs to grab Stain."

Everyone did as he asked, and only once they were set up did Gunhead ask. "What're we doing Izuku-chan?"

"I'm going to use a spell called Greater Teleportation to get us to our destination. It'll tire me out a bit, but we'll get to where we need to go."

Nurari grinned. "Someone's been using dungeons and dragons as a basis for their spells."

"If its dumb but it works, its not dumb," Izuku replied with a shrug. "Everybody ready?" Getting a round of nods, he incanted. "Greater Teleportation!"

Everyone glowed an ethereal green as a magic circle depicting a skull inside of a pentacle appeared beneath their feet appeared moments before everyone was teleported away in a pulse of power.

The group found themselves in front of a picturesque Japanese estate. Slanted tile roofs that topped two inch thick stone walls. In the middle of the estate was a pagoda, atiered lacquered tower standing taller than even the grove of green bamboo that encircled the estate. A door of solid massive oak with golden door knockers in the shape of demons stood on either door. Izuku broke the circle, made his way over, and slammed one of the golden loops against the door thrice.

Once the sound of the booms faded away, the giant doors slowly creaked open and a young pale skinned girl, with her long straight black hair in a hime cut, and eyes red like blood, wearing a formal black kimono with vibrant floral patterns on it answered the door. She looked at Izuku expressionless for a moment before a spark of what could be construed as joy flickered in her dull listless eyes and a ghost of a smile crossed her face for but a moment so fleeting, Izuku thought he might've imagined it. The girl then bowed formally and spoke in an emotionless tone. "Welcome to Beni-enma's estate Izuku-dono. I am Ai Enma, and I shall be at your service during your stay here."

Izuku was quick to bow. "I'll be in your care then, please take good care of me."

"And me as well. Come, the Mistress wishes to see you and get you settled in before the trial begins." Ai said her tone never rising above a whisper or in pitch.

Izuku followed the young girl, who couldn't have been more than a year his junior through the estate. He saw a koi pond, off to his right, the estate itself seemed a bit dusty and there were cobwebs in the corners, but he recalled Miia-san telling him Monsters had different standards in living conditions than humans did, so he paid it no mind as he walked down the halls. He stopped in front of an elaborate paper screen door that was gilded in gold depicting the Yama, the judges of hell, in all of their resplendent and terrible glory. Demon judges which determined the time one would spend in Naraka, one of the buddhist hells were turning pages in massive books as they were surrounded by golden flames.

Ai Enma knocked on the wooden frame and spoke softly. "Mistress, Izuku-dono has arrived."

"Thank you Ai-chan, send him in please. Deshi," A voice called from within.

"The mistress will see you…"

Ai was cut off when an older attractive woman in a blue kimono with a dark blue border lining the opening at the top that covered nagajuban came barreling down the hallway before addressing Ai Enma directly. "Mistress, you needn't have bothered yourself with answering the door for… guests," She gave Izuku a barely concealed look of contempt.

"Hone Onna," Ai spoke, directly to her subordinate. "Be respectful to Izuku-dono and his retinue, am I clear? That goes to Kikuri and Ichimokuren as well."

Hone Onna bowed contritely. "Of course mistress, I shall let them know," The woman turned and walked away but Izuku still noted the hatred in her eyes for him as she turned to leave.

"What was that about? Izuku inquired.

"I apologize it's nothing you need to concern yourself over," Ai replied, bowing slightly. "Now please, go see the mistress, she has been kept waiting, and she doesn't like that."

Izuku had half a mind to insist on knowing what was going on, he was an Archlich it was his job to help monsters… but he held off. 'If she wants to tell me, she'll tell me,' he decided before he reached for the door and pulled it open.

The room beyond was spartan but what was inside it was clearly of extremely high quality. Tatami mats gleamed, sitting pillows sat all around, waiting to be occupied, and a window allowed natural sunlight to stream into the room. He could tell that just by looking. Sitting at a shogi table wearing a layered, are those feathers? Izuku thought to himself as he approached. Yes, in fact they were a scarlet red haired girl wearing a feather mantle of red, blue and green feathers, with a white neck trimm, her kimino was black and trimmed in flames, and it was scandalously short, ending at her upper thighs. She had a crown on her head and her hair was tied in an elaborate bun. Her eyes too, were a startling crimson which contrasted sharply with her pale complexion as she turned her head to look at him. She nodded her head respectfully. "Izuku-dono, won't you please sit deshi?" She motioned gracefully with her arm to the opposite side of the shogi board.

Izuku sat, feeling slightly nervous. "H-Hello your honor. Y-You asked to s-see me b-before the t-trial?"

She smiled at him sweetly, innocently. "Correct and incorrect deshi. The trial has already started deshi! I had All Might and Bakugo Katsuki brought here earlier and already questioned them. Now, I wish to hear about things from your point of view."

Izuku blinked. "R-Really? B-But what about lawyers and questioning and due process and all manner of other things?"

"Izuku-sama, Izuku-sama relax deshi!" Beni-enma said, reaching across the shogi board and placing her hands on his shoulders. "It was decided since this was a crime done to a monster, that justice should be meted out by a monster. Now please, tell me your story deshi."

"So you are a monster! I had my suspicions but… Is it considered rude to use one's sight on another person?" Izuku inquired.

Beni-enma shook her head. "Not at all but you should know that what you see with your sight is the absolute truth. It is the truest truth of a person. You're not just seeing their monster form but also them as they are in their very soul… and things like that, can never be forgotten no matter how hard you try. So do be careful with your true seeing Izuku-dono lest you see too much, and be driven mad."

Izuku nodded. "Right, thank you Your Honor."

"Please, call me Beni-chan Izuku-dono!" The young girl asked.

Izuku cleared his throat even though he didn't need to do that anymore. "Um, right, Beni-chan so, where should I begin?"

"Teehee, you really did it deshi!" She squealed in an almost fangirlish manner before she realized she was supposed to be acting in an official manner, She coughed into her fist. "Ahem, I mean I believe the best place to start would be the beginning. That's usually the best place to begin any tale.."

"That… could take awhile," Izuku said, doing his best to ignore her fangirl moment.

Beni-enma rested her hands on her lap. "We have nothing but time Izuku-dono. The trial will take as long as it takes. You may stop and start again whenever you wish. I have beds prepared for you and your retinue here in my estate, far, far away from the accused, who are being kept on house arrest here until I hear your full testimony and come to a decision."

Izuku saw a moment to take a chance and went for it. "Um! About that Beni-chan I was wondering if I may… weigh in on Bakugo and All Might's sentences?"

"Victims always have a right to ask for specific penalties for the accused," The girl's eyes twinkled with anticipation. "What does Izuku-dono have in mind?"

"For All Might just a hefty fine I'm thinking a third of his liquid assets, to be distributed to various charities and hospitals across Japan," Izuku said uncertainty and muttering.

The girl closed her eyes for a moment, before nodding, "Should I pass judgement in your favor that is adequate. What of Katsuki Bakugo?"

This time Izuku's voice was harsher, and more certain. "I want to blacklist him from every hero course in every school in Japan. He can still go to the schools of course, but he can never be a hero, support course or otherwise."

A devious smile stretched across the girls face. "Can do Izuku-dono! If I rule in your favor, I shall do this for you dechi."

"Thank you Beni-chan," Izuku bowed at the waist.

Beni-enma waved her arms back and forth rapidly. "No need to be so formal dechi! Now, the start of your story please."

Izuku was ready to begin, but he had one question. "Why… are you being so nice to me? Aren't you supposed to be impartial?"

Beni-enma just blinked. "Beni-enma is being impartial; she hasn't come to a decision yet. As to why she is being so nice… does Izuku-dono not realize how powerful he is?" Seeing the blank stare she was getting from the Archlich, Beni-enma sighed. "Allow Beni-chan to explain. Beni-enma is a Yama, a judge of the dead. She decides who goes where when people die," she giggled cutely when she saw his jaw drop.

'N-N-Nani?! A-A Yama can't be this cute!'

Beni-enma looked at the shogi board, blushing. "Izuku-dono thinks I'm cute?"

"Th-That was supposed to remain in my thoughts!" Izuku mumbled. "But you're really a Yama?"

"Correct deshi, which is what makes you so amazing!" Seeing Izuku was still clueless she explained, "You can overturn my rulings, you can bring people back from the dead, weakened or in full. Usually once I make a ruling on someone's soul, it is permanent. Yet you, and you alone can overturn that."

"I'm sorry?" Izuku apologized.

Beni-enma waved him off. "Don't apologize. Yokai you'll recall find strength... attractive," She fluttered her eyelashes at him. Before she shook her head, reminding herself again that she was on the job. "Ahem, anyway. Proceed."

Izuku took a breath he didn't need to take, and tried not to think about how the judge just flirted with him just a little. "Okay, it started when I was four and realized I would, could never develop a quirk."

Izuku had talked for hours bringing up everytime Bakugo verbally, physically, emotionally, or mentally abused him. Many of those times involved blatant use of his quirk on his person in front of both teachers and peers. Once he finally asked for a break, mainly because dragging all these old memories up were painful for him to relive, Beni-enma told him to head off to the hot springs behind her house and relax before dinner.

He decided to take her up on that and made his way behind the house finding a simple changing area that was split into two sections one sign for men, the other for women. Changing into nothing but a white towel he made his way out into the onsen. He heard light splashing the moment he found himself out back, meaning someone was already here. Izuku thought to call out, but then thought better of it. 'What if it's Bakugo or All Might? They might attack me.' So thinking he folded his towel up, put it on his head, and walked into the bath.

'This is nice,' he thought. Again he heard a faint splashing this time it was closer and footsteps on stone was heard. 'I wish I knew who was in here with me though.'

His curiosity was soon answered when Ai Enma of all people strode out of the streamy mist, water droplets falling off her pale skin from her prewash.

"A-AI-san?! Why are you on this side of the bath?!" Izuku asked as he looked sharply away before the steam thinned out enough to show anything explicit.

"This side of the bath… Izuku-dono didn't know the bath is unisex did he?" Ai asked.

"Eh?! I did not! Please cover yourself," Izuku begged.

"If I did that, then I'd get my towel wet," Ai pointed out. "I don't want to get my towel wet till I finish, and I don't want to leave yet."

"W-Why not?!" Izuku asked, refusing to look Ai's way.

Though he couldn't see it the dark haired girl had a ghost of a smile on her face again. "I'm enjoying talking to Izuku-dono."

"Oh, well I enjoy talking to you too I guess. Though it would be nice if you were clothed or at least covered."

Izuku heard the sound of Ai walking over the stone, then a plop, and after that, he felt strands of wet hair on his arm. Looking over, he found the girl was buried up to her neck in the water leaning on his arm. "Is this better Izuku-dono?"

"Yes thank you," Izuku replied relieved.

"... Izuku-dono?" Ai said.

Izuku looked down at the girl who was still using his shoulder as a head rest. "Yes?"

"I need your help," Ai said looking up into his ethereal green eyes.

The archlich for his part didn't even take the time it took to blink before he replied. "How can I help Ai-san?"

The girl faced forward again and for a moment, she didn't say anything, then she spoke in that same momotone. "I… wasn't born a yokai. I was turned into one, due to my hatred and grudge. six-hundred -fifty years ago, in the early fifteenth century, I was chosen as a sacrifice to appease the mountain god by my village for a good harvest. My parents and cousin Sentarou brought me food and clothing for years until one day, he was found out, and my parents were killed while I was buried alive… Sentarou was the one who threw the first handful of dirt on my face."

Ai didn't react when Izuku's arm wrapped around her. "He didn't have choice Ai, surely you realize that?"

The girl said nothing just moving deeper into his embrace and continued talking, "Later that night, I rose from my grave, and slaughtered all the villagers. Some part of me must've still held some form of affection for Sentarou for I let him live. I vowed to hate them all forever even in death as they buried me. My act caught the attention of a Yama who holds the souls of my parents on the shores of the Sanzu River."

"Beni-enma?" Izuku questioned.

Ai shook her head. "She's a different Yama, one who requests my assistance from time to time. Anyway, he made a deal with me. In return for not sending my parents souls to hell, I must act as his messenger to people's hatred and vengeance here on earth. Demanding I forget my own hatred, numbing myself to the suffering of others, and becoming a mere observer."

Izuku asked the obvious question. "If you refused?"

"Then my parents' souls would wander in hell forever," Ai replied, the slightest bit of sadness and anger in her tone.

"That's so sad Ai-chan," squealed a high pitched girly voice as two thick tan arms reached out from the mist and pulle both of them into a hug in between two heavenly spheres of tan caramel goodness.

Izuku looked up past the sheer ginormous boobs and saw Tio holding both of them as tears streamed down her face. Her pale locks were wet and went behind her back showing how long her hair really was.

Izuku realized the person he heard earlier in the bath must have been Tio. Izuku was about to ask Ai why she hadn't said anything and then noticed a sight kind of funny. Ai was smooshed deeper than he was between Tio's boobs and was squirming around to free herself.

"Tio please release Ai unlike me she needs to breathe," Izuku piped up as Tio finally realized that she was accidently smothering another person with her heavenly mounds of greatness.

"Oh sorry Ai san," Tio began to let Ai go and she breathed a sigh of relief. Izuku was about to say thanks until he was pulled deeper and was glomped by Tio as Ai backed away slightly from the mounds of death.

And then the worst person to see this showed up

"Wow!" A voice that was very familiar to Izuku called out. "There really is an onsen back he-" Mina paused as she saw her not-boyfriend cuddling naked with a older tan oni in between her boobs to be exactly. "Midori…" Mina's tone suddenly became dangerous at the scene she saw before her. "Why is Tio smothering you between her breasts and Ai-chan in the bath with you?"

"It's a unisex bath and Tio was comforting the both of us," Ai replied.

"It is?" Mina asked. Seeing Ai nod Mina began to strip. "Well, that's different then,"

"M-M-Mina-chan?! What're you doing?!" Izuku sputtered out in his thoughts in embarrassment

"Well, I'm not gonna get into the onsen with my clothes on Midori. Do you want me to wash your back? Or did Ai-chan already offer to do that? Or maybe you're too occupied with the snu snu session Tio is offering?" Mina teased as she stripped off her top.

"N-No! I mean, no she didn't. Not no I don't want you to wash my back… Not that you need to do that either! Also Tio, could you please let me go?" Izuku said quickly. Tio realizing that her adorable, huggable, and lovable Izuku-chan wanted to be let go.

"Sure thing Izuku-dono. In fact, could you wash my back? I have trouble reaching back there."

"Don't be stupid," Mina said as she unhooked her pink bra. "Washing your own back is difficult. Unless you can rip off your own arm and control it or something… can you do that? Midori? Also see Tio wants her back scrubbed so are you gonna leave her hanging?"

Izuku couldn't answer because his brain had short circuited. He had seen Mina Ashido, his best friend, topless… and she was gorgeous. Sure she was covering herself with an arm now but he still saw plenty.

"Midori!" Mina said flushing purple. "They're not that amazing, you know? They're heavy a lot of the time, and give me back pain. Ask Tio, she can probably understand too. Ai-chan is actually lucky to be so pert and perky."

Tio also spoke up, " Indeed Ai-chan in fact if it wasn't for my armor being very form fitting I would have so much more back pain with my breasts. Most bras just aren't made with my size in mind."

The red eyed girl looked at her bayfully. "The grass is always greener on the other side, as they say."

Mina chuckled as she entered the water and sat down on Izuku's other side. "Yeah I guess that's true. Man, this water's nice," She put an arm around Izuku and asked, "So, what were you three talkin' about before I showed up?"

"My parents," Ai replied. "They need help and I've asked Izuku-dono for assistance."

"Midori, what's goin' on?"

"It's… an Archlich thing Mina-chan. It could be dangerous so I'm not sure if I should involve you… ouch?" Izuku said when Mina flicked him in the forehead. It didn't actually hurt, but that felt like the correct response.

"Idiot Midori!" Mina replied, "I'm going to become a hero! That means I'm going to be putting myself in danger alot! So I might as well get some early experience in, right?"

"I don't think that's how that's supposed to work Mina-chan," Izuku deadpanned.

"Which one of the four of us is gonna be the hero here?" Mina countered.

"And what was your position in your grades again?" Izuku rebutted.

"Irrelevant!" Mina shouted, her cheeks purpling due to embarassment. "What is relevant, is that if I'm going to be a hero, I have to get used to danger, so bring it Midori!"

"This probably isn't going to be all that dangerous though. Not if my spells work the way I think it will," Izuku said as he looked up at the steam occluded sky.

He felt Ai tighten her grip upon his left arm. "You have a plan already Izuku-dono?"

"Yes, it should work. I wish I had brought my bag of sakura tree seeds with me now, I could just down the whole thing and just resurrect your parents for you Ai."

Izuku looked down to see the first bit of emotion, that of shock on the girl's face. "You… you would do that for me? Even after everything I've done?"

"What'd she do?" Mina asked.

"The village deserved it, and you were coerced for the last six-hundred-fifty years or so due to your parents souls being held hostage in naraka… so yeah. If I had the juice I would," Izuku looked down into the steamy waters of the bath angry with himself. "But I don't sorry."

Ai pressed her head to his shoulder and shook her head. "No, don't apologize. The fact you even offered for the likes of me means… more than I can express."

"Midori, explain please," Mina all but demanded as she patted Ai's back as she cried on Izuku's shoulder.

Izuku filled Mina in on Ai's backstory and once he'd finished Mina's bumblebee hued eyes were flinty. "Yeah, those fuckers deserved it alright, and you're sure you can't resurrect her parents Midori?"

"Not unless I want to die again," Izuku admitted. "I currently have seventeen and a half souls worth of energy in me due to my nervous eating this morning. If I used all of those souls plus my own, I could resurrect both of Ai-chan's parents."

"How can you have half a soul?" Mina retorted.

"Every seed I eat gives me one and a quarter souls or a hundred and twenty five years worth of life energy. Every fourth one I eat gives me a free soul. It's not that hard to figure out Mina-chan."

Mina shook her head. "Nonono! I mean… how do you even know how much life energy each seed is worth?"

"It's just… something I innately knew after eating one. Kinda like how a normal person doesn't need to tell their heart to beat or lungs to inhale. I think it's an automated process like that. Sorry for being rude."

"Nah, it's cool man," Mina grinned, "I don't even think you knew that you knew till I pointed it out right?"

Izuku shook his head. "I did not. Thank you, Also I don't have fifty thousand yen in diamonds, which is another component in a true resurrection spell.

Mina whistled. "Yeah, we're not doing that, not on a brokeass teenager's budget. Sorry Ai-chan,"

The younger girl shook her head. "It's fine, but what is the plan."

"Firstly, get dressed. As I'm not doing this with all three of us naked no offence Tio but this seems to be a more private affair," Izuku declared

"No problem at all Izuku let me excuse myself. I already heard enough from both your conversations earlier." Tio said as she got up and flashed Izuku with her great breasts as she got her towel and left

"Good plan," Mina replied while thinking for such larger boobs Tio's had good form, before she leaned over and whispered into his ear playfully. "The four of us can always come back here later to celebrate right?"

"M-Mina-chan?!" Izuku sputtered.

"Sounds good to me," Ai replied her inflection never changed.

"Not you too Ai-chan!" Izuku muttered slumping in defeat.

"Hey can I bring the others to celebrate, it's not all the time we get time off to relax," They all heard Tio call from the entrance.

Mina shouted back an affirmative while Ai patted Izuku on the back. "If you save my parents you can do whatever you want with me Izuku-dono. I… am already damned. I'm no longer human. My rage turned me into a yokai. I am likely to be damned to naraka when I die anyway," He looked at her and she returned his gaze, cocking her head to the side cutely. "So I might as well have some fun while I'm here eh?"

Izuku sighed. 'One thing at a time Izuku, one thing at a time,' he thought to himself. "Let's just get dressed."

Once the three were clothed, Izuku led them out to the front of the house. Once they were far enough away not to be dusturbed, Izuku turned to the girls. "Okay you two, you need to stay back just in case this doesn't work. "Let's see, what do I need, what do I need? Right."

Picking up a long branch, Izuku carved a circle in the dirt then he made another right next to it. He then made his way back to Ai and said, "I need a couple strands of your hair one for each circle."

Ai nodded. "Alright, take what you need Izuku-dono."

The girl didn't even flinch as the Archlich plucked a couple of raven black hairs from her scalp. He placed one in each circle. He then raised his arms above his head causing a ring of blue flames to flare up around the circle and green eldritch energy to spark from his fingertips as he intoned. "Summon Undead!"

For a moment nothing happened, then a pale white smoke rose up from the ground in the center of each circle and quickly coalesced into the form of two thirty something asian ghosts who were wearing ancient clothing. Simple beige hemp kimino's and sandals were on each of their feet. Both had brown eyes.

Ai subconsciously moved closer, all but whispering as tears rolled down her cheeks, "Mom, Dad."

The two figures had their attention locked on Izuku however. The one in the right circle, the male, spoke. "You called us forth Archlich-dono?"

"Yes," The woman asked, "How may we, simple farmers, be of service?"

Motioning to Ai, he said, "Your daughter asked me to assist you."

It was only then when he gestured to her that the apparitions of her parents noticed her. They looked surprised for a moment, then smiled, then looked sad. Her mother spoke. "Ai-chan, you… we're sorry we couldn't protect you Ai-chan."

Ai shook her head. "No, it's not your fault! It's the villagers! Theirs and that stupid ritual!"

"Perhaps," Her father said, "But that doesn't make what you did any less wrong either dear."

"You… know?" Ai asked in a broken voice.

"We were informed by the spider," Her father continued. "We would be stuck on the edge of the Sanzu River unable to cross, while you had to ferry others to Naraka."

"I'm sorry," Ai said, lowering her head in remorse as tears fell from her eyes, "It's all my fault! If I had just died like I was supposed to…"

"Don't say that!" Her mother, father, and Izuku said at the same time.

Ai's father spoke. "Ai, you being sent to the mountain wasn't your choice. That was the village elders. You didn't decide to live then either. That was the decision of your mother, myself and Sentarou-kun. The one time you got to make a decision it was made in anger, and it cost you… So I ask you now, please, choose to live. That's so much harder than dying, and I know I'm asking you a lot but Ai-chan, please live."

"Yes please dear," Her mother pleaded. "Don't give up, not when things are just starting to turn around for you."

"Live please! Please live," Her parents kept pleading with her.

"You know, I'm getting a strong feeling your folks want you to keep on living," Mina said, coming up to stand next to Ai. "Whaddaya say? Wanna give it a shot?"

"Mother, what did you mean when you said things are just starting to turn around for me?" Ai asked in lieu of answering Mina's question.

The older woman smiled knowingly, "Ai-chan, Archlich-dono raised our souls from the shores of the Sanzu River. I doubt he'd do that for just anyone because they asked."

"Mother please," Ai whined, proving that the penchant for parents for embarrassing their children transcended life and death and was embedded into their very souls.

"Heh," Her father let out a little chuckle before he turned to Izuku and said, "I hate to impose too much, but could I ask you to look after my daughter for me? She's a bit of a handful, and has quite the temper when she gets angry, but she's a good girl at heart."

"Father!" Ai whined as her facial mask started to break. At this point she wanted nothing more than to just crawl back into the hole she'd dragged her corpse out of at this point.

"I… think it would be rude to refuse such a request so of course I'll look after her for you sir." Izuku replied as politely as he could.

"Great, now if we only had a cow and a bushel of rice to give you," The farmer muttered.

"F-Father, stop, please stop." Ai cried piteously as her inner emotions started to show.

Mina for her part was doing her best not to laugh, since Ai has basically just been married off to Midori by her parents. 'Wait… Ai-chan just basically got married to Midori… before me!'

"I'm the legal wife damnit!"

"Mina… did you just say you're the legal wife?" Izuku asked, his head slowly mechanically turning towards her, his jaw hanging open.

"Dibs on being the secondary wife," Ai said after basically realizing she was married to Izuku.

"That's… I'm strangely okay with that," Mina said after a moment. "But yes! I said it! I'm the legal wife damnit!"

Izuku raised a finger. "I'd like to point out we haven't even been on a date yet?"

"Irrelevant!" Mina shouted. Izuku noted she seemed to like that word. "I know everything about you a normal wife should know already!"

"We've only been together a couple of weeks!" Izuku retorted. "And we haven't even dated!"

"Irrelevant!" Mina shouted again. "Quiz me if you don't believe me."

Izuku ran a hand down his leathery face. "Are you serious? You don't exactly have the best test scores remember?"

"Those weren't nearly as important as you are!" Mina replied swiftly before her cheeks flushed purple and she muttered, "Can you just quiz me already?"

Izuku scratched his head. "Uh my favorite food?"

"Sakura seeds, though if you have to eat normal food, it's your mom's katsudon with okra and natto on the side." Mina grinned knowingly.

Izuku nodded. "Okay, dreams for the future?"

Mina was morose as she said, "Currently you don't have any, but you did want to attend Yuuei at one point until All Might may he burn in hell, crushed that dream," She became angry by the end.

"Best Friend?"

"Me of course," Mina pointed at herself and grinned, before frowning at Izuku, cracking her knuckles, and saying, "And if you say it's that Bakugo guy, I'm punching you."

"No, no! It's you Mina-chan, though I also would've accepted Kirishima, or Mirio-san."

"Why them?"

"Best male friend." Izuku.

Mina shot him a confused look. "What's the difference?"

Umm…" Izuku didn't exactly know how to put this delicately. "I can talk about things with guys that I can't with you?"

'Like how friggin' hot and sexy I think you and the others are like all the time,' Izuku thought to himself.

"Oh, I'm hot and sexy am I?" Mina purred with a sly smile on her face. "Tell me what about me is hot and sexy?"

"Uhh do I have to answer this question?"

"Son, just answer the question, you're less likely to end up on the couch that way," The ghost of Ai's father said as his wife nodded sagely next to him.

"The usual and then some that aren't," Izuku replied evasively.

"You mean my boobs right?"

"You're… those yes, and your butt's nice too..." Izuku mumbled.

That surprised Mina and she stroked both her hands down her posterior. "My boobs I expected but you like my butt too huh? I didn't expect you to be a tits and ass man Midori. Anything else?"

"Hair, skin, eyes, horns… truth be told, I think all of you looks exotic," Izuku mumbled at hyperspeed.

"Exotic huh? Well I can't say I've been called that before. You really know how to make a girl feel special Midori." Mina leaned over Ai and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Ai meanwhile was looking down at her own svelte form and huffed mumbling, "I lost,"

Mina patted her shoulder. "Hey now, hey now! It's not a competition. Ai-chan is dangerously cute, you know? Right Midori?"

"Yes," Izuku admitted. "I honestly thought you were an animated porcelain doll when I first saw you, then you smiled and I realized you were a person."

"Izuku-dono is kind, as is Mina-san."

"Also Mina if I could just give you one more compliment?" Izuku said.

"I'm not fishing, but go ahead," Mina said grinning.

"You, uh, you look like a real empress in that kimono," Izuku praised cursing himself for stumbling over his words.

Mina winked. "Only the best for the emperor."

Then a new voice rang out, "My Mistress, please don't do this!"

Izuku turned to find the woman from earlier racing towards them with a young girl, an old man, and an older man in his twenties with dark hair covering one eye racing after her.

"Hone Onna, I've already made up my mind," Ai said.

The woman in the kimono glared hatefully at Izuku. "You! This is all your fault! You're the reason the Mistress wants to abandon her duty!"

Ai stepped between Izuku and her servant, as the sky darkened. "I've already warned you once Hone Onna not to disrespect Izuku-dono and his retinue. If you continue to act this way I will be forced to… discipline you," She glanced behind her, "Izuku-dono please proceed with your plan to free my parents."

Hone Onna begane to tear up. "Mistress please! Why're you choosing to abandon us?!"

"What makes you think she's abandoning you?" Izuku asked as he prepared to remove the curse on the Enma's. 'Actually is Enma even their last name?' he thought to himself.

"We are bound to serve the Hell Girl!" Hone Onna snapped, If her parents are freed, she no longer has any reason to be the Hell Girl, and she will simply be replaced with another!"

"Were you cursed?" Izuku asked.

"What?" Hone Onna asked.

Izuku repeated himself. "Were you cursed to follow the one who held the position of Hell Girl?"

The old man spoke up, "It's something of a curse yes, why do you ask?"

"If that's the case, then I can take care of it, just as easily as I'm taking care of this," Izuku replied as he reached out into the circle and put a hand on both of the ghosts. "Remove Curse!"

A black mist seeped from the ghosts of Ai's parents and two beams of bright light shot down through the dark clouds right down on top of them both. They both began to slowly float upwards. They smiled at their daughter who smiled back with tears in her eyes.

"You'll keep living won't you? They asked. "For us?"

"Yes," Ai said even as she cried. "I promise."

"Good, and Ai… don't let hatred consume you anymore…" her father called.

"Remember her mother said, "Your name… means... love!"

"We love you… Ai!" Her parents called before they're forms were consumed by the light and it faded away.

"I love you too… Mother, Father… I love you both… so much!" Ai said falling to her hands and knees as she continued to cry.

Izuku kneeled down, "Ai-chan, I'm so-woah!" He didn't expect the girl to throw her arms around him and cry into his shoulder.

"T-Thank you Izuku-dono," Ai's voice was muffled as her face was buried into the crook of her shoulder but he heard her all the same.

"Shh, there, there, Ai-chan, everything'll be okay. Rest now. Your parents are in a better place," Izuku soothed.

Once she cried herself to sleep, Izuku picked her up. He looked to Mina who just smiled at him and shot him a victory sign. "First mission as an Archlich accomplished Midori!"

"Yeah I guess so," He turned to Hone Onna. "Where's her room, I'm going to lay her down so she can rest."

"I'll take her," Hone Onna said, snappishly reaching for her mistress.

"No, that's not what I said Bone Woman," Izuku snapped, having quite enough of her mouth, to the point of referring to her as what she was rather than who she was. With her they were the same thing, but that's besides the point. "I told you to give me directions to her room, now speak!" Izuku innately used Command Undead once again as his eyes sparked with power and glowed and radiant green.

"Down the hall, last door on the left."

"Thank you," With that he walked off.

Mina looked at Hone Onna and said, "Well, he told you huh?"

"Shut up!" The woman snapped, "You have no idea what he's done!"

Mina didn't pay her any mind, she was already using her acid to skate after Izuku.

Izuku walked down the hall with Ai asleep in his arms, he came across Beni-enma coming out of the kitchen wearing a pink frilly apron of all things. "You look… cute Beni-chan."

"Izuku-dono… Is Ai-chan okay?" She asked worriedly.

"She's fine, just... emotionally exhausted." Izuku said after a moment.

Beni-enma nodded. "After freeing her parents from that one's grasp, I imagine she is very relieved.

"Who is that one Beni-chan?" Izuku asked.

Beni-enma smiled sadly. "I imagine you'll find out sooner than later. Oh, when you go into her room, try not to disturb obaasan."

"Her grandmother? But I thought only her parents…" Beni-Enma was already skipping back into the kitchen.

Izuku was confused. 'If she had a grandmother, why didn't she bring her up and only mentioned her mother and father? Unless it was just someone she called grandmother, but in that case, who is she to Ai?' He stopped in front of the door Hone Onna mentioned. "Well, looks like I'm about to find out.

"Pardon the intrusion," He said before he pulled the door open and stepped inside.

He suddenly found himself inside of a rather nice cottage, it was twilight outside and orange leaves kept falling from the maple trees outside. Yet Izuku picked up a noise to his right. Looking over he saw the silhouette of an old woman sitting behind a shoji door, while manually turning a spinning wheel.

He placed Ai near the woman and turned to go when the rhythmic noise of the spinning wheel suddenly stopped. Then, the voice of an old woman called out to him. "You've done something both miraculous and foolhardy young Bodhisattva. Still, might I know your name?"

Izuku remembered what Beni-enma said but at the same time, he couldn't help but say, "Excuse me ma'am but it's considered rude to ask someone else's name without giving yours first isn't it?"

Instead of being miffed, the woman just chuckled. "True, true. I have many names you can call me Yami or Yamuna if you prefer."

"Well Yamuna-san, I'm Midoriya Izuku. Nice to meet you," He bowed politely.

"Such a well spoken polite young man, and so willing to help a young lady he just met too…" The woman behind the paper screen chuckled. "Yes, I could see why Ai-chan would be so easily smitten with you. So selfless."

"Grandmother, please stop teasing Izuku...kun," Ai said back to her usual stoic self as she sat up.

"Are you alright?" Izuku asked, going to his knees and scooting close to Ai.

"I'm… fine," Ai said as she looked away with a blush staining her face. "Thank you, for everything."

Izuku did his best to smile though with his new visage, it came out as more of a rictus leer. "It's no problem… but did you really mean it when you said you were going to be my secondary wife?"

"My, my, Ai-chan moves fast when she sees something she wants," Yamuna noted.

"Did you truly mean what you said to my Father? That you would look after me in his place?" Ai asked in return, ignoring her grandmother's jibes in the background.

Izuku nodded seriously. "Yes."

"Then yes… you do know that was them giving me away to you yes?"

"Giving you away… as in marriage?!" Izuku yelled.

Ai nodded. "Yes," She then let a ghost of a smile appear as she said flatly, "You may now kiss your bride Izuku-kun."

Izuku was at a loss. "I um, uhh…"

"Everyone, dinner is ready!" Beni-enma's voice called out. "Hone-chan? Could you deliver plates to All Might-san and Katsuki-san please?"

"Oh look at that! Dinner's ready we'd better go! Would you like us to bring you something back ma'am?" Izuku asked Yamuna as he all but ran for the door.

"If you'd be so kind dearie. I haven't had Beni-chan's food in ages," Yamuna called as he all but ran down the hall. She chuckled. "It's a good thing he's an undead Ai dear or your teasing might just kill him."

Ai just smiled a little as she got up and left at a more sedate pace. Once she was gone, Yamuna spoke to the open air. "So brother dear? What will you do now? Your precious Hell Girl is lost to you. You have nothing to keep her bound to your service."

In the corner of the room, an overly large black and red spider on its thorax with a yellow area that looked like an eye, began to tear down its intricate web in fury.

Dinner was held in a grand hall, everyone was seated on the floor given their own tray that was piled high with all manner of food. The main dish was chopped up steak alongside tempura shrimp, miso soup, a small bowl of udon noodles, tofu, and rice. Beni-enma sat at the head of the group with Izuku on her right, a position of honor with Ai Enma and her servants taking up her left flank. On Izuku's left was his mother, Mina, her parents, and his 'bodyguards' who took up the rear.

Beni-enma smiled widely. "I must admit, it's been quite awhile since I've been able to cook for this many people so I hope you all enjoy it dechi!: She then turned to Izuku and looked at him with big pleading eyes, " Izuku-dono, I know you don't have to eat, but I do hope you'll at least try Beni-chan's food! She worked very hard on it for you!"

'Cute looks like that should be illegal,' Izuku thought to himself. "Of course I'll try it Beni-chan. If it tastes even half as good as it looks and smells it's going to be amazing!"

"Thank you dechi!" The little girl chirped looking at him in anticipation.

Izuku picked up a bit of steak with his chopsticks and plopped it into his mouth, chewing thoughtfully. "Wow, this is really good! It might even be better than my mom's katsudon… no offense mom." Izuku said quickly.

"None taken dear, this is exquisite." Inko praised her hostess and chef who preened.

"I'm glad you like it Kaa-san,"

Everyone who had been eating looked to the girl who said that and Inko.

Inko for her part looked at her son and smiled. "Trying to seduce the judge? Isn't that illegal son?"

"I have done no such thing!" Izuku denied.

"I wouldn't say no if he tried to seduce me, dechi," Beni-enma added unhelpfully. "It wouldn't affect the case at all and he is cute."

"Here, here!" Kahlua said, raising her tea cup in agreement, causing other girls, like Tionishia who had more of a barrel alongside a small mountain of food, Ai, Kokoa, and of course Mina to do the same.

Izuku took a breath just so he could sigh. "When did my life become a rom-com?"

"The day we met obviously Midori," Mina replied unhelpfully.

"True, true… that means I can blame almost all of this on you, you know that right?" Izuku retorted.

"I am okay with that," Mina replied with a cheeky grin shooting him a victory sign.

Suddenly, the doors to the great all blasted open and a miasma of yoki poured into the room. A man followed in its wake. He was tall with long brown hair with regal features, wearing a purple kimono, and he had the limbs of a spider coming out of his back, with the chitinous armor around his shoulders and acting as arm and leg guards as well.

Yokai Aademy's bus driver looked amused grinning as the man walked into the room. "Well, this should be interesting."

"Father, what is the meaning of this?" Beni-enma asked the approaching figure. "If you wanted to join us for a meal, you need only ask, there was no need to use your yoki."

The man gave the little sparrow a fatherly smile. "I'm afraid I'm not here for that, my little sparrow," He then grimaced as he locked eyes with the Archlich who stared back unflinchingly. "Your would-be paramour has cost me my servant."

The man glanced over to see Ai Enma, his Hell Girl trembling, but nothing showed upon her face. Her servants however had their faces pressed into the tatami mats in the gozua position.

"So you're the one," Izuku spoke with vehemence as he took to his feet. "You're the one who did this to Ai-chan?"

The man blinked in surprise. He didn't even think the boy would be able to move with his yoki coating the room. He was holding back just enough not to melt the humans on contact, as a courtesy to his adopted daughter, but the Archlich shouldn't be able to move. Unless… 'What kind of willpower does he possess?' He quirked an eyebrow. "I am. Do you have any idea who I am, boy?"

"Your Yama, the king of Hell, but for some reason you look like Naraku from Inuyasha," The Archlich replied.

That caused the God of Hell to laugh a bit. "Do I? I can never really tell what form I'll take to mortals? It's fitting though. My true form can only be seen to the truly dead. Why don't you take a look?"

"I'm good but you probably only have a face a mother could love anyway," Izuku retorted before he walked over to Beni-enma and picked up the sheathed katana she had at her left side. "I'm borrowing this."

Now the Hell God let out a bellow of full blown laughter. "You seek to fight me? Has your first death driven you mad Archlich? It's been known to happen to your kind from time to time."

Izuku held the katana in his hands, and pulled the bronze covered sheath off. The blade felt light in his hands as he dropped the sheath on the ground and gripped the blade in both hands. "I won't let you take Ai-chan! She's suffered enough!"

The hell God just raised his arms at his side amused. "I fail to see what you can do to me, but I'll be sporting. I'll let you attack me, just once. If you manage to injure me I'll let Ai go. But if you fail, you'll join her in her duties of escorting souls to hell."

"Fine, but if I win, you'll not only free Ai-chan but her servants as well, and you let her keep her keep whatever powers you gave her as the Hell Girl!" Izuku snapped out.

"Deal." King Yama replied. I'll give you whatever preptime you require. Attack me when ready."

Izuku took a breath he didn't need and began to think. 'I need to cut him, how do I cut a god? Their divine, so what's the opposite of divinity? Demons, and gods usually bless things, what do demons do? Curse things.'

With that thought in mind, he used a spell. "Bestow Curse."

Beni-enma's blade starting at the base near the guard slowly turned an inky black, all the way to the tip. Yet Izuku wasn't done. He, to everyone's surprise, began to sing.

["Let There be Fire Again" by Aviators]

The song was something, with swelling beats and booming voices. It spoke of a dying age of Gods. How a dying corpse, replete with souls, was set free by a knight burnt itself and its souls as kindling for a great flame.

Mina would look it up later and find out it was an old song from before the age of quirks from a long gone band called Aviators. As Izuku sang images sprang into everyone's heads when he spoke of a meeting of fate and the knight, Mina's image popped into everyone's minds.

'He sees me as his knight, no… his hero?!' Mina realized with tears in her eyes.

The mantle of chosen passed on. Himself the next and last archlich.

"The might of the Gods is long gone, His throne left to ash his legacy soon to be mine!" The image of Yama appeared in everyone's minds.

"I'll build on the pyres with my bones!" Again Izuku himself appeared.

The sword began to burn with black flames as wisps of smoke which briefly took the form of skulls that let out a harrowing cry before dissipating.

"He's pumping quite a bit of life energy into this spell." Nuri noted. "Didn't take him to be a bard."

"Soulbleed, Profane Weapon, True Strike, End to Strife, Anathema, Expunge the Supernatural, Last Judgement!" Izuku intoned one after the other. "Here I come, King Yama!"

"How many spells does he know?" Mina wondered.

The sword glowed brighter and brighter, its flames growing even darker than black, looking more like a rippling void in the air than a color at this point. Then he ran at the god of Hell, who just stood there waiting.

He stumbled a couple of feet from the Judge of Hell, but he still managed to swing the blade as he fell past him and slashed him from right shoulder to left hip. When Izuku landed on the floor, his whole body collapsed into a pile of dust, with only his clothes left behind.

"Midori!" Mina rushed to the pile of dust covered clothes with tears in her eyes, with Inko not far behind her. "Nonono! He can't be dead! He can't be! Not again."

Rikou made his way over and put a hand on both women's shoulders. "Don't worry ladies, remember, his phylactery is safe, meaning he'll pop back up in a week or so."

"He actually managed to cut me," Yama said to himself as he touched his bleeding wound. He then turned to Ai and her servants. "I release you all from my service and as agreed, Ai, you may keep the powers granted to you as my Hell Girl."

He then waved a hand and wispy black smoke dissipated from the forms of Hone Onna, Wanyudo the old man, Ichimonku, and Kikuri. Another wave of his hand, and his wound healed to the point it left a scar on his chest. "I'll be keeping the scar, as a reminder not to underestimate Archliches."

He waved his hand one final time and Izuku, once again whole, was laying on the floor. "What just?"

Izuku didn't get to finish as he was suddenly glomped for the second time that day by a pink-haired alien. His vision was completely obscured by frizzy pink hair. "Midori!" Mina tried and failed to kill him a second time by squeezing the life out of him. She then pulled him back and glared at him, "Don't you ever scare me like that again!"

"That goes double for me!" Inko added.

They both expected him to meekly apologize and beg their forgiveness. Instead he said, "No promises. Mom, Mina-chan, I'm an Archlich. The last and only Archlich I have a job, a duty to help yokai in trouble. If I feel it's necessary to put my life on the line to do so, I'll do it," He shrugged. "I've already died once so… what's a few more times in the line of duty, right?"

Mina blinked. "Midori are you alright?"

"I'm fine it's just… that makes twice now. That's the second time I've… anyway," He got to his feet, and locked eyes with Yama. "I won."

The God of Hell nodded, "That you did Archlich, that you did." Yama replied, He then snapped his fingers, and a light glow appeared over Izuku for a moment.

"What was that?" Izuku asked.

"My boon. I don't usually hand it out but… consider it a thank you for reminding this one that just because mortals are mortal, doesn't mean you are weak."

Izuku slicked back his white hair. "Umm… you're welcome? What's the boon do?"

"You'll figure it out soon enough I'm sure," The deity said with a yawn as he turned to leave. "Now if you'll excuse me I have work to do. I need to find a new Hell Girl."

Then Yama left, the doors slamming shut behind him. All Izuku could think was 'What the hell just happened?'

"Midoriya Izuku," He turned when he heard Ai address him. He turned just in time for her to slap him in the cheek before she started berating him. "What you did was incrediably stupid! Attacking a death god in his own realm? After already going so far to help me? Then to risk your freedom for my sake…" Ai was crying and smiling before she hugged him. "You're an idiot…" She buried her head into his shoulder as she mumbled. "I'm coming to find I don't dislike idiots like you though Midoriya Izuku… kun."

"We're sure you're an Archlich and that you don't have a quirk?" Mina said as she poked her not-quite-boyfriend in the cheek, her eyes narrowed, "Like one could be called Harem Protagonist or something?"

"I'm pretty sure that's the case Mina-chan," Izuku deadpanned.

Mina latched onto his other arm, almost glaring into his face. "Only pretty sure huh?" She sighed, "Well, I guess we'll never know if it's true or not will we?"

Ai turned and fixed her red eyes on the other girl. "It's fine though right? You said yourself you're the legal wife."

"True, true," Mina said with a nod.

Mina then felt a bloodlust behind her that made the yoki of Yama feel paltry by comparison. Turning, she saw her father standing up, and cocking his gun, his glasses shining with righteous fatherly fury.

"Step away from the boy now, he must be eliminated," Gendo said in a robotic tone.

Izuku looked at Mina, "You know this all came about because you decided to play empress to a bunch of ghosts, right Mina-chan?"

"Quiet you," Mina retorted. Kissing him on the cheek before she let him go and stared down her father. "Daddy I love you, I do but let me tell you right now… I am not going to let you threaten Midori any longer!"

"But… but princess! Gendo whined.

"No daddy!" She said with a bit of force before she spoke in a softer tone, "I… I love you but I'm not your princess anymore," she smirked, "I've upgraded to Empress status… and girlfriend status."

"EEK!" Emma squealed, like a teenage girl, her eyes glowing bright pink. "When did this happen?! Why wasn't I notified so I could be there to take pictures and commemorate the moment?!"

'That's 'exactly' why you weren't told!' both teens thought at the same time before looking at each other and chuckling.

Mina then turned back to her father and continued, "Look dad, I'm gonna date Midori as soon as he gets his shit together after this trial. No offence Midori," Mina added.

"None taken… gimme a few days? I really need to redecorate my room once I get home. It's practically a fucking shrine to All Might… that just feels so wrong now," The Archlich said, shuddering.

"Sell it on Yebay. You'll make bank," Mina assured him before she turned back to her father. "So you need to get over the idea of me dating, at least you know it's Midori. Someone you can trust, someone who just literally died to protect someone else…" She then glared at her not-quite-boyfriend, "I'm still upset with you about that by the way, so this first date better be good to make up for dying."

"Okay… I'll try my best?" Izuku replied.

"Do or do not, there is no try," Mina quipped.

Izuku resisted the urge to roll his eyes, "Yes grandmaster Mina."

Gendo half slumped over in defeat, "But sweetheart, harem!"

Mina rolled her eyes. "Dad, it's a part of monster culture! So you're just gonna have to deal, man!" Mina then pointed a thumb at herself and smirked. "Besides, I'm the legal wife. That means I'll always be at the top of the cuddle pile… or does that mean I'll always be at the bottom where all the good cuddling is taking place?" Mina pondered touching a finger to her chin in thought. "Huh, food for thought later, anyway, point is, I'm in charge."

"Mina, honey, you've never successfully been in charge of anything, Gendo pointed out.

"That's not true!" Mina rebutted. "I had a pet hamster!"

"It died from eating itself to death," Gendo remarked.

"Well at least I didn't forget to feed it!" Mina retorted.

Gendo ran a hand down his face. "My point is, what makes you think you can handle this?"

Mina crossed her arms, and grinned. "I have a secret weapon."

Her father quirked an eyebrow. "Which is?"

"Ai-chan, would you like to help me decide who gets in on this harem thing and who doesn't? You've been around longer than me so you probably can tell a good egg from a bad one."

Ai nodded. "Okay Mina-chan."

"That's called passing the buck!" Gendo shouted.

"It's called delegating dad!" Mina fired back just as quickly. "Ai-chan is probably a walking encyclopedia on monsters so she could probably tell if someone was trying to pull a fast one."

"Ahem dechi!" Beni-enma said pointedly, clearing her throat.

"Yes of course you can be in the harem Beni-chan," Mina said before she could speak.

"Agreed," Ai said nodding right after Mina spoke.

The small girl flushed. "That is not what I was going to say! It is nice to know however, thank you…" She cleared her throat again, willing her blush down as she tried to speak, "What I was going to say is, I do believe we should proceed with dinner before it gets cold and afterwards if he is willing, Izuku-dono can continue with his private testimony while you two," She looked between the father and daughter, "Hash this out in private."

"Of course, sorry for the disturbance at dinner," Gendo said, bowing in apology.

"To be fair, Yama already disturbed dinner, we were just prolonging it," Mina said before she rubbed the back of her head, and smiled saying contritely, "But yeah, our bad Beni-chan."

Everyone finally went back to their seats, and resumed eating. Izuku sent a private thought to the judge and hostess. "Thanks Beni-chan that was really… starting to make me feel like trash honestly. I don't want to be the reason Mina-chan and her dad have a bad relationship."

"Not a problem, anytime Izuku-dono, dechi!" The red haired girl thought with an understanding smile. "Will you be ready to continue your testimony after dinner?"

Izuku pondered for a moment before coming to a decision. "Yes, I think so."

In the room, which he couldn't leave no matter how hard he tried to blow it up, Bakugo Katsuki paced back and forth like a pissed off bull. 'This is all that stupid useless fucking Deku's fault!' he raged in his mind, 'If he hadn't been so damn weak and useless then I wouldn't be here in the first place! As if he had any balls at all, he wouldn't have even tried to off himself! Hell, if he had any brains, he would've known he couldn't be a hero without a quirk, but apparently he has neither!' Bakugo kicked aside the bowl of gruel they'd brought him to eat in disgust. "Fucking monsters can't even give me good food to eat. Fucking Deku! When I get outta juvie, and I will get outta juvie I'm gonna find him and turn him into tinder! Then I'll become the Number One Hero and surpass All Might!" Bakugo nodded to himself, liking the idea more and more, mostly due to the idea of blowing Deku into charred chunks. "Bwhahaha! Better watch out Deku, cause once I'm done making juvie my bitch, I'm coming for you next!"

All Might, or Toshinori Yagi sat quietly in his room, eating every last bit of the gruel he could from the bowl he'd been given. He didn't know why, but eating it made him feel better than he had in years, so he made sure to eat every last scrap of it. He then sat back on the futon he'd been provided and contemplated just where it was he went wrong. 'Did I, in my haste to save as many people as possible with the time I had left, did I, in my haste, fail to actually see someone in need of help?' He grimaced at the thought. 'I wanted to get the sludge villain contained as soon as possible, Young Midoriya had already seen my change and he asked me that question…' the question he too had once asked someone. 'It was the very same question I asked Nana all those years ago!' He realized with a pain in his heart twisting like a knife. For he had thought he had been honoring his mentors words, he never stopped smiling no matter the situation… but he'd forgotten what his life was like before that. Before All Might. The ridicule, the mocking, the pain… of being Quirkless. In truth his mentors greatest gift wasn't telling him to always smile, it was giving him the power to help others smile, and in the end, that's all Young Midoriya had wanted to do… and it cost him his life. It was only luck and pure chance that he came back as a monster, a powerful one at that.

"Nana… I failed you, I'm sorry," Toshinori said. "I passed down your legacy, but not the meaning behind it." He cried on his futon realizing the depths of his failure.

Beni-enma and Izuku talked long into the night, as neither of them actually required sleep. By the time the sun rose, painting the sky with the grey hues of dawn, Izuku had finally finished his tale. It took him twelve hours, eight of which took place while others slept, but it was finally told. He felt a sense of relief that this was to likely be the last time he'd have to tell this tale in any official capacity.

"Is that everything?" Beni-enma asked. Once Izuku was quiet for several minutes.

"Yes," Izuku sounded tired, not that liches could get tired, physically anyway, but a different kind of tired emotionally tired. Beni-enma patted her lap. "Why don't you lay down for a bit? Court order."

"Uhh, if you insist?" Izuku replied a little awkwardly as he positioned himself to lay down on her lap. 'So this is the infamous lap pillow… not bad. I wonder what laying on Mina-chan's or Ai's legs would feel like?'

"You can lay on their laps later, right now, relax dechi," Beni-enma said looking out her window at the coming dawn, as she absentmindedly ran a hand through his hair.

"Sorry I… didn't mean to broadcast that," Izuku replied.

"It's fine dechi," Beni-enma replied quietly.

"How long do you think it will take you to come to a decision? Izuku inquired.

Smiling down at him, Beni-enma replied, "I should have a judgement by noon, just in time for lunch. Now please rest dechi."

Izuku allowed himself to drift… if not off to sleep, into a trancelike state where he was neither awake nor asleep. In that time, Beni-enma didn't move, and the sun slowly rose through the sky. It wasn't until Izuku raised his head off her lap that she finally moved, picking up her blade, that still held his powerful curse, according to her, she said, "Come, I think it's just about time for brunch. Gather with the others in the Grand Hall, and we shall put an end to this trial."

Izuku's bodyguards sat in front of him with only Tionishia sitting behind him as Allure brought in Bakugo and All Might placing them on the floor in front of Beni-enma before choosing to stand not far away from Izuku himself. Today, Mitsuki and Masaru were present, on the opposite side of the room, and Beni-enma sat straight backed with her katana by her left side, sheathed on the ground next to her, as she faced forward, practically looking through the accused. "I have come to a decision. Toshinori Yagi also known as All Might. On the charge of Manslaughter, I find you not guilty." The hero sighed only for his breath to catch in his throat. "However, on the charges of child endangerment and assisted suicide I find you guility."

All Might felt his guts twist like snakes.

"Your sentence as asked for by the victim, is thus. One third of all your assets will be liquidated and donated to various charities and hospitals across japan. Three percent of which shall be granted to the victim for pain and suffering caused. Additionally, I sentence you to one-hundred twenty hours community service… to be done in three hour shifts," She finished with a smug grin on her face.

'Does she know about One For All?!' Toshinori asked himself… the smug grin was all the answer he needed.

"Beni-enma I didn't ask for that!" Izuku argued. "I personally don't need All Might's money."

"Izuku-dono, my ruling is final," Beni-enma spoke in a crisp monotone that would brook no argument, not even from him, not when she was delivering judgement. She then flicked her gaze over to an almost murderous looking Bakugo Katsuki, whose red eyes were fixed on Izuku-dono. "I suggest you pay attention Bakugo-san as your fate is in my hands."

"Tch, whatever you little brat, just tell me how long I'm spending in Juvie already?" The sandy blonde replied dismissively.

"Juvie? Juvenile detention? Hahahahaha! Oh no! Oh nononono! You aren't going to 'Juvie' Bakugo-san," Beni-enma said with a malicious gleam in her red eyes.

"Oh so you realized that stupid Deku did this himself and are letting me go huh? Smart."

The young judge replied with a deadpan flat, "No. You're…" Then a mischievous grin spread across her face as she motioned Izuku forwards. "Why don't you tell him his fate Izuku-dono?"

"M-Me?!" Izuku said, pointing at himself behind all of his guards.

"Yes, you," Beni-enma said with a nod. "I think it would be quite cathartic for you dechi, so come, come!" She urged motioning him forwards.

He got up and made his way over to Beni-enma who whispered something in his ear, then he turned to face Bakugo who glared at him hatefully. 'To think, we used to be friends,' He thought to himself. He then broadcast his telepathy as far as he could. "Your sentence Bakugo Katsuki is thus. You shall be spending the next ten months in Tatooin prison." A choking noise came from both Bakugo and his parents when he heard that, and Izuku waited a moment before he continued. "Additionally, at the behest of the victim, me," Izuku pointed at himself deliberately with his thumb this time, he wanted Bakugo to know this was all him. "You are to be blacklisted from every Hero Course and the Support Course, in every school across the country of Japan. You will never be allowed into any hero related course in Japan, but this won't stop you from actually entering the school of course, provided your grades are good, you'll just be banned from entering either course by any means," Izuku then smiled a bit vindictively and gave a slow sarcastic clap. "Congratulations Kaachan, your dream is the one thing that's deader than me in this room."

"Burn!" Mina called out.

"..." The blonde boy muttered.

"What was that?" Beni-enma asked.

"... you." Bakugo muttered as he stared at the tatami mats.

"The accused will speak up please," Beni-enma requested.

He looked up, with bloody murder burning in his eyes. "I'M GONNA FUCKING KILL YOU DEKU!" As he ran at him, with explosives going off in his hands.

This time, the Pro Heroes didn't hesitate. Gunhead, laid down suppressive fire and Midnight tore at her costume, releasing her somnambulist quirk. Bakugo just boosted himself above the bone shards and held his breath as the pinkish mist descended on him. But someone got in his way. Two skeletons grabbed either of his arms, and a blast of steam burst forth on contact, clearing the room of Midnight's mist. With Bakugo forced to his knees and unable to make his sweat explode he watched as someone walked through the steam.

It was the pink haired girl. Racoon Eyes as he called her in his mind. She looked pissed as she stalked towards him, what looked like hand soap dripping from her right palm. 'Oh, what's she gonna do, wash my mouth out?' he thought cockily.

She slapped him right across the face and screamed. "Stay the fuck away from my boyfriend, you asshole psycho!"

Bakugo immediately felt a burning on his face where she'd slapped him and it wasn't just from the slap itself. "Gah! What the fuck did you do to me Racoon Eyes!"

"Less than you actually deserve and just a taste of what'll happen to you if you come near my Midori again, jackass!" The pink haired girl spat back venomously as she watched her acid eat into the flesh of the cheek on the right side of his face. It would definitely leave a scar in the shape of a handprint.

"Mina-chan, enough," Izuku said as he came forward and placed a hand on her shoulder. "He's not worth staying angry at."

"He's the reason you died the first time Izuku!" She snapped at him, "He's getting off easy!"

"He's getting the punishment that Izuku-dono asked he recieve dechi!" Beni-enma replied. Striding across the room, her sword in hand and she too looked pissed as she glared at Bakugo long and hard before she spoke, a deadly edge to her usually cheerful voice. "You have made a mockery of my court dechi!" She snapped at Bakugo. I find you in contempt of court! Your sentence is to be carried out immediately, with an additional fine of 25,000 yen!"

"You bitch bird girl! You and racoon eyes can go fuck your-" Bakugo didn't get to finish as Izuku's fist was rammed into his gut. He then without stopping his momentum physically lifted him up to his eye level to stare into his shocked red eyes. "Bakugo… you can insult me all you want, I don't give a fuck about me. However, you will not insult my friends!"

He then tossed the boy, who had gone limp from the blow, to the skeletons. "Get him out of here, I'm done with him."

They dragged Bakugo away. All Might got up, but not before looking back and saying, "I truly am sorry, Young Midoriya. I… I never meant for this to happen."

"Hindsight is twenty-twenty huh, All Might?" The Archlich said before walking over to the hero, touch his back and saying, "Contagion."

The blonde skeletal man gulped. "Dare I ask what you just inflicted me with?"

"One last bit of sentimentality on my part." Izuku said mysteriously. "Tell me All Might, did you ever watch the pre-quirk era show Futurama?"

The man shook his head. "No, why?"

He heard Young Midoriya chuckle inside of his head. "Well let's just say that there's an episode with a bad truck stop sandwich and leave it at that," He then told the skeletons "You can take him away now."

"What'd you do? Mina said, poking him teasingly in the side. "Is he gonna be stuck with his head in a toilet for the rest of his life?"

Izuku shook his head. "No, nothing like that. Sometimes I hate being sentimental. C'mon Mina-chan let's go home," Izuku said, reaching for her hand.

Mina met him halfway, secretly giddy he already thought of her house as home. "Yeah, let's Midori."

"Oh one more thing!" Izuku said last minute. "Ai-chan, Beni-chan, do either of you have cell phones?"

When they shook their heads, Mina was shocked. "Well get them like yesterday and come find me in Chiba pronto! We totally gotta keep this harem of ours afloat somehow."

"You got it dechi!" Beni-emna said with a thumbs up and a wink.

"Of course," Ai, said with a nod. "I shall see you soon Izuku-dono, Mina-chan."

"Bye guys… oh wait! Midori how're we even gonna get home?! You teleported us here do you even have the strength to get us back?" Mina asked worriedly.

It was then that Rikou spoke up, but not before blowing out a plume of smoke. "Actually, I have a solution."

The solution in question was a yellow bus that had Yokai Academy painted on it in big black letters. Everyone who was leaving clambered onto the bus, that included the Bakugo's. Izuku who just so happened to be sitting across from them in the seat with mina, leaned across the aisle and said, "Mitsuki-bachan, Masaru-jiji, I hope that what happened to Bakugo doesn't… make things awkward between us?"

The two shared a look. Then Mitsuki spoke. "Don't even worry about it Izuku, in fact, I'm surprised you took it so easy on him… we both know you could've thrown the book at him, sent him away till he was in his mid thirties if you wanted to."

"True," Izuku nodded, "Even then he still might've been able to attain a Hero's License. I wanted to make sure above all, that that didn't happen, not out of contempt, but simply out of the fact that… Bakugo doesn't really have the mindset to be a hero. He's far too arrogant and self serving for the job. Bakugo only cares about beating people up. For him it's not even about helping people. He'd do better in Quirk Mixed Martial Arts than as a Hero honestly."

"That's actually not a bad idea," Masaru muttered.

"First stop! Mustafu City!" Rikou called from the front.

Izuku turned to his not quite girlfriend. "This my stop."

Mina smiled. "Yeah it is." She then leaned in and kissed him on the lips before saying, "Call me soon, kay? You owe me an awesome first date Midori!"

"R-Right!" He said as he got up mechanically and exited the bus with his mother and the Bakugo's. He faced his apartment building. He was finally free of the stress of the trial. He could now move on with his unlife…

If only he knew things were going to get crazier from here on out.

Words: 19,274 Number of Pages: 44 Date Completed: 4/15/2020

AN: Hello all and Welcome to the long awaited next chapter of We Be Monsters! Yes, it's a long time coming… but with me, inspiration is like the tide, it ebbs and flows like the ocean. It comes and goes. Now, it has come to We Be Monsters… for however long that lasts. Now a word from my partner in crime, and I guy I'll leave holding the bag if I ever rob a bank, my friendly neighborhood beta and co-author, Snowy!

I will be honest here guys. This chapter while short brings up some finer points for the story. Izuku is changing, he is not a lich like Ainz ooal Gown. Archliches do have emotions and abilities regular liches do not have the access to. He is powerful but his emotions are not as deadedned as parts of his body. As you can see though Izuku is not the only one in this story gets powerups and buffs. Lets just say that this world of heroes, villains, and monsters will be full of some large Suprises.

Nicely said my man. I'm sure some of you will be thrilled to have this back and all I can say is welcome and you're welcome, as thanks, give us reviews! I like those things! And please, feel free to direct and questions to our Q&A aka Snowy. Till next time everyone, this has been a Bubbajack and IcySnowSage Production! Peace!