Hey guys! It is I, the phoenix, back with another chapter of TTOD!

I've been a bit busy lately with college work, so I've been unable to actually do any real writing, though I'm trying to get back on track.

Also, I started to ToAru series after finishing Jojos, and I find it pretty interesting.

Anyways, before I answer the Reviews, I wanted to talk about something that a LOT of people complain about regarding my MHA stories, especially Event Horizon.

People feel like I make Izuku's past look way worse than it actually is.

It's obvious that the people who say that have NO idea what discrimination and bullying is like. When I write a story, I don't treat the characters as people from an anime. I treat them like REAL human beings, and gather the facts in order to make it as realistic as possible.

And the facts in MHA paint a pretty grim picture. If you pay close attention, you'll notice signs of Quirk discrimination, even in U.A. Pay even more attention, and you'll realize that there's not a SINGLE Quirkless teenager outside Izuku (formerly) and Melissa, and NONE in any of the Heroics Courses anywhere. In fact, Horikoshi pretty much AVOIDS the subject, which begs the question;

Would MHA have been the same if Izuku was still Quirkless?

That's a question that kept bothering me as I watched it.

I know my fair share of bullying and discrimination. I FEEL for Izuku, because his experiences pretty much match my own. I was bullied for most of my life, and let me tell you, it's a LOT worse than popular media makes it look. Some of these things may seem outlandish, but they're all true events that happen all over the World.

I've done a lot of research into the old United States, especially around the time of the Civil War and the discrimination that followed, which is what led me to write it down in my stories, no matter how awful it may be, because I wanted to put a bit of realism into my stories, even if it may seem over the top or out of place.

Now, I don't 'bash' characters like people do in all those RWBY and Naruto fics, but instead I try to draw accurate conclusions based on the points given in the anime and the way humans behave in the real world. That's especially true with Bakugo in MHA and Rias in DxD.

I dislike both those characters especially, the former more than the latter. Bakugo, the relevant character in this case, is a literal TOOL who should NEVER have been allowed into U.A. People may argue with me on that point, but the things he did were unforgivable.

And people, both inside the MHA World and our own, seem to not even care as long as he has killer one liners or cool moves and fight scenes.

I understand that its just an Anime, and I'm expecting too much, but that's why I incorporate more real-world elements into my own stories, instead of commenting on what's already there.

The main point of all this is that I'm asking you guys to THINK about it. Do some research, and if you really think that my portrayal is incorrect, then back your words up.

It makes my blood boil when people tell me 'it wasn't THAT bad' when I talk about Izuku's Past.

As a victim of bullying, and a future psychologist, Izuku's mannerisms and the fact that his past is ignored except for that one scene where he watches the All Might Video as a kid were more than telling. Plus so many Pro Heroes, like Mount Lady, tend to be really shallow sometimes. Heck, All Might was the one who said Quirkless people couldn't become Heroes. Sure he changed his mind, but it proved that was the popular opinion.

Would Izuku have been able to make it as a Quirkless Hero, or would he have been bullied by everyone else like he was as a kid?

I tend to explore things like that, so I hope you don't mind. I know that this is just a story, but don't think for a second that our World is any better. HORRIFYING things happen everyday in our World, and we are none the wiser.

For my Izuku's character development, I focus on bullying, discrimination, and the result of such things. Nothing less, nothing more.

Please remember that.

Anyways, its time to answer some Reviews.

First of all, I have Never seen KonoSuba nor I have I read any of the stories on its fandom, so any and all similarities between my story and another is just a coincidence. I'm saying this because people kept spamming me about expecting Aqua and that there were stories out there in the KonoSuba fandom that mine seemed like it was inspired by. It's not the people in the Reviews, but rather some people who PM'd me.

Sorry guys, but the LN I'm following is Infinite Dendrogram. Completely different. Don't forget to check out the Light Novels, because the anime was horrible and didn't do the franchise justice. I posted the website you can get them for free from in the last chapter's Author's notes, so be sure to see it and read them.

Anyways, the major question everyone keeps asking was about having Ishtar and Ereshkigal be dual aspects of the same Embryo, and the answer is no. The reason being is that Embryos are just BASED on Mythological Figures, and use ACTUAL history as its basis. In the wiki itself, it mentions that the whole Ishtar-and-Ereshkigal-being-the-same-person thing was just a plot device in Fate Grand Order, and definitely is NOT the case in actual history. Secondly, Embryos have a set amount of Respurces they can use in order to develop, sort of like how you can distribute a limited amount of Stat Points in Fallout, so it is impossible for a dual Embryo with vastly differing concepts like Ereshkigal and Ishtar to be the same Embryo without nerfing Izuku's Stats so much he wouldn't be able to go above a hundred HP even at Level 500.

Remember, the only thing I am taking from Fate regarding Izuku's Embryo is just the physical appearance, and maybe a Skill, and that's it.

Thirdly, Izuku's Superior Job as already been decided, and he will get onto that Arc by Chapter 20 at the lastest.

Also, I wanted to make Izuku a Dryfe Master because I made Shirou an Altarian Master in Radix Point. If I do another Infinite Dendrogram crossover, then it'll probably be set in either Tenchi, Huang He or Granvaloa.

And yes, Izuku will get a female dragon in his party REAL soon.

If you guys have any ideas for Izuku's Tamed Monsters, then please tell me in some manner.

Anyways, that's all for now, so let's start the story.

UPDATE [July 16 2020]: I edited this chapter heavily as well, because several new points in canon forced me to change the Border Mountain Belt Arc, for many reasons that I honestly can't list without taking up an entire page. However, I am asking you guys to trust me on this, because I have a similar but even better Arc planned for Dekiru. Also, the Embryo birth and Skills are completely different in this version, so I suggest reading chapter 2 and chapter 3 again, though chapter 1 is more or less the same and chapter 4 is gone. The next chapter will start off the Dragon Seal Arc, which is pretty similar to the Border Mountain Belt Arc, which will happen at a later date, but involves a different Dragon King. Nothing more to say, because I addressed the Embryo problem above, and why there can't be a dual Embryo. I honestly have nothing else to say, except that I've overhauled the story and made it less crackish than it was before. I hope you guys enjoy the new version, because I sure did. Please read the end notes to avoid any misconceptions about the events of this chapter. Oh, and Izuku's new Druid Skills will be revealed in the next chapter, so stay tuned.

Chapter 3 - Tools of the Trade

{?}

It had been watching him.

Studying him.

Learning about him.

Izuku Midoriya.

Dekiru.

Its Master.

It had been in a lucid, dream-like state, like all its kind had been in before they had Evolved and hatched from their developmental stage.

Until it had been bound to him.

Then, as per its function, it broached his mind and began to learn.

Data, Memories, all began to flow like water, merging with the information all of them were created with.

And it began to change, to Evolve, as the combined information, derived from both itself and its Master, began to flow through it.

A World of Heroes and Villains.

[Development Program: Initiated]

A Society which valued Power.

[Evolution Variables: Calculated]

A young man born without it, who wanted to be a Hero as well.

[Master Analysis: Initiated]

A young man put down by the privileged, those born with power they did not earn.

[Developmental Path: Determined]

A young man shunned and abused at every turn, confined to the darkness, for a Status he had been born into, forever destined to be mocked by the privelaged masses who soared above.

[Conceptual Anchor: Match Found]

A young man whose talents would be trampled on by those around him.

[Resource Allocation: Complete]

A young man who would be an outcast no matter where he went, lacking a place to call his own, a place where he could show his talents on an even playing field.

[Typing Determined: Territory Rule]

A young man who saw the value in the lives of every person he came across, in spite of the torment levied on him.

[Additional Typing Determined: Maiden]

A young man who wished to help people, in any way he could.

[Physical Chassis: Constructed]

A young man who shone like a star in a World that had gone dim.

[Developmental Program: Complete]

And so, it became a she.

By instinct, she knew her Master needed her. The time for her Awakening was now.

He wanted to save others, even at the cost of himself.

Who was she to protest against such a noble goal, such a shining representation of her Master's heart?

No, she would be what her Master needed. A companion to embrace him, a weapon against his enemies, and the very Earth beneath his feet.

As if on cue, she felt a tug, her Master's will calling to her. He was in danger. He needed her.

And so, she eagerly answered.

[Name: Queen of the Great Below, Ereshkigal]

{Druid, Dekiru}

The glow from his left hand wasn't enough to distract Dekiru from the deadly porcupine heading straight for his throat.

Logically, a small part of his mind affirmed that she wasn't actually trying to hurt him, as she had given him a Life-Saving Brooch earlier, a special Item that basically gave a person, Master and Tian alike, a second life.

However, the more dominant and primitive part of his mind only registered the danger that was Behemot, Physical Apex of Infinite Dendrogram and the top of Dryfe's Kill Rankings, heading straight for him, emitting enough bloodlust to kill an elephant.

However, considering Bakugo's nigh-eternal rage, he'd become quite desensitized to Killer Intent, he didn't flinch and, instead, reflexively aimed a punch at Behemot, as futile as it would be.

As they grew closer to one another, the crimson light which had begun to build up exploded off of his left hand, a visible shockwave emanating from the dark red Crest that was now emblazoned on it, in the shape of a flower, a carnation.

A ring of crimson energy formed around his feet before rapidly expanding outwards, causing the landscape around himself in a ring about 5 meters in radius to rapidly lose color, becoming dark and dreary, though the terrain beneath remained the same.

And then Dekiru felt power.

His veins felt like they'd been injected with double expresso shots, and suddenly his mind began to work at much faster speeds, his body thrumming with energy.

As he looked up, he saw that Behemot was now falling towards him in what looked like slow motion, appearing almost comical, now that he thought about it.

His punch missed for that reason, as the now Slow-Mo Behemot didn't reach the area he had to strike in time.

Reflexively, he pulled back and punched again, idly realizing that his physical speed was on par with his hyper-perception.

The punch connected.

A shockwave of power emanated from the site of impact, stripping the dirt and grass around him, and creating a visible burst of air from where his punch had impacted Behemot's light body.

And then Behemot disintegrated, the force of his punch pretty much pulverizing every tissue in her body to the point where they were practically atomized.

And then the feeling of power immediately faded, and Dekiru was thrown back by the force of his own punch, flying back about a dozen meters.

He landed on the ground harshly, taking some damage, but thankfully not enough to kill him.

His hyperperception also faded, and he felt like her normally did. Proceeding to wipe the dust and dirt out of his eyes, Dekiru chanced upon the sight of AR-I-CA and Franklin, who had also been thrown across the clearing by the force of his punch, staring slack-jawed at the location where he had been a split-second prior.

Leviathan also had frozen with an expression of incredulous disbelief on her face, right before she burst into a shower of light, disappearing.

Dekiru was about to ask what the heck had happened when his Window popped up and practically exploded as messages began to roll in, obscuring his vision.

He closed his eyes in order to shut out the messages flowing in, feeling his body become stronger and feeling a bit more energetic than he was before.

When the ringing from the messages finally stopped a few seconds later, he nearly toppled over again, his body feeling way out of tune as he fought off a sense of vertigo.

"W-what h-happened?" he slurred, trying to steady his swimming vision.

A strong set of arms supported him and held him upright, and his sight returned to him. He saw that Franklin was supporting him, while AR-I-CA was inspecting some fallen objects at the location where he had been blown back from.

A few seconds later, she turned back to the two of them, flabbergasted.

"It's legit. He actually gave her the Death Penalty."

"No way..." said Franklin, wide-eyed.

"What happened?" asked Dekiru again, this time much more clearly.

Franklin looked back down at him, struggling to keep her hysterical laughter in.

"W-why don't you check your messages." said Franklin, her eyes tearing up as her body began to shake with barely suppressed giggles.

Dekiru did so, confused, and his jaw slowly dropped as he looked at the now thankfully summarized messages on his Window.

'[Congratulations! You have defeated Behemot! Main Job Level increased to 50! Extra EXP will be distributed upon taking your next Job! You have Unlocked many new Skills!]'

Before Dekiru could even process the implications of the message, he received another one, this one from his phone in real life, connected to his Infinite Dendrogram hardware in case he got any calls.

'[Unknown: Hax!]

[Unknown: Got rekt. GG lol.]

[Unknown: Keep the loot. Do whatevs with it. Cya after Respawn]'

While he didn't know the number, the method of speaking gave away who had been contacting him.

Also, that solidified the fact that he had somehow killed Behemot, probably the strongest Player in the entire Kingdom, in one punch.

Oh, and the EXP he had gained from the act had catapulted him to Level 50.

Out of 50.

Within a few minutes of getting the Druid Job, he'd completely maxed it out.

"H-how in the World?" he asked incredulously, not understanding what happened.

Then his gaze strayed downward, and he realized that the area around his feet was still discolored, as if it was being seen through a dreary Snapchat filter.

His eyes widened.

Could it be?

In a flash, the ground returned to normal, and a figure materialized in a flash of red light, causing him to squint as it went off in his face.

The first thing that Dekiru noticed when his vision cleared was the beautiful, wavy blonde hair. It shone like gold in the orange light of the setting sun. The obsidian crown that adorned the figure's head kept the golden strands from blocking her shining red eyes, which met his own with a warm, slightly adoring gaze.

The girl wore a black, royal leotard, covered at the bottom by a wavy black skirt, with a dark red cloak with golden inlay wrapped over her shoulders. Further down was a fluffy, conservative neckline, with maroon highlights that adorned much of her outfit, and a golden skull necklace that fell over her voluptuous chest. A silver chain wrapped around the girl's waist like a belt. Her right leg was fully covered by a gold-entwined black legging, while the left leg was left relatively bare.

Her rosy cheeks reddened slightly as she shyly met his gaze, almost as if seeking his approval, before she straightened and introduced herself to her dumbfounded crowd.

"I am... Queen of the Great Below, Ereshkigal!" she proclaimed jubilantly with a smile on her face. "A Type Maiden with Territory Rule Embryo, I am at your service, my Master!"

{Giga Professor, Mr. Franklin}

To say she was surprised would be an understatement.

Franklin had seen some crazy things, but a Level 0 pwning the King of Beasts was NOT one of them.

It had happened way too fast for her to follow; all of a sudden, the situation reversed, and Dekiru ended up punching the deadly porcupine with enough force to disintegrate her.

And then he manifested an Embryo who could honestly be a supermodel.

After her introduction, Dekiru seemed to flounder for a moment, something that brought no shortage of amusement to Franklin, who knew her friend quite well. A pretty girl popping up out of nowhere and calling him Master would cause him to throw logic out the window and begin panicking.

However, his Embryo seemed to sense that, so she wrung her hands rather endearingly and explained herself.

It seemed all well and good from there on out, as Dekiru began to learn what exactly was happening and what an Embryo truly was, at least in his case. Franklin only had one thought that crossed her mind as she stared vacantly at the Master and his Embryo, while AR-I-CA was still numbly poking the drops from Behemot, as if they would disappear.

'What are the odds that he would get a Type Maiden Embryo?'

"I mean, they're one of the rarest types of Embryos for a reason..." said Franklin, trailing off, deep in thought.

In the meanwhile, Ereshkigal, acting as a guide for her Master, began to give Dekiru more information on herself and her capabilities.

She asked him to pull up the newly-Unlocked Embryo section in his Menu first, and then explained from there.

"All Embryos tend to have a property known as Status Correction. This is the ability of the Embryo to influence the Stat growth of the Master. It doesn't always have to be positive, but it is almost always there, except in cases like myself." lectured Ereshkigal. "My own focuses on your Health, MP and Stamina rather than your physical Stats."

True to her word, Ereshkigal gave Dekiru a Status Boost to his MP, HP and SP, and a rather decent amount at that, as even though he had only reached Level 50, his MP had already reached 6,000. His SP was 5,000 and his HP was 4,000, which was rather good for someone of his Level.

"As a Type Territory Rule, when I'm not in my Maiden Form, I form a field around you that carries the properties of my First Skill. In this Form, I cannot be hurt, although Holy Attacks will disperse me temporarily. As you can see, the only Skill I have right now is Denial of Authority, which will automatically come into effect when someone enters my Territory."

Franklin's lips curved into a subtle frown as she watched her long-time friend curiously flick through his Window at the behest of his Embryo.

She'd been a little dishonest earlier. She knew exactly why he'd gotten a Type Maiden with Territory Rule Embryo.

Recently, out of curiosity, Franklin had begun looking into some surveys and findings about how a Master's Embryo developed based on their personality.

With the exception of Type Chariot Embryos, she more or less had an idea of the others.

Type Arms usually were owned by people who acted like stereotypical anime protagonists; brash, brave and foolhardy. From her own deduction, Dekiru, being the person he was, had a high chance of developing this Type of Embryo.

Castle Masters were introverted, gentle, careful, cooperative, and had an artisan's temperament. Seemed about right, considering her own Embryo was once a Type Castle Embryo.

Guardian Masters were almost the opposite of Arms Masters; they're cowardly, afraid to get hurt, lonely, or just wanted to have someone protect them.

Apart from some special hybrid types and the elusive Type Apostle, that only left two categories; coincidentally, the ones Dekiru had just Unlocked.

Type Maiden and Type Territory. Type Rule, being a special kind of Extra Type that little was known about except for the fact that they tended to enforce some kind of special property that didn't work based on Stat changes or Damage, had no data in regards to Master character however, leading her to depend on the Territory typing for her current analysis.

Territory Masters had a desire for control, tended to hoard their stress, create rules for themselves, and were self-righteous people and lone wolves.

Dekiru, or more accurately, Izuku Midoriya was a brave soul through and through, but one thing dominated his psyche; the unfairness of the World around him.

Out of all the common traits that Type Territory Masters shared, Dekiru possessed the first; a desire for control, though not in the sense one would think. Dekiru wanted control over his own life, for the simple reason that he suffered his entire life for something that was outside his control. His Quirklessness was an unfair condition he didn't choose nor deserve, and yet he was constantly put down simply for the act of not having a power. Deep down, he wished for control, control that would allow him to face the so-called Superior Quirked Population on their own level. He wanted, desired, needed, a place where factors outside of his control would have no detrimental effect on him. Where he could face his peers on equal grounds.

That was why, as Dekiru, he'd manifested a Type Territory Embryo.

Then the final category.

Type Maiden.

Masters who developed this type of Embryo... were people who didn't think of Infinite Dendrogram as just a game. To them, the weight of the lives in this World was no different than on Earth.

This one was easily understandable, as within moments of joining the Game, Dekiru had been unable to really see the world as a Game. He'd tamed a Frenzy Boar using an apricot, exactly as one would've tamed a real boar, without even hesitating.

He risked his life to try and save a Tian, and Franklin would bet her Embryo that he never once considered them as NPCs.

These factors were what led to him gaining a Type Maiden with Territory Embryo.

But why Ereshkigal specifically?

After thinking about it for a while, she finally understood, and also began to piece together how Behemot had bit the dust like that, even if she still had trouble believing it.

Ereshkigal was the Goddess of the Underworld in Sumerian myth. Having carried out her duties of administrating the underworld since birth, she was a goddess who lived without ever knowing of the world above, or of freedom, due to a role she had been born into.

In original Mesopotamian texts, she presided over the growth and decay of crops, bent the dragons and snakes to her will, and freely controlled the Garula familiars of the underworld. The 'Heavenly Mistress' Ishtar, and the Queen of the Great Below, Ereshkigal held a rival relationship. Mythologically speaking, the goddess of the harvest Ishtar (Inanna) was the Great Earth Mother that represented human life, though she was a total b*tch while Ereshkigal, who represented human death, was the Terrible Earth Mother, though she wasn't evil.

Ishtar, in a sense, was Ereshkigal's literal opposite. She was a goddess born into power and freedom, being granted various Authorities and showered with gifts she did not earn.

The parallels between Ereshkigal and Izuku Midoriya were clear as day.

The most famous and least disputed fact about Ereshkigal had to do with Ishtar's descent into the Underworld, seeking to expand her territory and influence into Ereshkigal's realm.

According to the legend, Ishtar passed through 7 gates, discarding a piece of her clothing at each one. The clothing was more of a symbolic thing, representing Ishtar's own Authorities as a Goddess.

After the seventh gate, she was left naked, her power gone, and Ereshkigal butchered her and hung her corpse from a spear or something like that.

Franklin wasn't too keen on the details, considering Sumerian mythology wasn't as prevalent in popular culture compared to other Pantheons like the Greek and Norse, but that was the gist of it.

But she had a sneaking suspicion that Dekiru's Embryo, Ereshkigal, obviously named after the Sumerian Goddess, had its Skills based around that aspect of her legend; her total control in the Underworld.

As a mythological concept, the idea of Ereshkigal was compatible with Dekiru because there were definite parallels in the way they lived and the adversity they faced.

Her abilities though, considering that she was a Territory Rule Type, which Franklin had never heard of, not to mention the fact that her first Skill was called Denial of Authority, most likely focused on the Concept of 'Removing enemy advantages within Territory', similar to how the OG Ereshkigal stripped Ishtar of her Authorities when she entered the Underworld, Ereshkigal's turf, in reality. Once again, this Concept matched Dekiru as a person, considering his situation and life on Earth.

That could have also been how Dekiru had managed to defeat Behemot, as absurd as it sounded, although the boy had gotten extremely lucky, because if her inference about his newly-hatched Embryo was correct, then his little trick wouldn't have worked nearly as well against any of the other Superiors.

It was best to make sure though.

"Hey, Ereshkigal." she called, getting the attention of the Embryo and her Master. "Your first Skill removes enemy Stat Buffs, doesn't it?"

It was the only logical explanation, because of something Franklin had found out using her Analyzing Eye of Wisdom on Behemot and Leviathan.

Ereshkigal looked at her Master nervously, seeking his approval, and at his nod, turned back towards Franklin looking much more confident.

"Not just enemy Stat Buffs. My First Form Skill, Denial of Authority, removes the Buffs, both Skill-based and Status-based, of all enemies within my Territory, and has a percentage chance of applying them to Master or a Monster in his Minion capacity. This Skill's effect decreases with enemies at a higher Level than Master's or a Level equal to his, although it'll never be zero. Currently, I have a 7% chance to apply the removed Buff to Master for a target of the same Level, which increases the lower the Level of the Skill's target is compared to him and decreases the higher the Level of the target is." said Ereshkigal proudly, placing her hands on her shapely hips.

Franklin let out a low whistle. Even if the chance of the Skill working dropped for enemies of a higher Level, that was still a pretty powerful ability, even if it wouldn't do anything to people who actually had high Stats. After all, not every Player and Tian used Buffs as a major part of their combat style. In fact, it was actually on the lower side of the usage tree because of other Skills that prevented incantations and the like. Also, it was more or less ineffective against many kinds of Monsters, as they tended to use direct attacks instead of Buffs, as many lacked the tactical ability to make use of them.

But it was still a really strong Skill, and it also proved her hypothesis about how he had slain Behemot.

"You got really lucky." she said, smirking to herself. "You see, Behemot's Base Stats are actually incredibly low, lower than even those of High-Rank Job users. However, she became known as the Physical Apex, and has ridiculous Stats as a Superior because of a Skill called Beast Heart Possession, from the Jaguarman Grouping. What it does it simple; it adds the Stats of a subordinate Monster to the Master who owns it. For the Low-Rank Job version of the Skill, which Caps at Level 5, it adds 25% of the Monster's Stats. However, as you know, Behemot's Superior Job is the one corresponding to the Jaguarman Job, and-"

"Probably gives 100% of the subordinate Monster's Stats." said Dekiru, realization dawning on his face. "And Ereshkigal stole that Skill's permanent Stat Boosting effect from Behemot-san and transferred it to me, which is why I suddenly became so strong, and why my punch killed Behemot; because I was punching her when her Stat Buff was gone, which made her much weaker than me, with the STR of a Superior Guardian Embryo."

He blinked for a few seconds in awe, before turning to Ereshkigal, who was gauging his reaction.

"You're amazing!" he gushed, causing Ereshkigal to redden and stutter out a response. Then Dekiru realized that he was acting like a nerd around a girl who neither his mother nor Franklin, and then began to blush and stutter himself.

The sight of it was giving Franklin diabetes. She could feel her blood sugar rising just from the sight of them.

It was truly a gift from the Gods above that Dekiru's Embryo was as much of a cinnamon roll as he was.

The two of them together were practically the cutest couple Franklin had ever seen. And by couple, she meant Master-Embryo Pair.

Nothing else.

At all.

"You two are sooooo adorable!" cheered AR-I-CA, having recovered from her state of shock, reverting to her usual personality. She grabbed them both and shoved them into her chest, causing them both to struggle furiously against her. "It's just too much!"

Franklin let out a nervous laugh, getting the strangest feeling that in the future, Dekiru and Ereshkigal were both in serious danger, considering AR-I-CA batted for both teams.

Still, she wasn't a degenerate, and Franklin knew her friend enough to know that she genuinely liked the two of them. Dekiru had a natural charm that was usually hidden until one actually got to know him a little bit, a chance that no one in the real World actually gave him. And Ereshkigal seemingly picked up many good qualities from her Master, something that was pretty apparent even though she had only been born minutes ago.

And better AR-I-CA than those degenerates from Legendaria, especially those freaks they called Superiors. Franklin had heard that one of them had such an obsession with children that his Embryo actually turned people back into kids.

Franklin didn't know if those rumors were true, and to be honest, for the first time in her life, she didn't want to, either.

Still, it was probably best to get those two freed up before they died of asphyxiation.

"So what loot did Behemot drop?" asked Franklin, tilting her head.

AR-I-CA released the two of them, causing them to fall over, gasping for air.

Franklin idly noted that Ereshkigal was somehow even bustier than AR-I-CA, without actually making it look awkward, and felt a slight tinge of envy before turning back to her friend, who had given her a cheap, disposable Inventory that contained the Drop Items.

"Nothing he can use, sadly enough. It's all high-end gear meant for people who've reached Level 500 at the least, and has Stat Requirements way out of his pay grade."

Franklin turned to Dekiru, who was getting up off the floor, while his Embryo was still heaving on the ground.

"Did Behemot contact you? I gave her your number, since she asked for it, and because you'd probably faint before you gave a girl your number." she said, a grin flickering on her face as she teased him towards the end. "She should have told you by now what to do with the Drop Items."

"W-well" He said, red dusting his cheeks at her implication. "She said to keep them and do what I wanted with them, but I want to give them back to her. After all, it's my fault she died and can't Log On again for a day due to the Death Penalty. Besides, it wouldn't even have happened under normal spcircumstances; I got really lucky. Judging by the fact that the Skill's effect becomes weaker the higher Level the opponent is, then by my calculations, the chance of Denial of Authority working on Behemot and giving me her Beast Heart Posession Stat Buff was only 0.000000667%. And the only reason the numbers matched up was because Ereshkigal managed to trigger a LUC increase due to the excess energy from her Evolution. Something like that won't be happening anytime soon, so it doesn't feel right to take her stuff."

Franklin snorted at that. He was a goody two shoes, as usual, but he actually made it seem endearing as opposed to the Pro Heroes, who had sticks up their a*ses when it came to their 'justice'.

"Firstly, she wanted you to have it, so it would be rude of you to refuse her. Second, think of it as a gift from Behemot, since I think you really made a good impression on her. Plus, none of this Equipment seems like stuff Behemot actually uses, and since UBM Rewards can't be dropped by death and can't be traded, she isn't actually losing anything (except maybe her pride). Since I can see that you still don't want to do this, I'll just take them off your hands and sell them for cash I can use to make you a good Monster."

Dekiru looked like he was about to protest, but was thrown for a loop by Franklin's last statement.

"A Monster?"

"Oh, I see." said AR-I-CA, who was surprised for a moment before realization dawned on her. She turned to Dekiru, who looked confused.

"Hey Cutie, you don't actually have any offensive Skills, do you?"

Dekiru opened his mouth, but said nothing before closing it again, opening the Window and scrolling through his Skill List.

"Well, there's one." he said, as he slowly began to connect the dots. "But it isn't really reliable as a Damage Dealing Spell. This is because the Druid Job is a Support Caster Job, right?"

"Right." confirmed Franklin. "Since your Embryo is a non-damage dealing Type Territory Rule, you have no reliable way of dealing damage to your opponents. Hence, the use of a Tamed Monster to deal damage for you. Heck, you should already have a Taming Skill from that little stunt you pulled earlier with the boar, so you don't even need to struggle that much since you won't immediately need the Tamer Job."

"I see what you mean, but using a Monster to fight for me? That seems... kind of cruel." said Dekiru uneasily.

Ereshkigal, having remained silent until then, decided to speak up.

"Master, I understand your feelings, but you are looking at this the wrong way. Franklin is correct; the usage of a Monster in combat is the only reliable way for us to deal damage at the current moment. Your Druid Job Skills focus on changing the Terrain around you, while mine focuses on adding bonus effects to that Terrain, leaving no one to actually take advantage of it." she explained. "Plus, using a Tamed Monster is no different from how mankind used Wolves as hunting animals and domesticated wild horses to ride on. The humanity of using a Tamed Monster depends on how you treat it, not the act of using it. So that's why, I think you should accept this offer."

Dekiru still looked unsure, but ultimately decided to put his trust in the both of them. "Well, okay then."

Franklin smirked. "I knew you'd see things my way."

"Eh, Fran, you would have done it whether or not he 'saw things your way'." said AR-I-CA, looking at her out of the corner of her eye in mock disdain.

"Also true." admitted Franklin, causing Dekiru to sag, realizing he was no match for her stubbornness.

AR-I-CA opened her Window, checking the time, before turning to the three of them.

"Well, I should get back to the ToW before the Engineers blow something up again. I'll find you later, Cutie~!" said AR-I-CA, heading off with a wave.

There was a few moments of silence as the other woman walked away, before Dekiru decided to speak up with what was on his mind.

"Thanks for inviting me, Francesca." said Dekiru quietly once they were alone, wringing his hands nervously.

Ereshkigal, sensing that he wanted to talk to Franklin privately, had excused herself to return to her Crest, stating that she had some data to crunch regarding her own Skills.

"This place... it's so amazing." he said, looking out in admiration at the landscape. "It all feels so real, and even if it's my first day, I've met plenty of nice people here!"

"Mhm. There's still a lot more for you to see out here, Izuku. You haven't even scratched the surface of the wonders Infinite Dendrogram has to offer. You can do what you want to your heart's content here; this World follows a culture and a set of rules different from our own. I had a feeling you'd love it."

"I do, even if I haven't really done anything yet." he said, his ears saying in the breeze.

"There's a project I'm working on." said Franklin suddenly, catching his attention. "A plan to build an actual humanoid mech from scratch, here in Dendro. I'll text you the situation and the blueprints IRL, but that's what my Clan, the Triangle of Wisdom was built for. You can't join a Clan until you clear one Low-Rank Job at the least, which you're almost at, so you can go wild here for while and we can get you registered afterwards. You in? With your knowledge added to the pool I've already collected, I'm sure we can do it."

"That's amazing!" he said with a gasp. "Of course I'll help. I may not be as useful as everyone else, but I'll do my best to help you work out any kinks in the Blueprints!"

"Heh. Thanks. Also, you should stop selling yourself short. You wouldn't have gotten into I-Island Academy a year early without having talent for this sort of thing." she said, reaching out and ruffling his hair fondly, causing him to squirm.

She knew he wouldn't even hesitate to give an answer. He was just that kind of guy.

A boy with a Dream his Body wasn't made for, though his Heart, Mind and Soul were in the right place.

A Kind person in a dark World.

{Druid, Dekiru}

It had been around a minute since Franklin had left to complete some last-minute preparations and to sell the Equipment and Items Behemot had dropped, and Dekiru was deep in thought, reminiscing of all the experiences he had went through since starting the Game only a few hours ago.

He'd Tamed a rampaging Frenzy Boar, met and accidentally killed one of the most powerful Players in the Game, a feat he was pretty sure he couldn't replicate again at least Level 500, and had made many new friends.

It was all so amazing and surreal, and the best part was that his true Infinite Dendrogram experience hadn't even begun yet. He'd literally only been playing for a few hours, and yet he already felt better than he had in years. Around a decade, to be frank, since that fateful day when he was 4.

There was only one thing that was bothering him, and his new Partner clearly knew it, as she manifested almost immediately when his train of thought shifted in that direction.

"Master, there's no need to be worried around me." said Ereshkigal seriously, her tone making it clear she wasn't going to beat around the bush regarding the matter at hand. "I won't hurt you. You can trust me."

Trust.

That word stirred a few bitter feelings in his heart.

He used to trust a lot in the past, but his own faith in Humanity had begun to take blows ever since he was diagnosed as Quirkless.

He wanted to save people, yes, but that was because of his natural disposition and kindness.

That didn't mean he trusted them. Deep in his heart, he knew he had been pushed far beyond that point.

He trusted AR-I-CA because Francesca trusted her, and trusted Behemot and Leviathan because Francesca didn't see them as malicious. The only people he trusted were his parents and Francesca, his only friend back before all this, made through the bond formed from shared danger.

It didn't show in his attitude, because he was naturally a kind and energetic person, but after being near people for more than a few minutes, the fear and mistrust began to set in.

After... Bakugo, he hadn't been able to trust anybody. He'd closed his heart.

Kids bullied him in awful ways, from stealing his things to outright death threats, and of course there were some who pretended to be his friend only to crush him in front of everyone.

Adults would ignore his plight completely, and support everyone else, sometimes even encouraging the people who made his life hell, so his faith in authority figures was also frayed.

People in stores would charge him double the cost of anything in their establishments once they saw his identification, which he had to give in order to buy anything according to the public laws due to Villains with shapeshifting Quirks.

Places like Arcades and Movie Theatres outright denied him access, and Izuku Midoriya knew better than to believe the Police would do anything about it.

The worst part was, his beloved Pro Heroes weren't any better.

He'd heard what the Heroes had said about him after the incident where he had saved Francesca.

One of them had the gall to tell his mother that a freak like him should have allowed his betters to do their jobs, instead of trying to act like he could actually have done anything.

Were these the people he had looked up to since he could walk?

Was this the true face of the society he so desperately wanted to protect?

He was fortunate that his parents were amazing people who loved him with all their hearts despite his condition, his father even working hard overseas to provide them an easy life.

But many Quirkless children weren't so fortunate. Out of the 20 percent of the population without Quirks, 15 percent of them were the elderly.

The other five percent were children.

Not even one percent of the World's adult population was Quirkless.

That itself was telling enough.

Because Quirkless children never made it to adulthood.

After the Villain attack, as he lay in that hospital bed, Izuku, to his own shame, had wondered if his life was even worth it.

After hearing Pro Heroes speak that way about him. He'd finally reached his breaking point.

He took all the pain and abuse, and adapted to it, so that one day, he could become a Hero, and then people would acknowledge his worth.

He could prove he wasn't a Deku.

But it was in that hospital room that he'd realized how futile that hope was.

After all, how could he be sure that he wouldn't receive the same treatment even as a Pro?

Heck, how could he be sure that they would even allow him to have a license or even join a Hero School?

True, U.A. recently removed the rule that Quirkless Students couldn't join, but even so, not one Quirkless student had ever attended U.A.,even for General Education.

The facts spoke for themselves.

Francesca had been a beacon for him in that heartbreaking time.

He'd just been so done with the World after everything he'd been through, that he'd only been a few moments away from trying to strangle himself with his own IV line.

She'd helped him out of it, helped him come to terms with himself and follow a new path, and for that, he would be eternally grateful to the French girl.

It was thanks to her, and of course, the support of his parents, that he was even able to attend I-Island Academy now, the best high school on the planet.

He'd been recovering a bit from then, but Izuku knew that the World hadn't changed in the least.

He'd been a shut-in during that time period, studying for his Entrance Exams. That didn't mean the World had magically become better.

Still, Izuku knew in his heart that he would still drop everything to save even people as vile as them.

That was just who he was.

But that didn't mean they wouldn't stab him in the back. It didn't mean he could laugh among them as equals.

Because in the end, society was organized based on the power you were born with.

And he was on the bottom rung of the ladder.

That was partially why Infinite Dendrogram was so amazing for him.

To the people here, the matters of the real World were of no consequence.

The Masters didn't care about what Quirk he had, at least the ones he'd met up to now, and the Tians probably didn't even know what a Quirk was.

They treated him just like they would treat anyone else.

And that meant the World to him.

He'd nearly broken down when the ice cream stall owner had sold him the dessert with a kind smile, and when people had actually thanked him for helping them out.

It was something he'd never experienced before outside of his family, with the exception of Francesca.

But... the scars in his heart still lingered and festered.

A decade's worth of abuse and discrimination couldn't be washed away that easily.

He'd been comfortable socializing before because he was in the presence of someone he trusted, sort of like how children felt more comfortable with their parents around.

But now...?

He wasn't sure he could keep it up.

All the times he had been duped by others kept playing in his head like a catchy song you couldn't forget, and the veritable PTSD started acting up whenever he tried talking to someone.

That was why he'd barely spoken even to the ice cream vendor, a Tian, and Behemot, who he'd believed to be a porcupine.

As Dekiru, he knew that things wouldn't be the same. This World just didn't seem to be like that.

But a dark part of his heart wondered if the circumstances of his birth would haunt him his whole life, even beyond the shackles of their Reality.

However, when it came to his Embryo, Izuku was even more wary. After all, she had been born from his own psyche, from his thoughts and actions. She knew everything about him; all his insecurities, his fears, and yet was a completely free-living and sentient being, just like anyone else.

What would she think of him? Him, a fool who had denied reality for so long, reaching for a dream that society would never have let him achieve?

He was shaken out of his thoughts when Ereshkigal gently pulled him up into a hug, cradling him against her bosom.

"Master, I know what you've been through." Ereshkigal whispered into his ear. "We Embryos can see the memories of our Masters. It's part of how our development occurs. You're an incredibly strong person Master, who deserves much better than what Fate dealt you. As your Embryo, your happiness is my first and foremost priority. As long as you keep returning to Infinite Dendrogram, I'll always be by your side. You don't need to be afraid anymore. You can trust me."

She was right. She was his partner. If there was anyone he could trust in the whole World, it would be her.

Dekiru hesitated for a few moments, before he tentatively hugged the Embryo back, receiving a radiant smile in return.

"Whatever we face, lets promise to do our best, okay?" asked Ereshkigal, putting out her fist.

"Yeah." said Dekiru, bumping her fist with his own, bearing a small smile. "Let's do our best, Ereshkigal!"

"Of course, Master!"

It wasn't a full recovery. Far from it.

But as Dekiru, with his Embryo Partner Ereshkigal by his side, Izuku Midoriya had begun walking the path towards rehabilitation... and a new future.

It looked like for the first time, the path he was walking down was nothing short of smooth sailing.

And that's a wrap, ladies and gentlemen!

Izuku gets a massive info dump along with all of you, decides to conquer his fear and move forward... But we know things won't be THAT easy, now don't we?

Stay tuned, ladies and gentlemen, because Izuku will fight his first UBM in 2 or so chapters.

With this, we finish the Introduction Arc and begin the Dragon Seal Arc, which will only be three to four chapters at the most.

BEFORE PEOPLE START RAGING, IZUKU ONLY MANAGED TO DEFEAT BEHEMOT DUE TO PURE LUCK, WHICH WAS BOOSTED BY ERESHKIGAL USING THE ENERGY OF HER EVOLUTION TO ENHANCE HERSELF. IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN, SO DON'T THINK THAT HE IS OP BECAUSE OF THIS, BECAUSE THAT TRICK WON'T WORK ANYMORE ON SUCH HIGH LEVEL PEOPLE.

Just getting that cleared up before people start rioting. Plus, Behemot was the only Superior his Embryo would even counter, because Ereshkigal removes Skill-based Buffs, and Behemot's Stats, if you check the Wiki, comes almost exclusively from her Beast Heart Possession Skill. Battles in Dendrogram, especially between Masters, are generally battles of power and compatibility, and Izuku had an advantage against her in the latter case.

Also, regarding the Monster that Franklin will custom make for Izuku, she will be a character BASED on another franchise, but that is merely because I suck at creating relevant OCs that are major characters. However, keep in mind that she is only BASED on such a character, and isn't ACTUALLY that character. Also, it isn't OOC at all for Franklin to make him a Monster, because she literally SPECIALIZES in Monster Creation, and she actually created the MGFX Mech Series specifically for her sister and AR-I-CA, where she pulled out all the stops to create the best Mechs in the game.

And, I included an explanation on how Izuku Received Ereshkigal as an Embryo, and its difference compared to Ishtar from the old version. Also, her Skill is pretty unique, and I'm quite proud of her Embryo Skill Progression, which I have already plotted out. As you can see, her Embryo Skills basically revolve around saying nope to people who try to pull a fast one in her Territory. Type Maiden with Territory Rule is only her CURRENT Typing, and wil change later as she evolves.

I'm stressing that because people keep badgering me about Ereshkigal not matching up to Fate lore when all I used was her physical appearance and personality for his Embryo.

Izuku's thoughts about heroism and his take on society are once again based on how people would act in the real World. To grow as a person. he has to face those feelings and move on. Though with the friends he'll make in this World, I don't think that's an impossible goal.

Anyways, that's all I wanted to say. Please support Infinite Dendrogram and this story, and stay safe.

Spatialphoenix here, burning to ashes.