A crimson hairpin materialized from thin air and elegantly bound his long black hair into place.
Iruma tilted his head in the mirror, still getting used to this new look.
"A demon without horns or a tail… Feels kinda incomplete."
As soon as he spoke, two crescent-shaped white horns appeared, hugging his scalp just above the temples. Sharply edged, they looked almost like finely forged blades—eerily similar to Albedo's from Overlord.
Then came the tail.
Segmented like a demon's spine, lined with razor-like ridges, it looked like it could tear through steel.
"Hmm... yeah, this is a little too much. Let's dial it back."
With another thought, the horns and tail vanished, returning him to his sleek, powerful, and more human-adjacent form.
But then his eyes narrowed in disgust at the uniform laid out for him—Babyls Academy's standard blue set.
"Seriously? This color scheme screams 'generic background character.' No thanks."
Without hesitation, he summoned the garb of the Vanished Demon King—a regal, imposing outfit with dark trims and flowing sleeves. Now that was his style.
When he stepped outside, sunlight bathed his tall, refined figure in gold. Waiting just beyond the door were Sullivan and Opera—both clearly stunned.
In the light, Iruma's form seemed ethereal. Tall. Handsome. Untouchable.
Sullivan, initially brimming with joy, froze. His smile cracked into a look of pure disbelief.
Opera's fur visibly stood on end for half a second before they calmed down, eyes sharpening with suspicion.
"De—uh, ahaha! Wow! You really startled me there, my precious grandson!" Sullivan blurted. The second he started to say something else, he quickly backtracked, slapping on a bright smile and patting Iruma excitedly on the shoulder.
"Today's your big day! The school entrance ceremony! We must document it properly!"
Babyls Academy – Demon School of the Abyss
A sprawling fortress perched atop a jagged cliff, surrounded by massive dark tendrils that looked like black plants from hell itself.
From a distance, the school resembled a monstrous bat mid-flight. If someone told you this was a prison or a cursed tower, you'd probably believe them.
But a school?
Still, Iruma couldn't help but be impressed.
So this is Babyls... Now that's what I call demonic architecture. Absolutely epic.
Demons soared through the sky above him, their wings casting fleeting shadows. His excitement surged.
How should I make my entrance? Grand? Subtle? Overwhelming? Ugh, too many cool options...
While he was daydreaming, Sullivan had already dragged him in front of the big entrance board for new students.
Click! Click!
Opera, of course, was on photo duty, capturing every angle. Now towering even over Sullivan, Iruma's striking figure was impossible to ignore.
Once the photo op was done, both guardians disappeared, leaving Iruma alone on the school grounds.
"Maybe I should just fly up to the main building—"
He stopped himself mid-thought.
Wait. Last night those wings nearly blew up my room. If I take off now, I'll probably break the sound barrier... and turn those flying demons into roadkill. Nope. Gotta keep it low-key.
Resigned, he started walking.
At the front gates, the Student Council's Four Aces were busy welcoming new students, voices echoing like rehearsed cheerleaders.
"Welcome!"
"Welcome!"
"Welcome!"
Iruma watched them with mild amusement, but his attention was elsewhere.
Where is she? Where's Ameri...
He scanned the crowd, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Student Council President. No luck—yet.
Unbeknownst to him, his appearance was already stirring up the masses.
Gasps. Whispers. Stares.
"Whoa... Who's that guy?!"
"So tall!"
"He looks dangerous!"
"Forget all that—look at that face! That guy could make me fall in love on the spot!"
That last comment came from a one-eyed demon girl, whose swooning sent everyone else scrambling several feet away from her.
Iruma, meanwhile, spotted Sabnock Sabro getting into a scuffle with Professor Balam off in the distance.
That guy again? Still swinging that big axe around like it's an anime boss fight...
Whatever. That brute force style is boring. Give me fists, blood, and high-speed carnage any day.
Deciding to skip the drama, Iruma headed straight to the main lecture hall. He took a seat near the middle—casual, relaxed—but none of the other demons dared sit close.
A noticeable bubble formed around him as whispers spread like wildfire:
"W-Who is he?! I can't breathe when I'm near him!"
"Do you think it's okay to sit over there? There's no space left here..."
"Are you crazy? He'd probably crush your skull like a grape!"
Iruma chuckled quietly.
Then he turned and flashed them a radiant smile.
"Relax. Don't be shy. I promise—I'm actually very gentle."
His voice was warm and friendly...
But the sheer pressure from his mana twisted the air around him.
Several nearby demons fainted on the spot.
Oops.
Still smirking, Iruma turned his eyes toward the stage.
A teacher stepped up to the podium and announced:
"Everyone, please rise for the school anthem!"