Magna stared at Asta in awe.
"You sure about this?" he asked, recalling the rookie's explosive strength—far beyond what he expected.
Noelle stepped up beside him, worried.
"Stupid Asta, don't go rushing in alone—I've been getting stronger lately!"
Asta didn't reply. He only smirked and muttered,
"Ten seconds."
He meant what the Diamond Kingdom mage had boasted: to wipe out the village in that time. Asta would end him instead.
The young man in green robes sneered.
"Black Bulls, huh? Lazies who worship ignorance. A common brat daring to call me out—pay for your arrogance!"
He slammed his palms together and formed a massive ice disc, which hurtled toward the group.
Magna's eyes went wide—there was no way his remaining fire magic could stop it.
Noelle leapt forward, determination on her face—she wouldn't let it hurt Asta.
"BOOM!"
In a blur, Asta charged and shattered the ice disc with a swing of his Demon Slayer Sword. Shards rained down—some even dinged Noelle as she backed away.
"I told you to stand back," Asta said with a grin, brushing snow from his coat.
"But you just get drenched instead."
Noelle fumed, her cheeks red. She glared at him but couldn't help the warmth in her eyes.
Magna exhaled. Finally, Asta wasn't bluffing—he was the real deal.
The green-robed mage scowled.
"Did he break my ice magic?"
A blue-robed assistant muttered nervously:
"Master Sith, I'll trap him in fog magic!"
"Do it."
Masses of mist erupted at Asta, twisting into vortexes.
Asta responded in one fluid motion—open gate, shut gate—rushing through the fog. He closed the distance in the blink of an eye, his sword hilt colliding with Sith's jaw. The sound of bone crushing echoed as Sith was knocked skyward.
Before anyone could react, Asta spun and launched a horizontal sweep that sent the three assistants flying.
"I said you'd go to heaven—now go!" he called calmly.
Heathing his sword, Asta surveyed the scene.
Magna stared at him, his respect solidified.
Noelle's eyes were a mix of shock and awe; it had all ended before she even realized it began.
A chime sounded—"Ding dong! 3 first-class low-level mages defeated: +900 points."
Asta tugged at his collar, disappointed:
"They were first-class? I expected tougher competition…"
Magna stepped forward.
"Asta—those three actually died. But Sith—he's just unconscious."
"Good," Asta replied. "We'll turn him in. No need to kill captives."
Magna bound Sith with his Flame-Flail Binding Spell, the runes sealing both his body and mana.
Asta narrowed his eyes.
"Magic interrogation isn't ideal. People like Sith hold secrets. Maybe safer to keep him locked up…"
****
Noelle peeked at the tied-up Sith.
"Magna, will your seal really hold him—and his magic?"
Magna nodded.
"This flame binding is more than just physical—it suppresses magic too."
Meanwhile, Sith tried to struggle, spittle dripping from his crushed jaw. His cold gaze revealed fear and regret—he hadn't expected such raw power from a magicless fighter. Even Naw—he'd underestimated Asta.
Suddenly, Sith's eyes glowed violet. A magical item reacted—purple sparks flew out—and in an instant, he was frozen solid and shattered into crystalline shards.
Magna spat in frustration.
"Damn it! I planned on interrogating him—now he's just dust?"
Asta shook his head, disappointed.
"Would've learned more if he'd lived. But we can't bring him back."
At that moment, a small blackbird with red eyes flitted out of Asta's collar and chirped before disappearing into a small nearby room.
Noelle's eyes lit up.
"What's that? It's kinda cute… what is it?"
Asta grinned, a rare soft expression on his face.
"It's my familiar. It appeared in the trials room alongside me back when we first entered the castle. I wanted to roast it for a snack—but after seeing how it comforted a girl nearby, I kept it."
Noelle looked about to ask more... then hesitated.
"Can—could I hold it?"
Asta shook his head gently.
"Sorry, Noelle. It's... special to me."
****
Asta rolled his eyes. "Seriously, Magna? You want me to give up a good way to meet girls?!"
Magna groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "There's a time and place for flirting, you blockhead! We just finished dealing with an enemy, and Saussy Village is still reeling from the attack. We need to focus."
"Thank you so much! You're all heroes—our village owes you everything!"
A villager cried out gratefully as survivors gathered in the square, but the bittersweet relief was quickly shattered.
"Brother Magna…" a young boy's voice trembled as he knelt beside an elderly man's lifeless body. "Grandpa is… gone…"
Magna's expression turned grave. He stepped forward and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder.
"Nico… I'm sorry. Your grandpa was a good man. A strong one. You've gotta stay strong too—for him."
Nico nodded, wiping his tear-stained cheeks. "I will. I'll try my best."
Magna's jaw tightened. If we'd just arrived a little sooner… maybe this could've been avoided.
Asta looked around at the wreckage. "Can someone tell us why those mages attacked this village in the first place? It doesn't seem like there's anything valuable here."
The villagers glanced at one another in confusion.
"We're not sure… They blocked off the village when they came. Forced everyone to gather in one spot… It was like they were searching for something—or someone."
Asta frowned. "That's suspicious. Could've been rogue mages looking for a forbidden item… or maybe someone with magic they wanted."
"We'll need to report this to the Clover Kingdom's Magic Knights HQ," Magna said grimly. "They'll send someone from the Investigation Squad to look into it."
"Let's finish up here first," Asta added, his tone softening. "We should help Nico bury his grandpa."
****
They buried Mr. Ceci on a hillside near the village—a peaceful place with a wide view of the land below. The setting sun cast an orange glow over the tombstones, and a gentle breeze rustled the grass.
Though serene, the air carried a heaviness. It felt like a place where not only dreams were born—but also buried.
Asta stood silently, hands at his sides. "Every time I see something like this… I just want to get stronger," he said, his voice low. "So no one else has to die like this. So I can protect everyone."
He clenched his fists. If I hadn't been strong enough today… it wouldn't have just been Mr. Ceci in that grave.
"Thank you for helping me," Nico said, bowing his head. "Grandpa always came here to watch the sunset. He said it made him feel like he could touch the future."
Magna gave him a small smile. "Yeah, he was that kind of guy. Always talking about dreams."
Nico looked up at him, eyes shining with determination. "Brother Magna… do you think I could join the Magic Knights someday? Grandpa always said his biggest regret was not making it into one of the squads. I want to fulfill that dream for him!"
Magna paused, then chuckled. "With guts like that? You've got a shot. Just remember—being a Magic Knight ain't just about flashy magic. It's about heart. And I see plenty of that in you."
Asta grinned, giving Nico a thumbs-up. "Don't give up! I didn't have magic, and look at me now—I'm a Magic Knight! If I can do it, anyone can!"
Nico's eyes widened. "You really didn't have any magic?!"
Asta laughed. "Yup! But I trained every single day, pushed past every limit! You can too!"