War of Discoveries Prologue

by Author Nicholas Drew

Did you really think 5 worlds were all that there was to the universe? There are plenty out there. This is a tale of four fledgling worlds, newly discovered by the Watchers. Read on, as the heroes of RWBY, Black Clover, My Hero Academia and Hunter x Hunter are brought together to face a mysterious foe with one goal in mind: universal genocide.

16. Chapter 16: Moments Like These

A.N: Happy new year, everyone. Holy smokes, 2020. So first of all, super big announcement for anyone who missed it. Age of Heroes: The Hero and the Disciple, is now available on Amazon's Kindle Store, under my pen name, Nicholas Drew. for $7.99, the book is yours. Once you read, please remember to leave positive reviews to help me gain traction on the site. Anything on where I can improve can be sent via PM as always, as I'm always looking to improve.

Also, I want to make a personal offer to any artists out there. If anyone wants to perhaps draw cover pages for the works I have on this site, or even just fanart of scenes and characters, just PM me and we will discuss the details. I'll of course do my best to advertise the images on my profile and in my chapters when they are done.It's the New Year folks, so I want to do a few things differently, rather than just stay stagnant.

But enough plugging and offering. Another double release of the Black Clover Part of the prologue today. What can I say, super inspired on the War of Discoveries Prologue lately. Enjoy!

Chapter 15: Moments Like These

In unison, the jaws of the entire Black Bulls squad (sans Yami Sukehiro, of course) dropped to the floor. "EH?!" They all yelled in disbelief.

Yami gazed at his old mentor, Julius Novachrono, with an irritated expression on his face. "I freaking knew it." He claimed before looking at the sheepish group of 'foreigners'. "No way was this old geezer an old friend of yours. You always kept your friends close. If he really was a 'personal friend' of yours, I'd have met him by now."

Julius laughed at this. "Well, thank you for keeping quiet while our plan had been put into motion, Yami." He said gratefully. "The success of the plan had hinged on them buying the idea of the Grandmaster being a close, personal friend of mine."

"Whoa whoa whoa!" Asta yelled. "So, this old man isn't some old friend of yours?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying, Asta." Julius sweat-dropped. Asta still was a little slow on the uptake. "Although, after everything, I do hope that the grandmaster would consider me a friend...in spite of the best efforts of the Magic Parliament and Damnatio."

"I despise upstarts who think they're better than everyone else, Julius. I have way too many bad memories of dealing with people like them." Sojiro bitterly admitted before smiling. "You're not like that. I would be happy to consider you as one of my friends."

"Wonderful!" Julius said giddily before stars appeared in his eyes. "If that's the case, you have to allow me to examine you! I must find out the secrets behind your 'energy'."

Sojiro laughed. "Maybe later," he promised.

"So, wait, it's all true?" Vanessa Enoteca still could not believe what Julius had explained to them all. "Grandmaster Sojiro and these others are from a different world?"

"Different worlds, Ms. Vanessa." Noriko corrected. "The Grandmaster, Shogo, and myself are from the same world. But Ruby and Izuku here are from different worlds that we had visited earlier. That's the thing, there's more than just two worlds, there are hundreds out there."

"And you just believed it...just like that?" Zora Ideale groaned. "Never change, you crazy-ass Wizard King."

"Zora," Julius said, "you should sense it just like everyone else here. They don't possess magic, they possess something quite different...four of them do anyway. Izuku has nothing."

"Yeah...but, I like to believe that I can still hang with you guys in a fight." Izuku sheepishly muttered. "I mean, I'm nowhere near the Grandmaster and Shogo, but I think I'm pretty strong."

Luck Voltia laughed as electricity crackled around his body. "I can sense it, Wizard King!" Luck giddily declared. "They're not like us at all! But they're still super strong!"

"Geez," Magna Swing muttered, "if Luck's agreeing with this. It's gotta be true. His sensory abilities surpass even most royals."

"This is still so unreal," Noelle Silva was still in shock, "other worlds different from ours. This is straight out of the most outlandish of fairy tales."

"Yeah, but even fairy tales can sometimes have a little bit of truth to them." Ruby spoke up sagely. "I'm just now learning that myself."

"Forget fairy tales and the truth, the important thing is that they're super strong!" Luck excitedly yelled before bounding up to the otherworlders. "Please, you gotta fight me! My favorite thing in the world is fighting, next to my friends of course! Don't worry, it won't be to the death! I used to love it when they were do or die, but since you helped out Asta, I don't wanna kill you!"

"Whoa, you're a motormouth." Noriko muttered.

"Huh," Ruby gazed at Luck in surprise.

"What is it, Ruby?" Izuku asked curiously.

"You mean you don't hear it? When he talks, he weirdly sounds just like you." Ruby pointed out. "Personality wise, you guys couldn't be more different, and yet…"

"Really?" Izuku looked at Luck. "Er...what do you think? Do you think Ruby's right? Do you think we sound alike?"

"Hmm...I don't know if I really hear it." Luck folded his arms.

"Actually, I think I do." Izuku's eyes widened. "Whoa, that is so crazy."

Luck frowned before an idea came to him. "I know!" He said excitedly. "How about you say something that I would say? That should help!"

"Er...okay." Izuku shrugged. "Um...hey, let's fight! Not to the death, since you helped my friend. But let's give it our all regardless!"

Luck laughed and clapped his hands together. "Hey!" He cheered. "I totally hear it now! We do sound a lot alike. That's so weird, but so cool!"

"Hey, hey, hey!" Finral Roulacesse yelled with a frightened look on his face. "Can we please stop focusing on this stuff and address the elephant in the room! Like, I don't know, the danger the Grandmaster was talking about when he told us about all this otherworld stuff!"

"That was pretty scary." Gordon Agrippa muttered quietly.

"That's right," Vanessa folded her arms, "Grandmaster, when you told us the truth, you also explained that enemies from your world had also come here? Could you please expand on that?"

"It's just as I said. They're an old doomsday-bringing cult that waged war against my kingdom thousands of years ago." Sojiro explained. "They're known as the Cult of the End. Now, the good news is that after their original defeat, this version is far weaker than the original group. The bad news, sadly, is that they are still a threat to worlds like yours. I think...they're after you for that reason."

"They're just a bunch of schoolyard bullies." Noriko spat in disgust before sighing. "But unfortunately, they're still very good at their duty in bringing about the end of the universe. Which means we need to take them seriously, and gather allies to fight them."

"If they really are that much of a threat, even after gathering allies, then we need to prepare for war immediately." Julius noted. "Grandmaster, you've held up your end of the bargain with Asta. I'll now hold up mine and aid you in this battle with my Magic Knights. If these people are threatening Clover Kingdom's safety, I must be ready to do my part."

"As much as I appreciate that, you need to convince your Magic Knights to fight first." Sojiro pointed out. "I won't ask you to fight a war without their support."

"Well, you've got our support." Sojiro turned to see Yami, grinning in anticipation for the battle to come. "Even if Lord Julius can't rally the rest of the Magic Knights to your cause, know that you've got the Black Bulls on your side."

"Is that so?" Sojiro raised a surprised eyebrow at Yami's statement. "Even if Julius told you not to fight because the rest of the Magic Knights do not wish it?"

"The Black Bulls are already the worst of the worst." Yami reminded Sojiro. "Not like we give a damn about our reputation. But we do give a damn about this world. We live in it, after all."

"It's a man's duty to fight and protect." Magna noted with a grin. "And I can't think of anything manlier than fighting for and protecting the whole damn universe."

"If I come with you guys, I'm bound to fight some super strong fighters!" Luck cheered. "So you can count me in, Mr. Grandmaster!"

"If they destroy the world, I won't be able to eat all the yummy food." Charmy Pappitson pointed out with a vicious gaze. "I'll destroy them before that happens!"

"You guys did help out Asta earlier, so I'd be more than happy to help." Vanessa said with a smile. "And I'm sure Henry would say the same if he wasn't resting up at the base."

"I'd like to be friends with you guys, after all you did to help." Gordon was surprisingly speaking clearly. "Please, let me help now."

"This is all very scary...but I'll do my best too." Grey promised.

"I can't believe I'm about to say this...but I'm Captain Yami's taxi, so I've got no choice but to give my all to help as well." Finral said with a weak smile. "Don't know how much help I'll be, but I'll do my best. After all, like Vanessa said, you helped out Asta."

"If they destroy the world, they'll destroy my precious Marie too!" Gauche Adlai, like Charmy, had a very vicious gaze in his eyes too. For a much creepier reason, by the way. "So I'll fight for her sake!"

Zora heaved a sigh. "Might as well fight with ya bastards." He conceded. "If I do that, I can show these Magic Knight jerks what a real knight looks like."

"I'll gladly fight with my friends, and to show that members of royalty are ready to do their part as well." Noelle promised.

Sojiro gaped at the resolve of the Black Bulls before laughing heartily. "What good fortune that I would stumble across a group such as yourselves." He noted. "It's like I'm back home in Menou."

Secre Swallowtail remained silently as her 'squad' effectively declared war on this unknown enemy of theirs. Asta, meanwhile, gave Sojiro a determined smile. "Grandmaster," he said, "I'll give my all as well."

"So you hold the same feelings as your comrades do, Asta?" Sojiro inquired.

Asta nodded. "You bet," he said, "I'll give my all to protect this kingdom, the world, and every other world out there too."

"After all," Asta gestured to himself, "you're looking at the man who's going to become the next Wizard King. Never forget that!"

"A Wizard King that can't use magic?" Noriko raised an eyebrow at Asta's declaration. The Travelers knew this because none of them could sense any magic from Asta.

"Damn straight!" Asta grinned. "Even if I don't have any magic, I will become the Wizard King. That's simply something I won't give up on."

"And not to sound like I'm just repeating everyone else, but you guys really came through for me back there, all of you did, and you didn't even know me." Asta gave a gentle smile. "Thanks, really. I owe you guys, and since you plan to help protect my world, that means I owe you, like, ten times over."

"So I'm in!" Asta declared. "I'll help you guys in this war of yours."

Sojiro gazed at Asta and sighed. "This is hell you're walking into, I hope you know that." He told him. "Asta, I don't know what kind of enemies you've fought against, but this is unlike anything you've ever experienced."

"My mind's made up." Asta insisted. "I'm going to protect my world from these guys."

"Even though your world doesn't care about you?" Ruby raised an eyebrow at Asta's declaration. "No offense, Asta, but after what that parliament tried to do to you…"

Asta's face fell at this. After a moment of silence, he responded. "Yeah, you're right." He said. "What they did to me...I should be mad about it. And I guess I kinda am."

"So why then?" Ruby asked curiously.

Asta gave Ruby a gaze of pure resolve. "Because I don't have to be like them. I've been dealing with adversity my whole life. Whether it's because I'm a peasant from the Forsaken Region, or because I don't have any magic."

"Whatever has happened to me and whatever will happen to me, I don't have to let it break me, I don't have to let it change who I am." Asta explained. "I'm me, and I'm always going to be me, no matter what the world throws at me."

"So I'm going to protect this world and everyone in it with everything I've got. Because that's what I want to do."

Noriko could not help but smile. "This kid…" she mused, impressed by his resolve.

"So heroic!" Shogo said with manly tears in his eyes.

Julius could not help but smile as well. "Well, hopefully it won't be just you." He said. "Well, Sojiro, it appears that regardless of what happens, you have a volunteer army in the form of the Black Bulls. No matter what happens, I will allow them to join your crusade against these villains."

"Oh, good so we won't be named deserters." Finral heaved a sigh of relief before laughing.

"So, when do we start old man?" Yami asked Sojiro.

"Not now, I'm afraid," Sojiro shook his head, "we need to spend a bit more time in this world, to make sure that the Cult hasn't actually set up a base of power in this world yet."

"They most likely have, is the thing." Noriko heaved a sigh. "These guys...I didn't get to experience them in their prime, but the history textbooks in my kingdom describe them as locusts. They swarm from world to world until there's nothing left."

"Spooky." Grey muttered.

"So, we need to better analyze the situation around us, monitor the area and try to find any traces of our enemies." Sojiro explained. "It's probably best we remain here for the time being though."

"Oh?" Julius raised a curious eyebrow.

"The capital seems to be this country's base of power." Sojiro explained. "That means, they'll come after this place first."

"The Grandmaster's right, because they're much weaker than they were before, they're going to go after the heart of a world first." Noriko explained. "When they attacked Ruby's world, they went after an important relic she was trying to keep safe."

"And when they went after my world, they attacked my country, Japan." Izuku explained. "Japan is considered the heart of heroism, since we have the greatest hero, All Might. If you destroy Japan, you basically send a message that says the whole world is doomed."

"Which means if they are here, then the capital will be attacked first." Sojiro revealed.

"Is there any way to prepare?" Julius inquired.

Sojiro sighed. "I'm afraid not," he admitted, "these people most likely come directly from the Void, the space that connects worlds. If they are already here, they can summon reinforcements at any time. Unless we have their exact location, there is nothing we can do but wait for them to attack first. Your men need to be ready to defend the capital."

Julius thought back to Marx' report on the Diamond Kingdom. He then spoke up. "Very well, Sojiro, I'll give the order that the Magic Knights are to remain prepared for any possible attacks."

Julius then gave Sojiro's group and the Black Bulls a gentle smile. "But in spite of that, you should take some time to yourselves. Celebrate this victory you all achieved today." He ordered.

Yami then stepped forward. "Before we go though, I've got one last thing I'd like to say. It's...a request, if you're willing to hear it, Gramps."

"Oh, and what would that be?" Sojiro inquired curiously. Julius looked at Yami quizzically as well.

"Your world...how advanced is it in terms of power and medical usage?"

"I like to believe that we are among the most advanced civilizations in the entire universe as far as those two fields go." Sojiro responded. "Although, I also like to believe we do constantly strive to better ourselves."

"If that's the case, do you have anything that would help Lord Julius?" Yami inquired in a serious tone of voice.

"I'm not sure I follow." Sojiro admitted.

"Lord Julius, as I'm sure you know, is supposed to be much older. But after an...incident, he was aged to a brat and now most of his power is gone." Yami explained.

"So that's it," Sojiro muttered.

"Well, do you have anything that could get him back to the way he was?" Yami asked. "This kingdom needs his power if we're going to go to war soon."

"Yami…" Julius muttered in surprise.

Sojiro sighed. "Well, I do have a few of these Time Seals, as we refer to them in Menou. But based on what you have explained to me, I don't think it will work on him."

"Why the hell not?" Yami demanded.

"You see, Time Seals rewind someone's power back a specified time. For example, I rewound a man's power back to his prime, before an injury ruined his career. However, that is the key word is 'rewind'. That means, I can only move backwards, not forwards."

"Still don't follow." Yami admitted. "Should still work, shouldn't it? I mean, Lord Julius just has to be rewound to before all this crap went down."

"Well, for starters, if I rewound him to just before, he wouldn't have long." Sojiro explained. "Time Seals are temporary. So I would have to rewind him to when he first hit the prime of his strength."

"But I can't rewind Julius because he has already rewound himself." Sojiro explained, making Yami's eyes widen. "I'm sorry, but it just wouldn't work. Time Seals can't move someone's body and power forward because we don't know how much life someone has left in their body. We can only move them backwards. And considering that Time Seals are designed to be temporary, I cannot risk what would happen if a Time Seal's power ran out after forwarding someone in time. God only knows what would happen."

"I'm afraid...Julius is stuck like this for the time being." Sojiro sadly admitted. "I'm sorry. I agree that his power would be quite useful. But I'm afraid getting him back to the way he was is simply impossible."

Yami lowered his head at this. Julius gave Yami a sad smile. "I appreciate your concern, Yami, I really do."

"I'm sorry, Julius." Sojiro said.

"Don't be," Julius said before his curiosity got the better of him, "though if you don't mind me asking, how many more of those seals do you have?"

"Four more." Sojiro responded.

"Would you allow me to borrow one for a bit? I would very much like to study some technology from your world. Perhaps it would allow me to unlock the secrets of the energy you refer to as Reiki." Julius eagerly requested.

"I see no issue with that." Sojiro pulled out a scroll and handed it to Julius.

Julius's eyes lit up. "Wonderful!" He squealed. "Simply wonderful! An actual piece of technology from a different world, powered by a completely different energy source! This is a discovery for the ages!"

Julius then gazed at Yami, who still looked down. "Yami, listen to me, don't sulk. It's just not you." He said. "Right now, as Wizard King, I'm ordering you to enjoy your time with your squad and our new friends."

"Sir…" Yami said softly.

"Yami, everything will work out the way it's meant to." Julius promised him. "Now please, you've never needed an excuse to knock one back and party."

Yami chuckled at Julius encouraging him to party before letting out a full blown belly laugh. "You know what, you're absolutely right! Okay, maggots, it's time to party!"

"Ha! Now we're talking! Captain Yami is right as always! Magna exclaimed. "We absolutely need to party! A party to celebrate Asta and Secre's freedom! And the inclusion of five honorary members into our squad!"

"Eh? Honorary members?" Ruby and Izuku said in surprise.

Vanessa laughed and threw her arms around Izuku and Ruby. Izuku blushed at Vanessa's revealing attire. "Of course you're honorary members, you five helped one of our own, so that makes you one of us now." She explained.

"Grandmaster, should we be celebrating?" Noriko asked curiously. "This seems rather unwise."

Sojiro shook his head. "We can't do anything without any leads. And since this is the most likely place they'd attack, we need to be close by if they do act. It may be best that we take a break and try to enjoy ourselves."

"Julius, are you absolutely certain there are no reports of mass killings in this kingdom?" Sojiro asked.

Julius shook his head. "Nothing happens in this kingdom without my knowledge, Sojiro." He promised. "And I have received no reports on mass killings."

"Very well then, Yami, please take us to your headquarters." Sojiro requested.

"Vanessa, you guide our new allies to the base. Finral, take me back to headquarters so I can tell Henry to bring the building here." Yami ordered.

"Yes sir!" Finral saluted as a portal opened up.

"Whoa, a space-user!" Noriko exclaimed.

"Can't take all of you unfortunately." Finral sheepishly admitted. "I'll see you all at the base. Vanessa, we're leaving everyone else to you."

Finral and Yami entered Finral's portal. Vanessa smiled and gestured for everyone to follow her. Upon everyone exiting, Julius heaved a sigh, already guilty at having to tell his new friend a half truth. At that moment, Marx Francois stepped up to his boss. "Lord Julius," he said, "why didn't you tell them about what happened to the Diamond Kingdom? You do realize this might involve this cult that the Grandmaster warned us about."

"We still don't have all the information yet, Marx." Julius reminded him. "I cannot declare war on an entire kingdom based on the possibility that they are being helped by a genocidal cult."

"Lord Julius, General Mars is Asta's friend, is he not? Don't you think at least Asta deserves to know?" Marx asked.

"It's because he's his friend that I could not tell him." Julius sadly admitted. "Marx, there's nothing Asta can do. If I told him, he'd just go rushing in and try to fight the entire Diamond Kingdom to save his friend. Admirable as that may be...he'll only get himself killed and then the Clover Kingdom will have lost one of its finest. Whatever is happening to the Diamond Kingdom...I'm afraid I must concern myself with the people of this kingdom first."

"And if Asta and the others lose faith in you?" Marx inquired. "If the grandmaster loses his faith in you?"

"I'll take responsibility and all their anger." Julius promised. "But Sojiro is right about one thing, this place will be their first target. They'll try to decapitate the kingdom by destroying the capital first. So we need all of the Magic Knights here."

"And after everything they've been through, I'd rather they had a chance to rest. They'll work themselves to death at this rate." Julius pointed out.

"But Sir, what if you're wrong?"

"I pray to God that I'm not." Julius responded. "The last thing I want is for this kingdom to suffer for my mistakes. I don't even want other kingdoms to suffer."

"But as we are now, we don't have the strength to fight a war with another kingdom, especially if they are being aided by someone that dangerous. Or rather, we don't have the strength to make the first move. As much as I am pained to admit it...we need to allow them to make the first move here. At least here, we have home field advantage…"

Marx gazed at Julius, noticing how sad and frustrated he seemed. I see, it must now be truly hitting Lord Julius. He's useless now, as far as power goes. He's...the weakest Wizard King in history. And it's killing him to truly realize that.

"Anyway, Marx," Julius' voice cut Marx from his thoughts, "are you willing to go on an assignment for me?"

"And leave you alone, Lord Julius?" Marx balked at the idea.

"Yes," Julius nodded, "because this is important. Out of everyone, you're the one I trust the most to complete this assignment for me."

Marx gaped at Julius. A part of him wanted to be touched that the Wizard King trusted him so. However, he was also curious. Just what was it that Julius wanted him to do?

A few hours later, the rest of the Black Bulls and their new honorary members were at the Black Bulls' headquarters. Ruby and Izuku gaped in shock as the giant house-mech thing transformed back into a regular building.

"It's not much, but it's home." Said Magna.

"Not much?!" Ruby and Izuku exclaimed in unison.

"Home sweet home." Asta grinned. "I was honestly a little worried I wouldn't see it again after the trial."

Yami and Finral came walking out of the front door. "Hey, Charmy!" Yami called out to the food-lover of the Black Bulls. "Want to get some grub whipped up for us? I think after everything, we've earned a big linner."

"Aye aye, Captain!" Charmy excitedly saluted. "You're speaking my language!"

Charmy ran into a clearing and quickly activated her magic. "Cotton Creation Magic: Sheep Cook!" She yelled as giant balls of cotton quickly formed into two sheep dressed like chefs.

"Whoa!" Ruby and Izuku exclaimed, mesmerized by Charmy's magic.

"That is so cool!" Ruby squealed.

Vanessa laughed. "You two really don't have magic in your world, huh? If you think what Charmy does is amazing, you haven't seen anything yet."

"Well, we do have magic," Ruby admitted, "it's just...well, super rare. Only like...six people at a time can have it."

"Okay!" Charmy clapped her hands together. "We're going to make the ultimate linner in celebration of Asta and Secre's freedom and in celebration of our five new honorary members."

"Honorary members," Sojiro chuckled, "I'm not sure how I should feel about this. My loyalty is to my homeland first and foremost after all."

Yami laughed at Sojiro's behavior. "Ah, just go with it old man." He said, clapping him on the back. "My squad's super grateful for all you did for our two problem children, so just let us repay you. And let us call you members of our group."

"If you say so, Captain Yami." Sojiro conceded on the matter.

"Ah, just call me Yami." Yami grinned. "Considering Lord Julius has you on a first name basis with him, I can do the same. It'd be weird hearing someone old enough to be my grandpa calling me 'captain.'"

"Julius said something quite similar." Sojiro noted.

"Of course he did." Yami rolled his eyes at his mentor and benefactor's quirkiness before addressing Charmy. "Oi, Charmy, how long's the chow going to be?"

"A bit, since I'm really going all out on this feast, Captain!" Charmy admitted. "We're going to have the biggest, bestest linner in the whole kingdom!"

"Bestest isn't really a word…" Noriko sweat-dropped.

"Party time!" Shogo cheered, with the rest of the Black Bulls (sans the stoic Secre) all cheering in agreement.

An hour later, Charmy had finished her giant feast for her squad. And with that, the Black Bulls and their five honorary members, spent their time gorging themselves on the delicious meal, enjoying each other's company, and getting to know these foreigners that had saved their beloved squadmates from the law.

As the party continued, Noriko and Vanessa found themselves drinking together, laughing about the idiotic antics of their male friends. Shogo ended up sparring with an excited Luck (Shogo was winning). Sojiro and Yami were watching the antics of their subordinates.

And Asta? Asta had slowly begun to gravitate towards Ruby and Izuku. And by the time the clock had struck 7, he found himself opening up more and more to these two eerily similar individuals.

"So, heroes, huh?" Asta looked at the two of them. "You two want to be heroes?"

"That is the dream." Izuku admitted. "I've admired heroes ever since I was little."

"Same, I guess I just gravitated towards them." Ruby added. "One thing led to another and then...well, I'm sure you get it."

"I think so." Asta shrugged. "I mean, I was an orphan. I grew up in a church in a village out in the Forsaken Region...the area that's insanely poor and pretty much ignored by everyone else."

"But...it was also the site of the first Wizard King's battle with a devil that tried to destroy our kingdom." Asta remembered the monument to the first Wizard King. "I always loved that story. He was probably the greatest hero this kingdom ever knew."

And he was a great man who matched that legend. Asta remembered actually getting to meet the first Wizard King. That's a legend...I need to match and surpass.

Asta chuckled. "I guess...I sort of gravitated towards heroism as well." He admitted. "I at first wanted to be just like the first Wizard King, for Sister Lily, my rival Yuno, and all the little kids at the church."

"But then...I kinda realized what I really wanted." Asta continued. "I didn't just want to be like the Wizard King...I wanted to be the Wizard King."

"When I'm Wizard King, I'm going to change this country." Asta revealed. "I'm going to make this a country where everyone smiles and has a full belly after a meal. It won't matter if you're a noble or a commoner. This will be a country for everyone."

"A country for everyone…" Izuku mused.

"That sounds lovely." Ruby said with a smile on her face.

"You think so, huh?" Asta rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "People used to laugh at that dream...some still do. For many reasons. I had no magic, I was just a commoner, I'm an idiot, that kind of stuff."

"But, like I told you back at Lord Julius' office." Asta grinned. "I've been living with adversity since the day I was born. No matter what I run into, I'm going to keep pushing forward. It was my dream that made me realize that possibilities exist in everyone as long as they chase it, after all. It was my dream that kept me going when things got rough."

Izuku grinned. "Now that I understand."

"You do?" Asta was surprised.

"The thing is, Asta, I was just like you once." Izuku sadly admitted. "I was born without power, just like you. It was...awful, honestly. In a world where most people have superpowers, those who don't are pretty much second-class citizens in all but name."

"Izuku…" Ruby was shocked at this.

"But...I didn't want to give up either. My dream to be a hero was all that kept me going as well." Izuku revealed. "I took notes, studied heroes every day, I wanted to prove that I could be a hero without a Quirk."

"But, fate kinda threw a curveball, and I ended up inheriting the strongest Quirk in my world." Izuku chuckled. "Now I've gotta work hard to make it my own."

"No kidding," Asta was shocked. "You really were just like me then."

Izuku nodded. Asta could not help but smile. "That...actually kinda makes me happy." He admitted. "Knowing there are other people who went through the things I went through, and knowing they didn't give up either. That actually really makes me happy."

"Wait, hold on a minute." Ruby spoke up. "If you can't use magic, what was that black form of yours? And that sword?"

"Oh, that? It's not magic." Asta replied. "It's actually anti-magic."

"Anti-magic?" Ruby and Izuku said in confusion.

"Mmm hmm, my swords can cancel out and cut through magic." Asta explained, brandishing his five-leaf clover grimoire. "I can also envelop my whole body in anti-magic for a boost in power. It allows me to hone in on magic and my opponents, but I can't really maintain the form for too long."

One of Asta's anti-magic swords then came out of his grimoire. "So, my weapon of choice is usually these bad boys." Asta explained.

"That's incredible." Izuku said breathlessly.

Stars appeared in Ruby's eyes as she gazed at Asta's sword. "Whoa," she said, "an anti-magic sword. Could I...could I please hold it for just a moment?"

Asta gazed at Ruby in shock. She was acting just like the Wizard King did. "Uh, yeah, sure, go for it." He said, offering the sword to Ruby.

Ruby eagerly took the sword for Asta. "Thank you so much, Asta-" Ruby began before feeling the weight of the blade hit her.

"Whoa man!" Ruby exclaimed in shock as the blade hit the floor due to its sheer weight.

"Are you okay, Ruby?" Izuku asked in concern.

"That's insane," Ruby shook her head in disbelief, "I can't believe you can swing this thing around Asta. I mean, my Crescent Rose is pretty heavy and tough to use, but I can still swing her around just fine. But this...this weight is unbelievable."

Asta grinned. "Well, not to brag, but I've got some pretty impressive muscles." He said as he flexed his biceps.

Behind Asta, Noelle turned into a bright red mess at the sight of Asta's biceps. Izuku hummed thoughtfully. "Maybe it's not just the weight?" He offered. "Maybe the blade can only be wielded by Asta since it's his power?"

"Well, there was a guy who took one of my swords." Asta admitted, taking his sword back from Ruby. "And he wielded it just fine. Then again, that might be because he was the original wielder of my grimoire and swords."

Ruby pouted, making Izuku sweat-drop. "What are you thinking, Ruby?" He asked.

"I'm going to find a way to wield that sword, Izuku." Ruby said with a determined expression. "Just you wait!"

"Hey, come on, you've got your scythe." Izuku tried to placate her. "That's Asta's sword. You shouldn't try to wield it."

"But I wanna!" Ruby whined as she waved her arms like a child throwing a temper tantrum. "I wanna! I wanna! I wanna! I wanna!"

Asta laughed at Ruby and Izuku's behavior. While they were on the subject of Asta's powers though, Izuku had one more thing he wanted to discuss with him. "Hey, Asta, what about the fact that all those people think you're a devil?"

Asta fell silent at this. Izuku gasped, realizing he may have overstepped his boundaries. "Er...sorry, did I…"

"No, it's fine, you've got a right to know since we're friends now." Asta smiled. "Here's the thing, I'm human, but it looks like I've got some kind of devil living inside of my grimoire...or maybe he's even living inside of me."

"An actual devil?" Ruby was shocked at this.

Asta nodded. "He's part of the reason why I'm able to surround myself with anti-magic." He explained. "But that's all I know about him. I don't know his name, or how he ended up inside of me. It's...kind of a mystery."

"But, mind if I ask you guys something?" Asta spoke up. "You didn't seem scared of me when you first saw me, even though I was in that form. So why?"

Izuku had a sheepish expression on his face. "Truth be told, I was a little intimidated at first. But then...I guess my love of Quirks kinda kicked in. When I looked at you, all I saw was someone with a Transformation or Mutation-type Quirk." He explained.

"The thing is, Asta, there are so many people who could qualify as 'freaks' in my world." Izuku admitted. "But they're not. They're people like you and me."

Izuku laughed. "I've gotten so used to seeing people like you, that after I got over the initial shock, you kinda just became any other Quirk-user I've known in my life that's a mutation or can transform."

"And...what about you, Ruby?" Asta asked curiously.

Ruby rubbed the back of her head. Somehow, she looked even more sheepish than Izuku. "Well, I wasn't even looking at you." She admitted. "All I saw was that awesome sword of yours."

"But honestly, I'm kinda in the same boat as Izuku. We have these people called Faunus in my world, who have animalistic traits. And they're people like us. One of my best friends is a Faunus." She explained.

Ruby then smiled. "But most importantly, and I think Izuku can attest to this, but after I got over my excitement over your sword, I noticed something."

"What's that?" Asta inquired.

"That little girl, you were protecting her from those jerks." Ruby reminded him. "I think I kinda came to a decision as soon as I saw that. I saw...that there was no way you could be a bad person. Certainly not the monster all those people are trying to paint you as. Not if you were willing to risk everything to protect that little girl."

Izuku grinned. "Yeah, I feel the same way." He admitted. "You threw yourself around that little girl to protect her without any regard for yourself. They say that when heroes start out...their bodies move on their own as they act to save someone or defeat a villain. I think...that's what you were doing. So like Ruby said...I just don't think there's any way you can be a bad person when you do something like that."

Asta gazed at Ruby and Izuku in shock. "I'm really glad the Grandmaster got us involved in that trial," Izuku admitted, "it meant getting to meet you, after all."

Asta got over his shock and smiled, lowering his head. He felt emotions overwhelm him. "You know," he said, "because of how I grew up...I learned not to care too much about what other people thought of me."

"But when I saw you two...two complete strangers. I just couldn't help it. I couldn't help worrying what you thought of me when you saw me...like that." Asta admitted.

"But you didn't think anything of it." Asta wiped a tear from his eye. "Ruby...Izuku...thanks, seriously. That really means a lot to me"

Ruby and Izuku smiled back at Asta. Asta then let out a laugh to get over his emotional state. "Man, and to think that was just the beginning, now there are apparently other worlds with people like you two. How did it come to this?"

Asta then gave the two of them a determined smile. "I'm going to repay you two, you hear? And the Grandmaster as well."

"You shouldn't feel indebted to us, Asta." Izuku pointed out.

Asta shook his head. "Then let me just help you as a friend." He said. "I'm going to give all I got and help you guys win against these cultists. I'm with you both, all the way. After all, your worlds need help just as much as mine does, right?"

Ruby and Izuku both nodded. "Then that settles it, no matter how hard things get, know that I'll be right there with you, I'll help you two with whatever you need." Asta promised. "After all, we're friends now."

"Friends, huh?" Ruby smiled at the thought. "I'd like that very much."

Izuku nodded in agreement. Sojiro had trained his gaze on the three young and incredibly similar individuals, watching them bond. "It's nice to see those three have already hit it off so well." Sojiro nodded with a satisfied expression on his face. "Considering they're going to be spending a lot of time together, it would be preferable they got along."

Yami chuckled, still drinking with Sojiro. "You never had a reason to worry. Asta's the kinda guy who can get along with just about everyone. He's an idiot, but he's earnest."

Sojiro laughed. "Is he now? If I had a coin for every time someone described an old friend of mine like that, I'd be a rich man." He mused.

Sojiro then gave Yami a serious expression. "I apologize, though," he said, "I'm sorry I could not do more for Julius. I had figured that something had happened to put him in such a weakened state. I really wish I could do more, but I lack the capabilities to do it. I just hope he's not disappointed when he can't figure out that Time Seal on his own."

Yami grinned. "Don't worry about it," he said, "I'm the one who should be apologizing for putting you on the spot like that."

Yami then sighed. "I guess I just...couldn't really resist the idea of seeing if you otherworlders could help Lord Julius with his problem."

"It sounds like he means a lot to you." Sojiro noted.

Yami paused at this. He then gazed at his sake cup and chuckled. "Sheesh, it must be the booze, but I guess I'm feeling a little compelled to telling you my sad life story." He said.

Sojiro fell silent, respectfully allowing Yami to speak. "I wasn't born in the Clover Kingdom like everyone else. I'm actually a foreigner." Yami admitted. "I come from a country far east, across the sea. One day, I was fishing and then a storm washed me up all the way here."

"People already didn't like me, because it became pretty clear that I was a foreigner." Yami admitted. "Clover Kingdom's always been a little close-minded. Mainly because the nobles ended up getting most of the power and had no intention of letting it go."

"I see." Sojiro mused.

"Things only got worse when I received my grimoire." Yami continued. "And when they discovered I had the 'scary' Dark Magic, well, I'm sure you can guess how public opinion was for me afterwards."

"But...there was one person who wasn't afraid of me. In fact, he was fascinated by me." Yami revealed, smiling fondly at the memory. "That was Lord Julius. Though, he was only a Magic Knight Captain at the time."

"He ran right up to me, and recruited me into the Magic Knights." Yami chuckled. "I told him I would join if he bought me a nice meal. So he did."

"And so, I became Lord Julius' subordinate. He took me in, trained me in properly using my Dark Magic." Yami revealed. "Hell, when he found out I couldn't read Clover Kingdom's language...he actually taught it to me."

"...He sounds like a great man." Sojiro acknowledged.

"Ha, he'd never agree to that assessment. He'd say he's just as flawed as everyone else." Yami smiled. "Even so, I owe him a lot for what he did. The only reason I've stuck around...was to show that he made the right choice. Though I will say, looking out for these knuckleheads is a damn good reason too."

"They seem to really look up to you." Sojiro noted.

"It's because they wouldn't be welcome anywhere else." Yami admitted. "Calling the Black Bulls the worst of the worst isn't an exaggeration, Old Man. These people you see in front of you? They're the freaks and outcasts of the kingdom."

"Magna is a delinquent. Luck is a battle freak with a defective personality. Vanessa's an alcoholic with mommy issues. Gordon and Grey have no self-confidence in themselves. Finral's a cowardly womanizer who was disowned by his family for not having offensive magic. Charmy's a glutton. Gauche is a creep with a sister complex. Zora's a wannabe vigilante with anger issues. Henry's sick. Noelle couldn't control her magic. And Asta has no magic."

"And you gave them a place to belong." Sojiro smiled. "You're a good man, Yami."

"Nah, I just didn't want them to go through what I went through." Yami shrugged. "Just because it didn't bother me doesn't mean it won't bother everyone else."

"Although, the downside of taking in the worst of the worst, the freaks and outcasts, means it reflects on your squad's performance." Yami chuckled.

"What do you mean?" Sojiro asked curiously.

"Well, Lord Julius reformed the Magic Knights into something of a meritocracy." Yami explained. "And we were dead last because of our...destructive habits. We actually had negative stars. I didn't mind, mainly because what mattered to me was making sure all these weirdos had a place to belong."

"I'm sensing that didn't last." Sojiro noted.

Yami then gave a small smile at Asta that Sojiro caught. "That's all thanks to our magicless freak over there." He said fondly. "I came across him during the Magic Knights exam. Nobody wanted him because of how much of an anomaly he was. But he had a fire in him. Even back then, he wanted to be the Wizard King more than anything. Normally, I'm not sentimental, but I saw in him just what I saw in everyone else I took in. I saw myself."

"The thing about Asta, Gramps, is that the kid's a paragon. He inspires everyone to become better versions of himself. If there's any reason why he can actually be the Wizard King, it's that. And he inspired everyone here."

"Luck cares more about his friends than fighting. Finral has the courage to fight alongside everyone. Vanessa has moved past her issues. Noelle can now control her magic. You get the idea. Every single one of them was inspired by Asta to be better versions of themselves." Yami gave a proud smile. "And because of that, they all proved that they belong in this kingdom. This kingdom that may be flawed, but is still our home."

"He certainly doesn't give off such a vibe, but I will say his personality is infectious." Sojiro noted. "You know, I once knew quite the paragon."

"He recruited quite the characters back in the day. Suijin, the mighty pirate of the seas. Kagutsuchi, the man who incinerated everything in his path because that was all he felt he was good at. Raijin, the frightened loner who never wanted to hurt anyone. Fujin, the wandering monk who had been desperately trying to find his faith. Susanoo, the battle freak obsessed with being number one. And he made them all dedicated leaders of his cause." Sojiro remembered.

"Sounds like quite the guy." Yami complimented.

"He could be such a fool sometimes, but he was the finest man I knew." Sojiro acknowledged. "It'll probably be ten millennia before someone as fine as him ever arrives in this universe once more."

"Ten millennia?" Yami gazed at Sojiro before laughing. "You...Watchers, or whatever the hell you are, are something else."

Yami then sighed. "Hey, I'm sure this is pretty obvious by now, but...we really are grateful for what you did for Asta and Secre."

"Well, the party that had been thrown in our honor did make it pretty obvious." Sojiro joked.

Yami sighed. "I'm serious," he said, "you got involved in something you knew nothing about because you thought it was the right thing to do. And in doing so, you saved someone very precious to all of us."

"We're all grateful to you." Yami admitted. "But don't make me say it again."

Sojiro sighed. "I guess this is the part where you swear yourself and your squad to our cause?"

"Damn straight," Yami grinned, "we're with you all the way. Black Bulls repay their debts. And the Black Bulls take care of their own. So, that means you've got us locked down for this whole thing."

Sojiro smiled. "Thank you, Yami." He said gratefully. "I'll admit, I never traversed other worlds with the intent of recruiting them for a war, but my hand was forced. My kingdom is at war right now, so they don't have any men they can spare."

"But it truly makes me happy to know that fate has blessed me with such fine allies." Sojiro admitted.

Yami then raised his sake cup in a toast. "Then a toast," he said, "a toast to new friends."

Sojiro nodded. "To new friends." He said in agreement, clinking his cup against Yami's.

Later that night, as the Black Bulls slowly drifted off to sleep, with Shogo and Noriko joining them, Sojiro took Ruby, Izuku and Asta into the forest near the base. "What did you want to talk about, Grandmaster?" Izuku asked curiously.

"I thought before we went to bed, we might sneak some training in." Sojiro offered. "And since Asta will be joining us from now on, it may be best to get him acclimated as soon as possible!"

"Awesome, so we're starting right now!" Asta exclaimed in excitement.

Sojiro nodded. "First, I'd like to begin with Ruby." He said. "How has your training with Maria been, regarding your eyes?"

"Well, we've mainly been focused on meditation and concentration. Ms. Maria wants me to replicate the feelings I have whenever my eyes activate."

"And those feelings are?" Sojiro inquired.

"My friends and family." Ruby replied. "And how they make me feel. When I think about the people I love, I think about how much I want to protect them. How much I want to preserve their lives...all lives for that matter."

Sojiro nodded. "I see," he said, "do you think it's possible that your eyes react to when you yourself are in danger, if your power comes from a desire to preserve life?"

"Well, if that's the case, why didn't they activate before?" Ruby asked.

"It's most likely because you weren't aware of the conditions." Sojiro admitted. "Desire is one thing, but you still need to concentrate and harness those desires in order for them to manifest in the form of that power of yours."

"Think of it this way," Sojiro continued, "Izuku, Asta, this is a good lesson for you both as well, so pay attention. An athlete can desire excellence in sports all he wants. But he still needs to put in the effort to manifest that desire in the form of 'talent' and 'skill.'"

"Oh, so it all comes down to Lord Julius' talk about getting results!" Asta piped up.

"That's correct." Sojiro said. "Desire is an important thing, don't get me wrong. But if you cannot turn that desire into power, you cannot hope to accomplish anything."

"Now then, Izuku," Sojiro turned to the hero in training, "you mentioned that your biggest issue is control, yes?"

Izuku nodded. "Alright then, I know exactly how we're going to begin." Sojiro nodded. "Izuku, I want you to attack Ruby with as much force as you can to trigger her silver eyes."

"Eh?" Izuku looked at Sojiro in shock. "Sir, are you sure that's safe?"

"Izuku, Ruby's Aura should be able to protect her from your attacks as long as you control the output." Sojiro reminded him. "You need to find a balance if you intend to fight at your best while also avoiding injuring yourself. The best way to do so is to constantly fire off attacks and practice. And what better way to do so by practicing with someone who needs to learn to trigger her trump card at will?"

Izuku and Ruby gazed at each other, still hesitant. Sojiro gave the two a reassuring smile. "I wouldn't suggest this if I wasn't a hundred percent certain you two could handle this." He promised. "I have faith in both of you."

Izuku then took a deep breath. "Well, if you have faith in us, I guess we have no reason not to try." He decided. "Ruby, I'll do my best not to hurt you."

Ruby nodded. "Good," Sojiro said, "I want you both to stand fifty feet away from each other."

Izuku and Ruby obediently stood apart at that exact distance. "Now, Izuku, I want you to attack Ruby with all the force you can muster without hurting yourself." Sojiro ordered. "Ruby, I want you to summon the feelings you have when triggering your silver eyes."

Izuku took a deep breath. "Ruby...I really hope this works." He muttered before closing his right fist and aiming it right at Ruby, who closed her eyes, thinking about her loved ones, her desire to protect them, and the fact that her life was in danger right now.

"Here we go!" Izuku yelled. "Delaware Smash: Air Force!"

Izuku opened up his hand, firing a powerful jet of compressed air, courtesy of One For All. Ruby's eyes opened, only for no powerful silver laser beams to shoot out of them. Izuku gasped fearfully, thinking his attack was going to hit her. However, the blast of air sailed harmlessly past Ruby. Only her hair was disturbed by the blast.

Sojiro sighed. A complete failure. "Okay, you two, what happened?" He asked.

"S-sorry, Grandmaster." Izuku looked down in shame.

"Yeah, we're sorry." Ruby looked down as well.

"No, no, don't apologize. Failure to do something does not require apology. Failing to learn from your mistakes is when you should. So, what went wrong?" Sojiro inquired.

"I just...my aim was off. I just couldn't bring myself to aim directly at her. The whole thing was my fault." Izuku responded.

"No, no, it was my fault too." Ruby shook her head. "Even if he had aimed at me, I wouldn't have been able to use my power. I kept thinking about everyone I loved...but I also didn't really have that desire to protect life that I did back when we were attacked by that Cardinal."

"In fact, I didn't feel in danger at all. I felt...safe around you guys." Ruby admitted.

Sojiro sighed. "Then it seems I owe the both of you an apology." He admitted. "I underestimated how prevalent your finest qualities were."

"Our finest qualities?" Izuku looked confused.

"The both of you are far too kind to seriously attack each other with the intent to injure, or even kill. Your enemies are one thing, but your friends? It's clear I'm asking too much of the both of you."

Ruby smiled at this. "I...guess that's true." She said. "I'm sorry, Izuku, but the truth is, I could never be intimidated by you."

"Eh?!" Izuku looked like he wanted to cry from that statement.

"Oh, no, I don't mean it like that. I'm sure you're very strong, and I'm sure you make bad guys quake in their boots." Ruby continued. "It's just...I don't think I could ever feel endangered around you. You're way too kind for that. The truth is, Izuku, if I wasn't capable of protecting myself, I'd feel as safe as can be knowing that there's someone like you looking out for me."

"Oh," Izuku blushed at this.

Ruby turned red. "GAH! Sorry," she said, "that probably sounded a bit more...love confession-y than I would've liked."

"My point is," Ruby continued, "you're just...very kind. And I think that's a wonderful trait for you to have."

Izuku smiled. "Ruby...thanks."

"I'm sorry you two, I underestimated how kind you two were, and how well you two already knew each other." Sojiro said to them. "Ruby, if you would still like to keep trying, I'll take Izuku's place."

Sojiro stepped up in front of Izuku. "Now, Ruby, with your permission, I'd like to try and kill you." He said calmly.

"...Okay." Ruby was a bit put off by how he had worded that.

Sojiro brought his fist back. Why would the grandmaster be any different? Ruby wondered. After all, he's as kind as Izuku is.

Sojiro then threw a punch forward, creating a shockwave of compressed air that almost knocked Ruby off her feet. Her Aura actually became visible. He had hit her. Ruby's eyes widened in shock at what had just happened.

"Did I frighten you?" Sojiro asked. "I'm awfully sorry. I hope you'll now understand that I'm quite serious in my efforts."

Izuku gazed at Sojiro in shock. As kind as the Grandmaster is...he really is a proper teacher. He knows when he has to put on a certain act in order to make sure his students learn. H's a lot like Mr. Aizawa in that regard.

"Now, since you felt that danger, why didn't your eyes activate?" Sojiro asked.

"Umm...I'm sorry, Grandmaster." Ruby bowed. "I just...lost focus. I couldn't really believe you'd actually attack me with the intent to kill."

"Do you believe it now?" Sojiro asked.

"I don't want to, but...you're clearly not messing around, huh?" Ruby noted.

"Ruby, I won't kill you." Sojiro promised. "But I can assure you, this will make it seem like it. I'll keep doing this as much as I have to until you've gotten used to the feelings you need to trigger your powers at will."

"Asta, Izuku," Sojiro then turned to the boys, "why don't you two spar for a bit? I need to focus on Ruby for the time being, it seems."

"Yes sir!" Asta and Izuku bowed.

Asta quickly summoned his Demon-Slayer Sword. "Come on, Izuku," he grinned excitedly, "you've gotta show me how you use that weird power of yours!"

Izuku smiled, quickly turning on One For All to 20%. "Okay then, Asta." He said. "But don't blame me for what happens next. I don't use magic after all, so anti-magic isn't going to help you."

"Bring it on!" Asta grinned. "Even before I got this power, I still kept up my training you know."

As the three young heroes began their training in preparation for the inevitable conflict, individuals with more sinister methods met. Well, between two in particular, one was blatantly sinister while the other was just an ignorant manchild.

"It's not fair!" King Augustus complained atop his throne. "How dare Julius just go and undermine me like that? Does he intend to take power from the king? From the nobility?"

Damnatio Kira hummed thoughtfully at this. "It always has been hard to fully understand just what goes on in that man's head." He acknowledged.

"That damn devil, we were so close." Augustus growled. "I almost had all I needed to execute him for disrespecting me back at the festival! Bah, if only that other brat with him could be proven to be a devil as well!"

"All you have to do is give the order, Your Highness." Damnatio reminded him. "Show me the man, and I will show you the crime. It's that simple."

Augustus could not help but chuckle at this. "Ah, Damnatio, you are truly loyal. A shame that Julius doesn't recognize it. If he did, those others wouldn't have been exiled from the kingdom all those years ago…"

Damnatio fell silent at that statement. No, those ones deserved exile. He thought. Whether their actions were just or not, their lack of humanity made them a liability to the kingdom. At the same time, their presence tipped the balance of power in favor of the nobles, the people of quality who are the very lifeblood of this kingdom. Damn you, you just had to be ruled by your baser instincts…

"Damnatio!" Damnatio was cut from his thoughts by Augustus. "What do we do? I cannot abide by this!"

Damnatio heaved a sigh. "Your Highness," he said, "might I remind you that you are king of this nation?"

"...Yes, yes I am."

"That means, you don't have to abide by anything you don't like." Damnatio reminded him, the gears in his head turning as a plan to make that devil and those 'wicked' foreigners pay for what they had done. "All you have to do is give the order and name them criminals...and they will be judged as such. That is what being a king is. To hold power over the lives of others."

Lord Julius is not acting in the best interest of the kingdom. Damnatio lamented. The balance of power cannot shift away from the nobles and into the hands of foreigners and lowborn brats. There is no justice in handing off power to those who lack the blood of rulers.

Those with power are the ones who make the rules, therefore the ones with power are the ones with justice on their side. The ones who lack power follow those rules. I always knew Lord Julius had been attempting to change this, giving power to those who 'achieved' in the name of the kingdom.

Well, it's time we set an example. To keep the balance of power where it should be in the name of justice. It is time that Lord Julius was reminded that the only ones who need to achieve results are those who are the lifeblood of this kingdom.

Elsewhere, a small cottage on a hill with a lovely view of the capital sat far away from other people. The door to the cottage opened, and an older man with a scruffy appearance, grey hair and a beard, a furry jacket, tattered brown pants, a massive sword strapped to his back, and an eyepatch over his right eye, gazed out at the capital.

"How strange," he muttered, "my entire body has been so tense for the past couple of days."

He then gazed at his right arm, or at least, he would have if it were still there. It was now a stump, right up to the shoulder. "Even my old wound aches. I hope that none of this is a bad omen."

It was...