Disclaimer: I do not own Black Clover. It belongs to Yuki Tabata.

"YUNO!?" "What are you doing all the way out here?" Asta asked Yuno, who was stopped in his tracks mid-air by Asta's loud screaming.

Yuno's always grim expression now gone, replaced with a shallow smile, he was now closing the distance between them, getting ready to talk..

"Asta?" "I could ask you the same thing, I was on my way to visit Hage Village since we've been given permission to train for these next 6 months, and so I wanted to see everyone before I got busy training" "Weren't you supposed to be back in a few hours? Why are you early?"

Indeed. Yuno was headed to Hage Village, having run into Asta by coincidence as Hage Village is actually on the outskirts of the Clover Kingdom. Towards the side of the Heart Kingdom's border. And since Asta and Secre were on their way back to the Clover Kingdom, the first area they were to approach is the sky above Hage Village.

"Oh yeah.. I was just suddenly woken up by some weird loud noise and so I decided to head back earlier than I'm supposed to" Asta answered his brother's question. Not totally honestly but it also wasn't a lie.

"Well anyway, I'm gonna get going, you wanna come?" Yuno asked his brother if he wanted to come with him to see their childhood home.

'Hmm.. I originally wanted to go back to base and get training, so that weird feeling will go away again, but since it's gone now I guess it won't hurt to go see everyone back at the church' Asta thought contemplating Yuno's invitation.

This was very weird for Asta. He'd usually jump at any chance or excuse to go see Sister Lily. Like his brother's invitation right now for example - This whole paragraph being his foster brother, Yuno's thoughts right now.

'Besides, I could ask Sister Lily about that...' "Sure Yuno, let's go!" Asta finally answered Yuno. Now a toothy grin on his face.

Secre, who was watching this whole situation play out quietly, was glad to see Asta back to normal. Though she was still going to find out about what's been bothering Asta lately. One way or another, it was something that she just has to do.

Now as they started flying towards Hage Village together, and though Yuno tried to hide this, that smile on his face grew even wider. And though Bell would usually get annoyed here, she simply decided to ignore it and kept quiet. For now at least.

30 MINUTES LATER

Asta, Yuno, and Secre were now all approaching that huge demon skull in Hage Village, that's just simply sat there, in that same spot, for the past 500 years.

This skull was a special landmark to Hage Village. And while it wasn't exactly pleasant having a giant demon skull staring at them 24/7, the people of Hage have grown used to it. To the point where it was now something that made them feel protected. As if this giant skull repelled any danger that would otherwise come their way.

Though Asta and Yuno didn't actually bother to take their time reminiscing. As they were currently racing each other to the church. Leaving Secre behind..

Though she didn't actually mind. As she now started heading down towards a flower field. Picking up a flower with her beak and again, flying towards the demon's skull..

Asta and Yuno were now both at the church's doorstep. Arguing about who made it there first. Since they were both pretty much equal. Though their kids fight didn't actually last for long, as they were both suddenly interrupted..

"Asta? Yuno?" called out Sister Lily, who was currently hanging the laundry, surprised. A smile now on her face, she was about to talk..

"Welcome! Though I have to ask, what are you two doing here? Aren't you needed in the kingdom after the elves attack?"

"Oh yeah, well you see.." Asta was the first to respond, though he was immediately interrupted..

"I was just on way here to see how everyone was doing since I'll be busy training soon, and just happened to run into Asta here as he was on his way back from the Heart Kingdom" Yuno interrupted Asta, not wanting to lose to him even in talking. Yes. Their rivalry was that intense.

This annoyed Asta, though unexpectedly he didn't lash out at Yuno, like he usually would. Leaving Sister Lily absolutely stumped. Since for once in these past 16 years, that same situation didn't repeat itself. Though she decided not to say anything, and instead went on to ask..

"The Heart Kingdom?" Sister Lily questioned Asta, surprised he would actually go there. That and also.. something else.

"... Huh.. Yeah me and three of my friends were sent there on a mission" started Asta after recovering from his moment of annoyance at Yuno.

"Apparently there is a huge curse there, and so the Wizard King sent us there on a mission to investigate it, getting inside because of a special program the Heart Kingdom has in place, and since the recent attack on our kingdom was caused by a devil, he said that we needed more information about them" explained Asta while scratching the back of his head, feeling a bit weird having not answered Sister Lily immediately like usual.

And as much as Sister Lily wanted to investigate further right now, for many reasons, she decided against it. As she currently had another pressing matter at hand, Asta's weird behavior right now..

For starters, he was very obviously annoyed at Yuno earlier, though unlike usual, he didn't lash out at him. He also, and to her surprise, didn't jump at the chance to answer her. Nor had he proposed to her once in 10 minutes now. And then he just mentioned three other friends that were with him, yet here he is by himself..

Though before she actually managed to question him about all this, her thoughts were suddenly interrupted..

"..Uh.. Sister Lily?" Asta called out to her, breaking the minute long awkward silence. Even though he didn't want to be the one to do so, Yuno wasn't exactly helping. As he simply just stood there seemingly not caring, his usual bored expression on his face. And so he simply had to do something.

".. huh.. Oh sorry about that" "I was just thinking that you mentioned three other friends..?" responded Sister Lily hurriedly, now realizing that she's simply just been standing there quietly for an entire minute now.

"Oh yeah.. Well you see we were all actually supposed to leave the Heart Kingdom an hour from now, but I just couldn't sleep and so I headed back three hours before everyone else" "Though one of them actually came with me.. wait hold on, where is Nero..?" Asta now realized that Secre was missing..

Meanwhile, on top of the demon's skull, stood Secre. A flower in her mouth as she just transformed back into her human form. Now putting it down on the middle of the demon's giant skull.

She was currently paying respects to her prince, Lumiere Silvamillion Clover, the first Wizard King. As this was the one spot that could actually be considered his grave..

While Lumiere didn't actually die here, and instead died on the battlefield fighting the 'word magic devil', or really Zagred. His body had actually crumbled into dust after he died..

He was supposed to have died in this exact same spot 500 years ago, but was saved by Secre's sealing magic. Giving him a chance to help in the fight against Zagred 500 years later. Though his life span after being unsealed was very limited, as he had died shortly after the big battle. His body crumbling into dust.

Now, back at the church, Yuno was about to talk. "Don't worry, she just stopped by the demon's skull, she'll be back" Yuno washed away his brother's worries. As a smile was now forming on his face.

'I see..' Asta thought knowingly. Now remembering the first Wizard King. "By the way Sister Lily, where's everyone else?" Asta now asked, realizing that it was awfully quiet around the church, except for the chatter of the villagers working off into the distance.

"Oh well you see.. All the kids are currently at school, studying." responded Sister Lily, both Asta and Yuno looking at her with, now, wide open eyes.

"I know you two must be surprised.." she continued, "Thanks to the two of you, and the money you've sent us for the past six months, we were actually able to build a school here in Hage Village"

"Thank you two so much, this wouldn't have been possible if not for you two" Sister Lily thanked Asta and Yuno, deeply bowing, very proud of the both of them, and of how far they've come these past 16 years.

"Don't worry about it Sister, we should actually be thanking you, we wouldn't have been able to come this far without you, Father Orsi, and all the other kids" Yuno responded. Yes Yuno, not Asta.

Asta simply nodded, agreeing to what his brother just said. The both of them were very grateful for all that their family here at the church had done for them. They could not have asked for anything more.

Sister Lily now standing straight again, and after nodding in response to what Asta and Yuno just said, as if telling them 'Don't worry about it', she was about to talk..

"Would you two like to stay around until lunch? Father Orsi is out shopping for some Nomotatos right now, so I'll be preparing lunch in a bit.." she questioned them..

After Asta looked back at Yuno to see what he thinks, he now looked back to Sister Lily again, about to talk..

"We'd love to, but we actually have to start training, we just stopped by to say hi real quick before we get training, since we probably won't be able to visit in a while.." responded Asta, hesitantly declining Sister Lily's invitation.

"Oh I see.. Well thanks for stopping by anyway, it's always a pleasure seeing you two" replied Sister Lily, smiling. Though deep down she had wished that they would, since she had really wanted to know what was up with Asta. He was not being himself today.

Though before leaving, Asta actually decided to ask Sister Lily about something. Something that's been really bothering him lately. Something that he feels only Sister Lily would be able to understand, and help him with.

"..Uh.. Sister Lily, can I ask you something?" started Asta, getting a quick nod in response, "Lately I've been feeling something strange, I'm not quite sure what this feeling is, or why I'd feel it in the first place.. But.."

"..But if I were to explain it.. It's something like being suffocated to death..? It's as if there was some kind of black hole around my heart, sucking the life ou-" Asta trailed off with his explanation, as he now noticed Nero was back, immediately sitting on top of his bushy head.

"Oh Nero you're back!" Asta greeted his friend, only getting a quick nod in response from her in her bird form, as if she was saying 'yes', again, without the talking part.

"C'mon Yuno let's get going" Asta called out to his brother, as he started getting his sword out from his grimoire, about to go into his black form again.

"I'll talk to you about it some other time, Sister Lily" Asta closed off his earlier conversation with Sister Lily shortly before taking off to the sky. Leaving her hanging. As her eyes were currently wide open, worried sick about what Asta just said. Though she could no longer say anything as he was now gone.

And as Yuno was about to follow him back, after saying his goodbyes to Sister Lily, though getting no response. He was suddenly stopped in his tracks, "Yuno! Please look after Asta, okay!?" she told him with a worried tone, as this was now the only thing she could do, since Asta was no longer there.

"Of course" Yuno replied, an unusual big smile on his face. As he was currently trying to reassure Sister Lily that it will be okay. And though it was out of character for him, he didn't mind being out of character around his family.

...

'Damn what bad timing..' Asta thought, a small, but noticeable frown on his face. As he was currently flying through the clear sky, on his way back to the royal capital, upset that his friend had arrived right when he was about to get an answer for this question he had for so long now.

While Asta could probably get an answer asking one of his friends, he really did not want to worry or bother them. And so he wanted to discuss this matter with family. Though mainly just Sister Lily, not minding if Yuno were to listen too, he just doesn't want to ask him directly..

He doesn't want to ask Yuno directly, as he was not only his brother, but also his rival. And so he did not want to ask for his help at every turn..

Especially not with something this trivial. Something this unimportant - Or so he thought anyway. As he was currently, a week later, standing on top of an extremely high mountain top, recalling the events of this day..

...

CHAPTER 11: END

A/N: Hey everyone. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Sorry this took forever to get out, other than improving on chapters 1-10, the site has been broken for the past week. It was an absolute mess. I'm not sure if it's okay for everybody now, but it's fine on my end. Anyway I'm gonna get to writing chapter 12 now, so..

Please leave a review of your thoughts, they really help out, whether negative or positive. Favorite and/or follow if you liked it. Next chapter coming soon!