Noelle Silva, Captain of the Silver Sea Dragons, entered the cavern exerting mana. Amanda and Mads stayed low on the ground due to exhaustion and not wanting to get in the way of a captain. "Well if it isn't my darling little sister." The pair faced Nebra who had a smug smile on her face. "I must say the rage coming from you is palpable. Don't tell me you're still angry about our last encounter all those years ago."

Noelles eyes narrowed. "You mean when you tried to murder my daughter before she could even crawl. Yeah I'm still pretty pissed." Noelle drew her wand.

"Captain Noelle has a daughter?" Asked Amanda.

"Not now." Replied Mads.

"I'll give you this one chance Nebra. Surrender and maybe I won't kill you."

"Big words from such a little failure." Said Nebra as she turned the pages of her grimoire. "You can call yourself Captain all you want but that won't change the fact that you are an embarrassment to the Silva name."

"You truly are delusional Nebra. I have not been that child in years. I worked my way to the position of captain and give the eagles new pride in being the Silver Sea Dragons. You on the other hand, as I continued to climb you delved deeper into your delusions of grandeur." Noelle summoned her grimoire. "eventually your delusions resulted in insanity. You murdered thieves and bandits to prove superiority, you sabotaged my missions to make me look bad, you hired mercenaries to attack the capital so you could play the hero. When all these plots were uncovered you were expelled from the Magic Knights which led to me finding you in my home with a knife to my daughters' neck. Does this sound like the actions of a royal superior? Cause to me, it sounds like the desperate actions of a lunatic."

Nebra's eyes went wide, her face covered in sweat. "You pathetic little tramp. I should have slit that brats throat and nailed her corpse to your door." Nebra waved her arms summoning the mist from her grimoire. "Mist Creation Magic: Mist Spiders Thread."

A spiderweb made of mist came from Nebra's hand as she sought to bind her sister. "Water Creation Magic: Sea Dragons Cradle." Noelle was enveloped by water that absorbed the mist. Noelle then waved her wand and the water around her began to change shape and became a huge dragon. "Water Creation Magic: Sea Dragons Roar." The dragon launched at Nebra.

"Mist Creation Magic: Bewildering Forest of Mist." The cave was once again filled with Nebras mist trees, but Mads saw that Noelle wasn't even worried she just begun to wave her wand, Mads noticed that the dragon was following the motions of the wand and blasting its way through the mist.

"It's almost impossible to believe those stories are true."

Mads turned to Amanda. "What stories?"

Amanda could not take her eyes of Noelle as she wielded her wand like a ribbon twirler which the dragon followed. "Apparently years ago, when she was still a child, Captain Noelle was tormented by most of the royal community due to her lack of magical talent."

Mads turned her head to look at Noelle who was still commanding the dragon with a grace that Mads has never seen before, she turned back to Amanda. "That Captain?"

"Like I said, impossible to believe. It's believed that the trauma from being tormented by her family caused her magic to go bad. But then she became a Black Bull." Mads felt her heart flutter for a second, a woman with such power and grace that rivalled the one she saw all those years ago, was once in her squad. "The kindness and bond that connected the bulls allowed her to heal from the trauma and grow to her true power that allowed her to gain the rank of captain of a squad that wasn't even her own, yet not a single member complained. That is Captain Noelle Silva The Sea Goddess."

Nebra emerged from the mist with a knife in her hand flying towards Noelle with the dragon chasing her. Nebra had her knife outstretched in front of her ready to stab Noelle who dispersed the dragon and squared up her stance facing Nebra as she was heading towards her. "I'm going to carve out you heart, then I'll go after that baby of yours."

Mads tried to get up and help but her legs were still in pain. She watched with a panicked face as Nebra drew closer to her. But what she saw next astounded her.

Noelle changed the direction of the dragon which was then charging at Noelle from the opposite direction of Nebra. "Water Binding Magic: Oceans Bondage." The dragon then exploded into several streams of water that danced around Noelle then wrapped themselves around Nebra and constricted a second before she reached Noelle. With her body and magic bound, Nebra could only fall to the ground. She rolled a few times before coming to a stop face down. "Don't ever threaten my baby girl ever again Nebra." Noelle then walked over to the pair of girls who was looking at her with astonishment.

Mads managed to find her voice. "Captain that was amazing. How did you do that."

Mads noticed Noelle blush slightly with a twinkle in her eyes. "Well it's only natural, I am royalty." She said while flicking her hair. Mads closed her mouth and eyed Noelle with confusion and disappointment. She had heard royals had an uppity behaviour, but she expected something different from the woman that married her captain and was a Black Bull. Mads dipped her head in disappointment as Noelle moved closer to the pair, then Mads heard a little giggle coming from her. "Wow that never gets old. Still works best on Magna though."

Mads looked up at her again. "Excuse me?"

Noelle knelt next to Mads with a smile on her face as she reached into a small pack on her hip. "I haven't been like that in years. Though I still do it to Magna to annoy him. It's absolutely hilarious." Noelle pulled out a small container.

Mads watched Noelle. "What's that?"

"Hang on." Said Amanda. "That's some of the recovery ointment Miss Sally and I made."

Noelle smirked. "Of course it is. This stuff has just been made standard issue for magic knights. This stuff's a miracle."

"Damn right it is. Got us a hefty pay day too." Amanda said smugly. "But captain can I ask you something personal?"

Noelle looked at Amanda. "Depends on the question."

"Are any of those fanfictions accurate in anyway about your relationship with Captain Asta?"

Noelle looked straight at Mads and just mouthed. 'How?'

0

Sekke stared down the man that currently stood on top of his unconscious subordinate whilst his rookie stood behind him trying hard to stop shaking. Sekke walked towards Baily both swords drawn holding them reverse. "Get your foot off of my subordinate."

"Why should I show you courtesy when you're the one that ran my team mate through with a machete."

"Fair enough." Suddenly before Bailey could even blink Sekke was already in front of him, using his magic Baily managed to evade Sekkes blades aside from some skin from his nose. "But you do owe me a life."

"Aww is the great captain of the Green Praying Mantis still crying over the shaky mushroom lover? Hang on. That's it." Baily looked straight at Tak. "That's who you remind me of."

Tak was confused, 'a shaky mushroom lover? Could he mean…'

Sekke stepped between Tak and Baily. "You don't look at him, you look at me."

"Trying to make up for running away all those years ago. Or are you just going for the family special?" Baily laughed maniacally while Sekke stared daggers at him as his mind went back to the day that changed him forever.

Sekke stood over the grave of En Ringard grave, tears streaming from his eyes, Ens family just left and the squad was already back at the base. He thought he was there alone to grieve for his friend. He was wrong.

"Keke Never thought I'd outlive En. Despite his appearance he was always such a lively fellow, I always thought some vengeful assassin would slit my throat in my sleep before he kicked the bucket." Jack put a hand on Sekkes shoulder. "Keke c'mon kid, we should be…"

"Captain. I'm..."

"If you even think about apologizing about what happened I'll cut you in two."

Sekke turned to the captain shocked. "Huh?"

"What happened was not your doing. En made the choice to protect his subordinate, those bandits made the choice to kill him. We're Magic Knights, it hurts but it comes with the territory. You start blaming yourself then Ens death was pointless."

Sekke looked down at the ground tears threatening to fall. "I guess I really am just a bug."

"What did you say?" Asked Jack leaning in.

"When I joined the mantis squad, I wondered who would want to be named for a bug. Now I'm not even worth being a bug."

Jack grabbed Sekke by his coat. "Come with me." Jack dragged Sekke back the hideout. The other members saw the look on Jacks face and gave him a wide berth. Eventually they made it to Jacks personal quarters where he threw Jack on the floor.

Sekke pushed himself off the floor and looked up at the wall. The wall was covered with an arrangement of tanks filled with leaves and flowers. "When you look at that wall what do you see?"

"Flower arrangements?"

"Look closer you idiot."

Upon closer inspection Sekke noticed that the tanks were also filled with all forms of insects inside the tanks, some were harder to see than others. "Okay bugs then."

"Keke and their size is still bigger than how you think." Jack walked around Sekke and looked into the tanks. "Let me tell you what I see. I see small creatures that manage to survive in a big world, that adapted amazingly despite the world looking down on them and constantly trying to crush them."

Sekke looked into one of the tanks. Inside he saw a praying mantis watching a grasshopper, as Sekke blinked the grasshopper was gone he looked back at the mantis and noticed it was eating the grasshopper. "Huh?"

"Keke impressive isn't it. The praying mantis is one of the fastest predators on this planet, blink and you miss it." Jack pointed to a tank filled with ants. "Each one of those guys can lift fifty times their own weight, an army where each soldier could equal fifty." Jack pointed at another tank, Sekke was creeped out from what was inside. "I don't think I need to tell you about how great spiders are, just imagine having the abilities of a spider."

Sekke couldn't.

Jack turned to face Sekke. "Keke, so if you think you can get away with calling yourself a bug, you don't deserve the compliment."

"Compliment?"

Jack walked over to the wall that had a flag of the Green Praying Mantis. "When Julius gave me my squad, I told him that I would take the small people, the common people that get stepped on, the bugs of society. When you performed for your entrance exam the captains laughed at ya."

"Except you sir?"

"Nope even me."

"Oh."

"Especially when that kid wiped you out, that was great."

"But you saw potential in me, right? That's why you chose me."

"Nah just thought you'd be good for grunt work."

"Oh. Then why the pep talk?"

"Who said this was a pep talk? I'm defending insects here. Personally, I saw a half decent mage with an arrogant superiority complex but absolutely no passion for the work of a Magic Knight at all." Sekke heart was shattering. He headed for the door. "En saw something different though." Sekke stopped in his tracks. "And when it came to judging people, he was second to none. He's the one that requested to take you to take under his wing, and since then I did start to see something." Sekke turned to face his captain who was standing up straight and glaring right at him. "I told you before events are made up of choices, now it's you turn. You can choose to walk out that door, get out of my squad and I'll forget all about you in the next five seconds, or." Jacks severing blades begun to protrude from his arms. "You can draw your grimoire and begin your training in earnest."

Sekke looked into his captain's eyes, he wasn't joking. He looked out the door and for a split second he could swear he saw En. In that moment for once in his life, he knew the path he had to walk. He closed the door, drew his grimoire, and faced his captain.

"You may have been a little brat at the time, but you were just as responsible for his death as the rest of those monsters were."

"Monsters? That's rich coming from you." Bailey continued to float and the wind, but his attention turned to Tak. "Are your aware kid that when you joined this squad, that your captain has the highest kill count amongst all the current captains. Sekke Bronzzanza also known as the Red Mantis, said to have inherited the blood thirsty madness of his former captain to the point where he slaughtered a whole battalion of enemies by his lonesome and when found by his squad his entire body was coated red by their blood earning his reputation as the Red Mantis. Is that really the kind of man you wish to follow?"

Tak switched his gaze between Bailey and his captain who refused to look at him. "Look punk, don't go mouthing of about things you don't understand. Bronze Creation Magic: Great Mantis Sickles."

Sekkes swords began to glow as his bronze magic started the coat the blades. Then they began to extend until they touched the walls of the cave. "You and your bandits took my friends life."

"And let me guess, you're going to bring me to justice?"

"Nope. Justice isn't here. You're stuck with me."

Sekke rushed at Baily with his blades slashing the walls of the cave. Baily easily evaded the by jumping over Sekke who followed him with his blades. Tak watched as Baily taunted Sekke as he continued to evade his attacks. Tak was confused, he's seen his captain fight before, he wouldn't just slash his sword.

Eventually Sekke retracted the magic from his blades and had his back to Baily who landed gently in the middle of the tunnel. "Aww did the big bad scary captain get tired." Baily laughed at Sekke who turned his head giving Baily a dark glare.

"Oh please." Tak started to feel a rumble. "Everyone knows the best way to beat an opponent that likes to float around." Sekke pointed upwards, Baily's eyeline followed and noticed that Sekke had been slashing the ceiling and the ceiling was coming down on him. Baily panicked but still managed to evade but his focus was off Sekke who was on him in one instant holding his blades then behind him in another. Baily was confused, he didn't do anything. Then he began to feel something. "Mantis Cross Slash" Blood burst form Bailys chest, screamed as he began to pass out. "You got to make them go where you want to be."

Sekke walked over to Tak who was stunned by the sudden outcome. Sekke knelt down to bring himself to eye level and gave Tak a pouch from his belt. "In here is some medical supplies, tend to Brox, if you have any questions just ask."

There were many questions that were swirling around in Taks head, but he knew they would have to wait so he only said two words. "Yes sir."

0

Asta stared down the armoured mage. Colt and Sara were behind the captain watching the situation unfold, Colt couldn't bring himself to move he couldn't tell if it was out of fear or excitement, he heard things from the rest of the squad, but he felt like the stories were exaggerated cause he's the new guy, but looking at Astas imposing figure holding a giant shield makes him think he might be wrong.

Colt looked back over at the armoured mage who he figured must be intimidated by the captain's sudden arrival because Colt noticed that he drew his grimoire. He tried to spy the front of the grimoire to see the nationality of the mage but he couldn't recognise the symbol. It almost looked like a diamond grimoire except it looked like the top quarter of the diamond was chopped off.

"Well how about that. See that grimoire kid?" Colt turned his attention to his captain. "That there is a Koh-i-noor."

"A what now?" asked Colt

"A Koh-i-noor." Asta repeated. "It's essentially the diamonds version of a four-leaf clover. Its value is immeasurable. I think I may understand why these guys call themselves the Servants of the Perfect Cast."

"The diamond kingdom has their own version of the four leaf?" Colt asked shocked.

"Of course." His captain answered. "Grimoires come in all shapes and sizes across the four kingdoms, but each one has its own sacred version. The Four-Leaf of the Clover Kingdom, the Koh-i-noor of the Diamond Kingdom, the Ace of the Spade Kingdom and the Golden Heart of the Heart Kingdom. If I'm to guess the reason you guys are called the Perfect Cast is because you have powerful grimoires am I right?"

The Armoured Mage stared daggers at Asta. "We are the Perfect Cast because that is what we are, perfect. Unlike those in charge of your Kingdoms we do not hoard our great power, we do not self-serve, we share our perfection to those who wish to follow."

Asta nodded at the Servant that The Armoured Mage brought in beaten. "What about him? That doesn't look like shared perfection."

"Well how can we expect anything less than perfect from our servants. We don't tolerate those who lose."

"No wonder those we capture commit suicide." Asta spoke with a dark tone. "You break them down to pieces, then you build them into your drones, with them wanting nothing more than to please you because if they don't, then that's their punishment. They behave like you're the centre of their world and you treat them less than human."

"In the perfect world that the Cast aim to form requires absolute strength. We cannot tolerate the weak. They would break in the world we aim for, so our killing the weak is but a mercy."

"Killing is a mercy?" Asta turned to Colt after hearing him. "They build their whole lives around you. The whole idea of failing you fills them with such fear and dread they end their own lives, and you think a weak life isn't worth it." Colt felt a deep anger rising from his chest, Sara was watching him unable to take her eyes off him. "All that faith people have in you, that desire to please you to the point their kissing your own ass, and you'd never even give them the time of day. I've lived around pathetic little turds like my whole life." Colt took out his grimoire and began to walk forward. "And I am tired of listening to your kind of peop oof."

Asta put his arm on Colts chest stopping him in his tracks. "Whoa now kid, I'm admiring the fire in your stomach there but if you want to fight this asshole, you're facing three problems there."

"Three problems?"

"Yeah. One, from what I could tell at your level this guy could probably cut you up in half a second. Two, getting cut up in half a second would make you look bad in front of your girlfriend there." Astas comment ended up getting both Sara and Colt to blush all over their faces. "And three and this is the big one kid." Colt leaned in. "I call dibs."

"Wait what?"

"Yeah I called dibs. One of the Bulls Rules, when a Bull calls dibs on a bad guy the others have to back off." Asta said with a big grin. The bird on Astas head then flew onto Colts head as Asta walked towards the Mage. "The kid is right though. I don't tolerate anyone that can look at a life and call it worthless. I don't care who you are, you have no right to judge the value of a life, and it's people like you who I hate most." Astas giant shield turned into a dark smoke and returned to his grimoire. "Kid and kid's girlfriend."

"I'm not his…"

"You two keep watch, you might learn something." Asta flicked his wrists and two black knives appeared in his hands. "Now before we start how about a name, otherwise I'm just gonna call you Bucket-Head."

Colt could see the eyes of the Mage glaring at Asta as he opened his grimoire. "Mechanical Magic: Omni Blade." A giant circular design sword hilt appeared in the mages hand but there was no blade. "Steel Creation Magic Fuel." Suddenly the hilt began to glow, and a steel blade appeared from the hilt. "My name is Cain Vulcan. Commit it to memory before I kill you, captain of the Black Bulls."

"Alright then Bucket-Head, do me small favour and make this fun." Asta closed his eyes then snapped them open revealing their change to a piercing red. "My little friend hasn't had much excitement for a little while, and he tends to get a little restless." Asta grew his devil wings and launched himself at Cain who did the same.

They reached each other at the centre of the cavern both stopping in their tracks with their respective blades clashing which sent a shockwave through the room throwing Colt into Sara and had them both fall to the ground. Both the Captain with a big smile on his face and the Perfect Cast with heavy armour stared into each other's eyes, their duel had begun.