Disclaimer: Black Clover is owned by Yūki Tabata, Studio Pierrot, and Shonen Jump.
Saga 10: Birth of the Hero
Royal Capital, Magic Knights Entrance Exam Venue, Common Realm, Clover Kingdom (Morning)
After three days of trekking through nature on foot, the two sigh in relief upon seeing that they've reached the location at last.
"Huff... we did it Asta..." Yuno speaks to the black sash tied onto his wrist.
"Well what are you waiting for! Come on!" Juniper/June grabs Yuno by his wrist and drags him along into the city.
Around them, there were various vendors selling myriad kinds of food, magic tools, and all sorts of things that a peasant can dare to dream to even think were all here.
A man with purple jacket and a slicked-back blond hair approaches.
"Bah-ha! Tell, dear fair maiden, just what god's green earth are you?"
"What." Juniper flatly spoke.
"Bah-ha! Starstruck, are you?" The man then twirls back and strikes a dramatic pose. "Well fear not, for you now have the privilege to date the prestigious Sekk-"
Having just about enough of this lech, Juniper kicks him in the crotch, toe-first.
"BAH-HA!?" The man then slumps on the ground, curled up in pain. "M-My... bah-halls..."
"We're going, Yuno." She then grabs Yuno by the wrist and the two head their way to where the exams are taking place.
The two get in line until the two are called up.
"Juniper Hage. From Hage Village." She then presents her grimoire.
"You're #163. Please head to the main amphitheater until further notice." She then heads into the door. The register then calls for the next person in line.
"Yuno, also from Hage Village."
"May I see your grimoire?" The man behind the counter asked.
Yuno then presents his four-leaf.
"A f-four-leaf clover!?" Then the man then fervently rips out a ticket with his number on it. "You're #164."
Yuno then heads into the main amphitheater where the other contestants were gathered.
"Hey... is that!?"
"Two people from Hage..."
"And one of them being a four-leaf..."
"But the auburn girl doesn't look too bad, either..."
"Ugh, people are staring at us..." Juniper groaned. A single black bird lands on her shoulder. She then notices that some contestants had one or more of the same birds on them.
"Agh... what the hell are these things?"
"Anti-Birds, apparently."
"You mean the same birds that are attracted to people with less magic?"
"Depending on how many of them are there, it gauges your magic."
"Aw shit... I got a few on me..."
Around Yuno and a few others, no Anti-Birds were on them.
"As expected from a four-leaf..." The contestants all thought collectively.
Yuno then bumps into someone. "Oh sorry..."
The giant mulleted man with formal clothing with leather gloves turned to Yuno. "N-No... it's me that should apologize, especially after such an uncouth act in front of a woman..."
Despite his physical bulk and implied noble stature, the man was sort of meek with a gentlemanly vibe coming from him. He then turns to raised platforms.
"The exams are starting." The man then runs toward another area. "I'll talk to you two later, alright?" He then disappears into the crowd, except not really.
The young man was visible above his shoulder due to how ridiculously tall he is.
On the raised platform, nine figures were seated. A masked man, a man with a braid between his eyes, a lanky man with a slasher-like grin, a man with a crimson tattoo on his forehead, a woman with a silver helmet and breastplate, a sleeping woman in pink, a portly man with an iron mask, a young man with a puffed up bluish-white hair, and an intimidating man with muscles bulging from his white tank-top.
"Everyone." The masked man spoke to the contestants. "Welcome to the Magic Knights Entrance Exam. I am the captain of Golden Dawn, William Vangence, and the nine captains here will evaluate your overall performance. The select candidates will be chosen to become one of Magic Knights of one of the nine squads."
"Those who don't qualify will be asked to leave immediately." The braided man cut in.
"Now then." Captain Vangence then opens his grimoire. "[World Tree Magic: Descent]." Tree roots than descend from the skies, with each end of the root sporting out a broom. "Your first test will be to ride these brooms. This will test your control over your magic. If you cannot fly properly on these brooms, this will greatly affect your chances on your chances to become a Magic Knight. You may now begin."
The contestants then grab their brooms. Some shot off into the air, some were barely able to get a feet or two off the ground, and everyone else, for the most part, were doing just fine.
Yuno and a few others however, were already executing daring aerial stunts with their brooms. Yuno himself flying while standing on his broom.
Juniper meanwhile, she was the moderate majority.
"Holy shit..."
"Guess that's a four-leaf for ya..."
After the flying lessons, the next exams included Magic Ability Control, Magic Creation, and Magic Development. Yuno and Juniper managed for the most part.
"Now then. This will be the final exam." Captain Vangence stated.
"YOU'LL BE BATTLING!" The tattooed man roared out. "FOR COMBAT IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF BEING A MAGIC KNIGHT!"
"You may choose you own opponent however you feel like it, but choose wisely, for impairment in judgement will also greatly affect your results."
"SO FIGHT TO YOU HEART'S CONTENT!" The contestants then began pairing up with their opponents/victims.
Juniper spots the same man that tried to hit on her this morning, and partnered up with him for double punishment.
Yuno was then approached by a young man of noble stature, but the same giant man that he ran into earlier took him on in his place.
"Consider this on how I owe you." The man then walks away with his supposed opponent.
Yuno is then paired up with the last person available.
A silver-haired pig-tailed girl.
"First combatants come forth!" Juniper and the blond man enter the makeshift ring.
"Oh? So you really can't stay away from me, bah-ha?"
"Nah." Her gaze then turns predatory. "Just want to rip you a new one."
"State your names!"
"Sekke Bronzazza, bah-ha." The man stated.
"Juniper Hage." She then cracks her knuckles and stretches her neck sideways.
"BEGIN!"
"Just because you're a lady, doesn't mean I'll hold back!" He then opens his grimoire. "[Bronze Creation Magic: Sekke Magnum Cannonball]." A spherical barrier with funnels spewing out smoke coming out from all sides is formed around Sekke. "Now come! With everything you've got! Bah-ha!"
Juniper just smirks. "Your funeral, buddy." She then opens her grimoire. "[Leaf Magic: Cultivation- Skunkweed]." A small, grass-like leaf with serrated edges on its side flutters to the ground.
"Bah-ha! Is that all you've got!?" He gloated.
"Trust me, pal." She then wraps her nose and mouth with a piece of thick cloth. "I don't even need to lift a finger to put you flat on your ass."
The leaf then hits the ground, emitting a repulsive and burning scent that instantly fills the whole arena.
"OH GOD! THE SMELL!"
"MY NOSE IS ON FIRE!"
"MY EYES ARE ON FIRE!"
"SOMEBODY SHUT OFF THE SMELL!"
Yuno meanwhile, was nonplussed by the stench, since he activated [Wind Creation Magic: Air Bubble- Ventilator] around his head.
The same cannot be said for the captains, however.
Captain Vangence was on the verge of vomiting over the edge, the braided man was currently crawling his way to the nearest exit, the lady in pink went from "sleeping with her eyes closed" to "fainted with her eyes open", the armored woman was running out of her seat like a bat out of hell, the portly captain all but disappeared, the redheaded man with the tattoo was slumped over the ledge, the young man with the sky-blue hair was attempting to drown himself in a bucket of paint, the lanky man already made a run for it, and even the burly man with the tank top was gagging a vomit in his mouth.
"Heh heh, surprised?" She mocked at Sekke, who was currently on his knees, vomiting inside his own refuge. "I got that from one of my elder brother's botany projects. Short story even shorter, the whole mansion stunk like an outhouse for a month straight, but I sure as hell developed hell of a tolerance."
Yuno then recalls a faint stench that permeated the entire village a few years back.
"If I meet Rowan again, I'll give him a chat."
"EVERYONE! WE'RE CALLING FOR A RECESS! I REPEAT. WE'RE CALLING FOR A RECESS!"
"Can you at least declare the winner?" Juniper innocently asked.
"THE WINNER IS JUNIPER HAGE! NOW PUT THAT LEAF AWAY!"
The leaf disappears, but the stench still lingers.
"You... want to resume this another time?" The staff asked Captain Vangence.
"No need, good sir." Juniper assured. "I'll clear the air myself." She then opens her grimoire once more. "[Leaf Recovery Magic: Aromatherapy- Mint]." A smaller leaf appears on her hand, which then emits a minty and clean scent throughout the whole amphitheater.
"MY NOSE IS BACK!"
"I CAN SEE AGAIN!"
"I THOUGHT I WAS GONNA DIE!"
Sekke, currently fainted on a puddle of his own vomit, the staff carries him out in a stretcher. The rest of the staff then use their [Water Magic] and [Wind Magic] to clean up all the vomit plastered on the arena floor.
30 Minutes Later...
Everyone except Yuno glared daggers at Juniper after she pulled that stunt a while back.
At least there were no vomit left on the floor.
"Next... pair... please step up..." The staff member groaned.
The pair consists of a man with long flowing blond hair, wearing fancy clothing befitting a noble.
The other was a slightly burly young man witha dark blue mullet, wearing less fancy, but more practical clothes, and on his hands were a pair of leather gloves that reached below his elbows.
"State your names..."
"Salim de Hapshass." The young man arrogantly stated.
"He's a noble, isn't he?"
"I heard that he's exceptional in [Lightning Magic]."
"Thank god I ain't facing him."
"Jericho Platnia." The taller man stated with a humbler tone.
"Wait, PLATNIA!?"
"YOU MEAN HE'S RELATED TO THE SILVAS!?"
"Holy shit, he's a royalty!?"
"Now I kinda feel bad for the Hapshass..."
"This outta be fun to watch..."
The said Hapshass was not having any of it.
"BEGIN!"
"So you're royalty right?" Salim spoke in a hostile tone.
"Should that mean anything to you?" Jericho retorted.
"I'LL SHOW YOU THAT I AM NOT TO BE UNDERESTIMATED!" He then opens his grimoire. "[Lightning Magic: God of Lighting's Wrath, Vengeful Salim]!"
A flash of lightning strikes Jericho.
"HAHAHAHAHA! HOW'S THAT, YOU ARROGANT BASTARD-"
Salim then stops himself upon seeing Jericho unharmed, with his [Lightning Magic] now literally on his fingertips.
"[Platinum Creation Magic: Star Finger]." Jericho stated. On his raised index and middle finger, was a metallic mold around it with a thread of metal going straight to the ground. "And your next line is: 'How did you stop my lightning?'."
"H-H-HOW!? HOW DID YOU STOP MY LIGHTNING!?"
"Simple." Jericho stated. "Have you ever heard of a 'lightning rod'?"
"JUST WHAT THE FUCK IS A LIGHTNING ROD!?"
"A lightning rod is a metal rod that attracts all incoming lightning so that it can be safely be dispersed into the ground." He explained. "Since lightning runs on the principle of electricity, it will often go for the fastest way down to the ground to disperse its release of energy."
"WHAT THE FUCK DOES ALL THAT MEAN!?"
"I just simply turned myself into a lightning rod with a metal thread attached to my metal fingers that run into the ground. And these gloves that I'm wearing are not magical in nature, they're, in fact, just have a layer of rubber underneath, so I'm safe from becoming a conductor myself." Jericho then twirls his lightning-imbued finger over his head, right before he whips said lightning back to Salim.
"You can have it back now."
The redirected lightning strikes Salim, shocking him into a charcoal outline.
"You..." The still standing noble hissed out. "You're just an inventor... nothing more than an artisan whose family threw away their noble status just so that they can tinker more with their tools..." Salim then devolves into laughter. "YOU'RE NOTHING MORE THAN A MEASLY INVENTOR FROM A FAMILY OF MEASLY INVENTORS! AS A NOBLE, IT'S MY DUTY TO ENSURE THAT THE REPUTATION OF THE NOBLE REALM REMAINS UNSULLIED BY MAKING YOU PAY FOR YOUR INSOLENCE!" Salim then opens his grimoire for another attack. "[Lightning Magic: God of Lightning's Punishment, Salim Strike]!" A bolt of lightning envelops in his fist. "AND THE FIRST THING I'LL DO TO YOU IS TO SHAVE OFF THAT STUPID MULLET OF YOURS!"
"Just what..."
"DIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEE!" Salim bolts toward Jericho with an intent to kill.
But just before his thunderbolt fist can reach him, a punch made of platinum digs into Salim's face.
"[Platinum Creation Magic: Stardust Knuckle]." Jericho then glares at the punched Salim. "Just what..."
"Jus wa?"
"JUST WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU SAY ABOUT MY HAIR!?" The platinum punches then comes as a barrage.
"ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA!"
The poor battered noble was juggled in the air for about a full minute. The man was then sent flying towards the wall at the end of the amphitheater with a one final-
"ORA!"
The supersonic punch cracks the air, and along with Salim's cranium.
And presumably everywhere else.
... He may never walk again.
"... The winner is Jericho Platnia." The staff spoke in a flat tone. "... Somebody get a doctor to look at him."
Salim, meanwhile, he was embedded into a brick wall with his face beaten and battered like an egg. His body, arms, and legs twisted like a bramble of ivy on a wall.
In short, a complete curbstomp.
Jericho then points his finger at the battered Salim while striking a dramatic pose. "Two things. First, my family are no mere inventors. We're a family of innovators. And second, the reason why you lost was not because of my royalty status or because of my magic." His tone drops a few debacles below menacing.
"You lost because you pissed me off."
"I'm sure glad I did not piss him off." The contestants collectively thought.
Then the matches went as scheduled. Pair by pair, contestants fought, magic were unleashed upon each other, and one remained standing for each bout. This went on until Yuno and the silver-haired girl was left in the ring.
"State your names." The staff spoke out.
"Yuno."
"Hey, it's that four-leaf from the boonies."
"But a four leaf still a four-leaf, right?"
"Oh man, this is gonna get weird..."
"Noelle Silva." The silver-haired girl spoke out with an arrogant tone.
"Holy shit, another royalty..."
"But I've heard rumors that her magic can't even hit a broad side of a barn even if her life depended on it..."
"So we got a four-leaf hick against a talentless princess..."
"Forget about weird, this outta be fun to watch..."
"Aw shit, I wish I bought a popcorn for this..."
Noelle then shifts around in discomfort.
"Hey." Yuno spoke out.
The girl flinches.
"Don't let them get to you, okay?"
"Hmph!" The girl huffed. "I'm royalty, and even if you're a four-leaf, it doesn't change the fact that you're a peasant."
It was obvious that the girl was trying to save face, but Yuno wasn't fooled.
He would help her now, but priorities of passing this exam comes first.
"Watch me, Asta!" He then balls his hand into a fist.
"BEGIN!"
"Allow me to put you in your place." She then opens her grimoire. "[Water Magic: Naga's Fang]!" She then fires a blast of water... only for said blast to take a sharp 90-degree turn and hit one of the audience members instead.
"HEY! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR!?"
"GO HOME, YOU DAMN NOVICE!"
"SHUT UP!" She shouted. "I'M NOT STOPPING HERE! I'M NOT GIVING UP!"
Yuno then opens his grimoire. "If that's what you're saying, then I won't, either." He then readies his attack. "[Wind Magic: Vacuum Grenade]!" He then throws a ball of pressurized air towards the girl, which then explodes on contact.
When the dust settles, the girl is revealed to be surrounded in a dome of water that acted as a barrier against his attack.
"WAIT, SHE SURVIVED!?"
"Well if she can't land a hit, at least she can take it..."
"Could someone save my spot? Now I really need to get popcorn for this..."
"Hmph." She huffed. "For a four-leaf, your magic hits like a wimp." But internally speaking, she was hyperventilating to the point of really needing a paper bag.
"Sorry." Yuno stated. "I didn't want accidentally hurt you more than I should."
"It matters not." She responded with a firm voice. "Now come at me with all you got!" She then opens her grimoire. "[Water Creation Magic: Naga's Refuge]." Her water dome is reinforced with another.
"Alright then..." Yuno then limbers up before opening up his grimoire.
He then flash-steps toward Noelle, with his hand on the dome.
"[Wind Magic: Vacuum Cup]." Air then compresses into Yuno's pressed palm. He then rips his palm off the dome, ripping her defenses upon removing a piece of the barrier.
Her defenses are now gone. In desperation, she fires a blast of water, and it would've hit her mark, but not because of it hitting somewhere else, but because Yuno just simply tilted his head away from it.
His hand then forms another ball of wind as it then places it onto her stomach. "[Wind Creation Magic: Air Bubble- Burst]."
The air bubble explodes, then the girl is sent flying towards the audience as her cushion.
"THE WINNER IS YUNO!" The staff announced.
Yuno then sprints toward where the girl flew towards, and upon seeing her, he then extends his hand toward her.
She then slaps the hand away from her. "Get your filthy hands away from me, you peasant." She then brushes herself off as she walks away, moping.
Later on That Day...
The sun was now setting, and everyone was gathered in the main theater in anticipation.
Then one of the staff members shows up with the results in his hands.
"And now with the results in order, we may now begin the selection." The armored woman stated. "The squad captains will raise their hands if they like the announced candidate to join their squads. You are, of course, free to accept or decline on which squad they like to join."
"But if no one raises their hands, that candidate will not join the ranks of the Magic Knights." The tattooed man spoke out.
"And you'll be told to leave immediately." The braided man spoke in an icy tone.
From there, the selection began.
One by one, contestants were rejected, with only a handful of them being accepted, with literally only two of them being accepted into Golden Dawn and Silver Eagles.
And that was only the first hundred. The next hundred were up next.
"Number 122, please come forth."
#122 is revealed to be Jericho Platnia. The tall youth then steps out of the crowd and presents himself toward the nine captains.
"Would the captains raise their hands on who would accept him in your squads?"
Eight captains raise their hands, with the only exception being the portly-looking captain representing the Purple Orcas.
"Well, that's expected from a royalty with actual competence."
"I'm more surprised that one of them didn't raise his hand."
Jericho had eight possible options, and the option that chooses is-
"I'd like to join the Black Bulls."
Everyone in the audience and the captains went into a state of shocked silence.
Everyone except for the burly man in the white tank top, who was currently laughing his ass off.
"EHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!?" Everyone cried out.
"Is he fucking insane?"
"I know that his family resigned their royal status, but this is just asinine..."
"Then again, his whole family were insane to begin with..."
"Yeah... I could see him fitting in... in fact, I think he'll be alight anywhere..."
The burly man then jumps down to where Jericho was standing. The two towering figures then see each other eye-to-eye.
"So tell me," The man then blows smoke into his face. "Why is it that you want to join the worst squad of the Clover Kingdom?"
"Because I see potential."
"Potential?" The man then lights another cigarette. "Elaborate."
"I don't believe that the Black Bulls are the worst squad in the Clover Kingdom. In fact, I think they're the most underrated." He then turns toward the audience. "The Black Bulls, unruly as they may be, they've still earned their places in the Magic Knights' Institution. But somehow, they're the most demonetized, and unrightfully so." He then turns back to the captain. "I wish to see on why they're so hated, and if somehow the fears of the majority are confirmed to be true, then I'll make it my duty to pull the squad out of the gutter and into the realm of respect once more."
The man blows smoke into his face once again. "And tell me, kiddo. What do plan to get out of being a Magic Knight?"
"Then I shall tell you." Jericho then strikes a dramatic pose. "I, JERICHO PLATNIA, HAVE A DREAM!" He loudly proclaimed. "AND THAT IS TO BECOME THE CHAMPION OF THE CLOVER KINGDOM, AND DOING THAT, I'LL FORGE POSITIVE RELATIONS WITH THE OTHER THREE KINGDOMS OF THIS CONTINENT, AND AFTER THAT, I'LL SPREAD THE GOOD NAME OF THIS KINGDOM ACROSS THE WHOLE WORLD!"
The man then inhales on his cigarette. "So what you're saying is that you want to be a diplomat."
"Diplomat, scholar, gentleman, and capable Magic Knight to boot." Jericho responds back in a normal tone.
The burly captain then lets out a fit of laughter. "From now on, call me Captain Yami."
"Yes, Captain Yami!" Jericho salutes in the Magic Knight's three finger salute.
"Welcome to the Black Bulls, you crazy fuck." He then turns to Captain Vangence with a shit-eating grin on his face. "You owe me 100,000 yuls now!" Captain Yami then jumps back up to his platform and takes a seat.
"And they said that I couldn't get anyone in..." Captain Yami smiled.
And the selection continues until Juniper is called up.
Only captain Yami and the armored woman representing the Blue Rose Knights raise their hands.
"I'd like to join Blue Rose Knights please."
The female captain nods. "Call me Captain Charlotte."
"Yes ma'am!" Juniper then waves back at Yuno with a glee.
It was now Yuno's turn.
"Would the captains-"
All captains raise their hands before the announcer can finish speaking.
"Holy shit, all of them!?"
"Well then again, he's a four-leaf..."
"Yeah, but aren't the Golden Dawn and Silver Eagles like, royalty-exclusive!?"
"Again dude, four-leaf."
"... Good point..."
Yuno then looks at the headband wrapped around his wrist. Normally, he would join the Golden Dawn for a quick and easy path of becoming the next Wizard King.
But Asta's dreams are now his dreams. And taking the easy way in is a disservice to his memories.
"Please let me join the Black Bulls."
Again, silence.
But this time, no one was surprised anymore. After all, they did just saw an ex-royalty join the Black Bulls.
Everyone, except Captain Yami, who was again, laughing his ass off.
He then jumps down from his balcony and looks down at Yuno.
"Is he really gonna do that every time a Black Bull recruit shows up at his door?"
"Now I kinda wanna join him just to see that again..."
"So tell me," Captain Yami blew smoke into his face. "Why is that you want to join the worst squad of Clover Kingdom?"
Yuno then shows the headband wrapped around his wrist.
"Eh? What the hell is that?" Captain Yami asked.
"It's my brother's." Yuno responded in a solemn tone. "I was forced to watch an ex-Magic Knight Bandit mutilate him front of me. And by sheer miracle, I broke out of his chains and forced to kill him before he could do the same to me."
"Holy shit..."
"He's already killed a guy?"
"He faced a former Magic Knight and lived?"
"So I guess the reason you want to join my squad is to make sure that the same doesn't happen to anyone else, correct?" Captain Yami stated.
"You're not wrong sir. It's just that there's a deeper reason behind it." Yuno tries to hold back his tears. "My brother and I shared the same dream."
"And what's that dream?" Yami then lights another cigarette.
"Our dream was to become the next Wizard King." Yuno responded. "And with that dream, I'll be sure that everyone under my watch doesn't die in the gutter ever again."
Yami then blows smoke into his eyes, causing Yuno to reel back. "Quite a lofty dream you've got there." His presence then exudes a killer's intent, causing everyone in the audience along with a few other captains to reel back. "So what you're saying is that you're willing to brave this kind of shit in order to achieve your dreams, am I right?"
"THAT'S RIGHT!" Yuno roared out with conviction blazing in his eyes. "NO MATTER WHAT IT TAKES, EVEN IF I HAVE TO CRAWL WITHOUT MY ARMS OR LEGS, EVEN IF I HAVE TO EAT MUD AND STICKS ON MY WAY THERE, I WILL BECOME THE NEXT WIZARD KING!"
Everyone in the amphitheater remains in shocked silence at Yuno's declaration of his determination.
To them, this kind of speech coming from a peasant should be blasphemous. But the fact that he was a four-leaf prevented him from sounding insane.
Captain Yami then lets out another fit of laughter. "I like you."
"Do you mean-"
"Don't regret it, kid." Captain Yami then turns to Captain Vangence and sticks out a middle finger towards him. "You now all owe me double now that I recruited a royal and a four-leaf."
Then the selection came to an end for Yuno, with his journey toward being the next Wizard King now starting as a Bull.
"Watch me... Asta!" Yuno balls his hand into a fist as he looks at the headband around his wrist.
To Be Continued...
Author's Note: Question of this chapter; How many JoJo references can you find in this chapter?
But in all seriousness, this chapter was a blast to write.
Yuno joining the Black Bulls in the memory of Asta, and yes, he fought Noelle, but to her credit, she managed to hold off longer than anyone thought.
Salim on ORAed to near-death, in other words: RETIRED.
And Sekke got kicked in the balls because, c'mon.
The lech deserved it.
On what Jericho's voice will be like (for funsies):
Yuki Ono (JPN), Johnny Yong Bosh (ENG)
So, what do you guys think? Leave a review or a comment, for I'd like to know what my audience is thinking.
P.S.: The next chapter for Apocrypha will be delayed to finish my Nerve Damage chapter that's currently in development.