Page 2:The Five Leaf Clovers
With his newly acquired grimoire in hand Arran left the tower but when he did he came across his friend Yuno, but across from him were the two nobles that made fun of him and Asta
"Yuno what's going on?" Arran asked as he walked up to Yuno's side
Yuno looked towards Arran with his usual stoic face. "Dunno. I went to check up on you since you went back into the tower. Then these two approached me" He replied before the two of them looked towards the nobles once the blonde one spoke up
"I'm telling you that this very necessary. The ceremony's spotlight was supposed to be ours and he ruined it!" The blonde one said in clear anger
''Yeah I know..."The friend said with a tone of uncertainty as he looked at them but then his face contorted to that of surprise when he saw Arran there. "Wait a minute when did you get here-is that a grimoire?!"The friend of the blonde noble said in shock causing the blonde noble to turn towards Arran as well. Even Yuno looked at Arran in slight surprise at news but the surprise turned to a quick smile.
'So you did end up getting chosen. Nice job Arran" Yuno thought before he broke his smile and turned back towards the two nobles
How did you get one?! No matter I'll simply burn your books to ash!" The blonde noble declared as he opened up his grimoire
Arran was about to retaliate but Yuno put a hand out to stop him. "This will make you regret ever thinking of having a grimoire!" The blonde said before he unleashed a wave of fire at Yuno and Arran
Yuno however wasn't affected as he simply raised his right hand summoning a large tornado to protect him and Arran from the attack
The blonde was completely in shock from this. "He dispelled my attack without even using his grimoire" He said shakily as he stepped back a bit.
"Are you done?" Yuno said with a glare
The blonde noble then turned to his friend and said "Don't just stand there help me out!"
The blonde's friend looked at him with even more uncertainty but before he could say anything all of a sudden several chains burst out of the wall and came straight for them
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" They could only as the chains pierced their bodies and pinned them to the wall. Arran and even Yuno could only look in shock at what just happened
"As much as I love a good revenge story I can't have you burning something so precious, now can I?" A voice said as a strange man walked out of the wall. "Struggle all you want my chain magic is so strong that not even a captain can break free from it. And your not even close to their level" The man said with a crazed grin on his face
"Who are you?!" Arran called out
"What do you want?"Yuno added as he hid his grimoire behind his back
"Of course simple village boys like you two wouldn't understand, but not too long ago, I was known as Chain Magic Revchi" Revchi said with a creepy smile. "But then they expelled me from their ranks, and now I'm nothing more than a thief trying to survive" He chuckled darkly and then he snapped his fingers
Almost immediately, chains shot out of the ground and wrapped around Arran and Yuno's bodies. "I'll be taking that 4 leaf grimoire of yours golden boy. And I guess this charred book could do well for my goal"
"GIVE THAT BACK!" Arran yelled out in rage as he tried to break free from the chains
"Did you not listen to what I said about my chains? All of that spare magic must've poisoned your brain boy" Revchi mocked
"Revchi, right? What's the point in stealing our grimoires?" Yuno questioned. "Only those-"
"Who are chosen by a Grimoire are allowed to use them. I'm aware of that little rule, but that doesn't mean I can't sell these little books to a few black market collectors I know" Revchi said while waving Yuno's and Arran's grimoires. "They would pay a small fortune to have something so rare. Even if this book chose you and the explosive failure managed to get his own somehow, you both still don't know how to use these Grimoires, so it might as well be trash to you both" He then sighed before noticing the pendants around Yuno's and Arran's necks. "Hmmm, I bet I could get even more money if I add those pendants. You wouldn't mind wou-"
Revchi's eyes widened as he was startled by this unsettling mana. Arran was looking at him with a massive glare his mouth not even visible as his rage was very visible from the way his eye was trembling. "Touch my pendent...and I'll kill you" He said in an cold voice that slashed right through Revchi. He then noticed Arran's arms glowing around the chains as he started to shake
Yuno however realized what he was doing. "Arran don't! You'll end up killing yourself if you try to use magic!"
That may be true but right now Arran didn't care. He was too blinded by rage to listen but then-
A familiar scream rang through the air as a certain magicless boy leaped over him and landed on the pathway. Though the moment he did his knees buckled from the jump. "Owww, okay. That actually hurt" Asta admitted before falling on his back.
"Asta?" Asta's sudden appearance cause Arran to snap out of his rage state and cancel his magic charge
Asta was quick to jump back on his feet as he then pointed at the blonde noble from before. "Ok what the hell is going on here?! Who screamed?!" Asta demanded but then he realized who he was pointing at. "Huh?" He then turned towards Revchi and pointed at him. "Hey creep, what's your deal?!" He shouted again before he gasped at what he saw in the former magic knight's hands. "That's Yuno's and...uhhh...who's grimoire is that?"
"It's mine" Arran called out
Asta had a look of shock in his face before he gave Arran a smile in approval. Then he turned to Revchi and switched his happiness with rage. "Those are Yuno's and Arran's Grimoires! You bastard, what are you doing?!" He fixed his sentence with anger in his voice
Revchi, however, simply smirked at him. "Why, look. It's the sad little boy who never got his Grimoire" Revchi taunted with a hand under his chin
"So you've heard of me, huh?" Asta said while lowering his hand. "yeah, I'm the poor empty kid who got left out." He then clenched his fist and spoke up. "But I know a Grimoire is supposed to go to its real master, so give those back to Yuno and Arran!"
"Hehehehehe..." Rather than comply, Revchi began to laugh at Asta's idiotic words. "My, you must be really sheltered if you think that kind of reasoning is right. Oh well, I suppose I could educate you a little." With that he opened his Grimoire, flipping through the pages
"Asta run!" Both Yuno and Arran called out to him but Asta didn't listen.
"From a waste of space like him?" Asta then began to run towards Revchi. "Not a chance in hell!"
Revchi's chains then shot off at Asta as he did his best to dodge them. There were some very close calls but Asta managed to get behind Revchi winding up for a punch. But Revchi didn't look phased at all
Just as Asta finally swung at Revchi's exposed back something caught him midway. Some of Revchi's chains had emerged from the wall and wrapped around Asta's torso.
"I'll..get you!" Asta growled as he tried his best to break free from the chains almost making progress as he managed to take a step forward.
"No boy. Your finished here" Revchi said as he flipped a page in his grimoire.
Then various chains started to snake and whip around above Asta before they all slashed at him from various angles. "Dance of the Pitless Viper!"
Then another chain came barreling towards Asta's stomach causing him to cough out blood 'That's...one serious attack' He thought shortly before the chains smashed him into the wall
'So this...is what mages outside the village can do...'He thought as he was slumped on the wall with blood dripping from his mouth. He didn't even notice Revchi approaching him. 'And as much as I trained...I don't stand a chance'
Revchi then shoved his boot heel into Asta's shoulder. "You see boy its no use! Thanks for playing though" Revchi said with mockful laughter as his chains swirled behind him
"Damn it.." Arran muttered from seeing Asta defeated so easily. He looked down at the chains. 'I know he said that even Magic Knight Captains can't break his chains but I still have to try! I'm not just going to let Asta die!"He thought to himself as he began to slowly charged up mana in his arms so it wouldn't be noticed by Revchi
"It's not over...I'm not done" Asta rasped. "I will be the..Wizard King"
"The Wizard King? You must be joking. The thing is these chains can measure the magic power of anyone they come in contact with. and you have none! Not a single drop" Revchi declared causing Asta to widen his eyes
"You were probably born that way. I guess that explains why you didn't get a grimoire. How unfair for you to be born with not a single ounce of magic power in a world where magic is everything! Why that makes you a rare and precious bird indeed hahaha!" Revchi went on mocking Asta as the poor boy made no response
'If that's true then...no matter how hard I push myself...I'll never be able to use magic"
"You know I really can't help but think of anything more pitiful. Forget being the Wizard King you'll be lucky enough to even get a job. I bet you genius friend over there is having a good laugh at your pitiful expense right now. And even the walking bomb got a grimoire somehow when he was cursed with the possibility of killing himself with his out of control magic!" Revchi mocked Asta even more as he even began to stomp on Asta's shoulder
'Yeah...maybe...Yuno's so great that even the Four leaf clover chose him...and Arran managed to get a grimoire when originally he wasn't chosen at the ceremony...and then there's me...'
"This world has no use for the likes of you-A poor magicless fool. You might as well give it all up right now YOU WERE BORN A LOSER YOU WORTHLESS RUNT!" Revchi declared with a crazed smile on his face
'Yeah...he's right...no matter how hard I try...I guess there are some things that just aren't possible...'Asta thought as he began to close his eyes. 'Well then...maybe I should...give u-'
"Hey!"
"Shut up already!"
Asta's thinking was momentarily stopped as Revchi turned around to face Yuno and Arran
"Who are you calling a loser?"Yuno practically demanded. "Asta it's true that you aren't going to become the Wizard King. Not ever"
"You hear that? Even your little friend knows that it's impossible"
Suddenly faint memories started to flash in Asta's head to which they showed a red and blue gem from Yuno and Arran's necklace as a kid Asta rushed towards a man who had currently stolen both necklaces. That left Yuno on the ground caring for Arran who was holding his nose as it was leaking blood. However the two of them couldn't stop watching Asta as he got up time and time again no matter how many times he was knocked on the ground
"That's because I'm going to become the Wizard King!" Yuno said
"What?" Revchi said in slight confusion but with a hint of amusement as well
"Your wrong about Asta Revchi. Very wrong" Yuno said
"Asta listen to me" Arran said as all eyes fell on him now, minus Asta cause he was still in a broken state but he was listening
"You and Yuno both accepted me as friends with open arms even with the possible danger of me losing control. I've seen you work tirelessly day after day hoping to one day unlock your magic. Well you already did and now your going to abandon it?"
"Oh really? What type of magic does he have boy?" Revchi said with an amused grin
"His magic is never giving up!" Arran declared as Asta's eyes opend slightly
"Yuno you were also wrong as well as neither you or Asta are going to be the Wizard King" Arran said as Revchi finally noticed the charged up magic in Arran's arms
"He's not a loser at all. He's my rival!" Both Yuno and Arran declared causing Asta to finally open his eyes
And at that same time Arran actually managed to break through the chains.
"W-what... how did you?" Revchi's eyes widened as he noticed what was on Arran's arms. Aside from his burning skin his arms were covered in blood red colored, unstable fire magic but they were in the shape of claws...dragon claws
"Doesn't matter I'll make sure you-" Revchi didn't even get to finish as he felt something grab his ankle
"You...get off of me!"Asta said with an angry glare. Revchi took his foot off of Asta's shoulder in slight fear as he backed up a bit
"Yuno.. Arran...sorry you two had to see me in such a weak moment there" Asta said with a hint of confidence in his voice. "Just give me a second.. that's all then I'll destroy this guy!" Asta proclaimed but then... ,in Revchi's eyes ,... Asta's face seemed to morph into something more sinister. Then came something that surprised everyone in the vicinity. In a burst of dark light... a Grimoire came floating down right in front of Asta
"Is that...a Grimoire?" Asta said as he couldn't even believe what he was seeing
Arran found himself slowly walking towards Asta's side as Yuno spoke up. "I knew it...there's no way the two of you wouldn't have been chosen Asta"
With a ominous sound the Grimoire opened up and flipped through a few pages before a massive greatsword began to emerge from it
Revchi stepped back again as he tried to comprehend what he was seeing. First the walking bomb managed to break through his chains and use his magic without dying and now the magicless brat suddenly has magic now?! "Is that..your magic?!" Revchi asked as the greatsword floated in the air for a bit before it stabbed into the ground just in front of Asta
"But I checked and you didn't have any magic power!" Revchi said in disbelief as he kept backing up Yuno's Grimoire still in hand. "Hey wait-!"He tried to scream out as he noticed one of his chains being burnt before Arran's Grimoire freed itself. Coated in destructive magic said Grimoire floated back to its master as Arran stood beside Asta
"How is this possible...how could you two be able to use those Grimoires?!" Revchi yelled
The leaves of the clover are each said to contain one thing. In the first three lie Hope, Integrity, and Love
Revchi stepped back even more until he was fairly close to the wall fear actually evident in his face. He even dropped Yuno's Grimoire because of what he was looking at
The fourth brings Good Luck
Asta finally managed to stand up grabbing the hilt of his greatsword in the process
And in the fifth...
As Arran and Asta stood together their shadows formed something completely different...two beings looking like destruction incarnate as they radiated dark energy
...lies something even darker...
"Just what kind of freak of nature are you two!" Revchi screamed out as Asta finally looked up at him
With immense strength Asta ripped the greatsword out of the ground. Just as he did Revchi launched his chains towards the two "Failures" with a outraged scream
But with one swing of the sword Asta completely destroyed the chains. Revchi looked absolutely mortified from this. "You took my magic power...and turned it into your own?!"
"You ready?" Asta whispered out to Arran to which he replied with a slight nod. Then red haired boy shot off with intense speed rushing straight towards Revchi
The thief panicked and sent the rest of his chains towards arran hoping to impale him. Arran leaped in the air and slashed his flaming claws outward and before Revchi knew it his chains were melting and breaking apart. "Such intense heat..." Revchi mumbled in disbelief but then his eyes widened
While Arran had rushed in Asta's muscles were bulging as he got in a stance his greatsword at the ready. Once Revchi's chains were gone Asta dashed off with insane force breaking the ground he stood on before
"Even without any control over my magic..." Arran said
"Even without any magic at all..."Asta said
"I'm still going to be the Wizard King!" They both said in unison as Revchi screamed in horror
"Like Arran said...MY MAGIC IS NEVER GIVING UP!" Asta yelled as he swung his greatsword into Revchi's chest and , with a boisterous yell, sent the poor thief flying into the wall like a cannonball
Once the dust cleared there was a crater in the wall and in said crater lied Revchi whow as groaning in pain in that last attack. As for our so called "failures" Arran was panting heavily as he had never moved that fast in his life. Not only that but his arms were slightly burned from that significant amount of magic power. As for Asta he was also panting heavily as he simply stared at Revchi. Then Asta spoke again
"I always figured that if I couldn't use magic I can use my body instead. I trained like hell to build up strength and it looks like it finally paid off" Asta smirked
"Asta. Arran." The two boys turned to see Yuno standing there, free from the chains, and with a proud smile
'There was just no way you two wouldn't have been chosen...especially you Asta..'Yuno thought
'After all...you have a way of making the impossible possible' Arran thought as he turned to Asta with a slight smile
'Now...and even back then' They simultaneously thought as a kid Yuno was looking at kid Asta with worry in his eyes while kid Arran was helping the stubborn boy up. Having their pendants successfully reclaimed Asta seemed to have paid the price with some missing teeth and a bruised eye
"I'm gonna be the Wizard King" Kid Asta said. "I'm going to protect the two of you...and everyone else"
Kid Arran looked at Kid Asta with slight awe in his eyes as he held the two pendants in his hands "I'll prove it. I'll show them all" Kid Asta declared as Kid Yuno followed Kid Arran's expression, though with added tears in his eyes
"Show them?" Kid Yuno repeated
"Prove what?" Kid Arran asked
"That even if your poor...a commoner and an orphan...You can still become the Wizard King!"
"Commoners..?" Kid Yuno said
"Yeah. Anyone can do it. As long as they're willing to work hard" Kid Asta said as he managed to stand up without Kid Arran's help
Kid Yuno and Kid Arran just looked at Kid Asta with awe. "Anybody?" They both said
"Even me" Kid Asta pointed at himself. "And even you two"
"Then I'll do it!" Kid Arran exclaimed causing Kid Yuno and Kid Asta to look at him in surprise. "I want to be able to protect you guys. I want to prove that I'm more than just a walking bomb. So I'll work hard and then I'm going to become the Wizard King!"
Kid Yuno looked at Kid Arran in amazement at his decision. The boy then wiped his tears and stood. "I'm never going to cry again" He said
"Hmmm?" Kid Arran looked at him in confusion
"It's decided" Kid Yuno continued
"What do you mean?" Kid Asta said as he stood up as well
"I'll do it too. I'll become the Wizard King! I'll work hard and get strong so I can protect you two and everyone else. Whatever it takes...And I'll never give up!" Kid Yuno declared
Back in the present Asta approached Arran and Yuno with starry eyes "Check it out you two I got my snazzy own Grimoire. Ok it may be a little beat up but I'll treasure it all my life anyway"
"You sure that thing is a Grimoire?" Arran pointed at it
Asta then turned to Arran with comical angry eyes. "Hey don't judge my Grimoire when yours looks just as bad-Wait a minute holy crap Arran your arms!" Asta said noticing Arran's fairly burnt arms as Yuno took notice of them as well
"It's fine my mom has healing magic she'll fix me up. And besides this is a sign" Arran said as he looked out into the distance
"A sign of what?" Asta said
"That I need to get stronger. If I'm going to be able to control my newly discovered magic and avoid this in the future I need to work hard. I let he possibility of Self-destructing get in the way of my dream. That's never happening again. And besides" Arran looked back at the two of them. " You two are my rivals and there's no way I'm letting you both pull ahead of me"
Asta was surprised at this declaration but that surprise quickly turned into a huge smile at this though before he could speak Yuno walked past the both of them. "Interesting declaration Arran. You can try but you won't beat me" Yuno said. "Yet you two managed to save me. I will repay my debt one day" He stopped walking as balls of light began to fall over them matching up with the current sunfall
"Asta. Arran" Yuno then turned back towards the two of them. "We made a promise. Do you remember?"
The memory quickly flashed in Arran and Asta's heads the kid versions were standing across from each other in the snowfall
"So you two want to be the Wizard King huh?" Kid Asta with a toothy smile. "You know what that means.."
"Yeah" Yuno nodded
"Definitely" Arran nodded
"The three of us are rivals!" They all declared as Asta looked at plainly while Arran walked up to Yuno and smiled. "Of course I remembered"
"Same here" Asta said as he rubbed the back of his head. "To be honest I actually can't believe that you remember it. With the way you've been acting I was sure that you forgot" He said with an honest tone before he joined up with Arran and Yuno staring out into the distance
"Like I'd be friendly with people I consider my rivals" Yuno closed his eyes and said
"Fair point" Arran said.
"You showed us Asta what's possible and gave us hope" Yuno said
"Yeah...that even if we're poor orphans. Commoners. We can still make something of ourselves in this world"
"To prove that..."
"To become stronger and fight for what's right..."
"To make Sister Lily and everybody else happy"
The three of them then did a 3-way fistbump just like they did back when they were kids on that fateful night
"We'll fight to see who will be the Wizard King! whatever it takes!"
Hey there everyone. Blueheartz here. Holy shit this chapter is longer than I thought it would be my fingers hurt now. But there you have it Arran has discovered the new power of his Grimoire while Asta finally obtained his own Five Leaf Grimoire. Up next A bit of training and then its onward towards the royal capital! I'll see you until then cause now I need to sleep and rest my fingers. So again until next time. Blueheartz out