Hello everyone and greetings! Welcome back to another chapter of Devils and Dragons! Man, this took way longer to release than I wanted to. Of course, I get motivation for this when I only have 3 days left of school. That doesn't mean I'm gonna give up writing Ima finish Devils and Dragons and Our True Saviors, just gotta figure out a schedule now.
For those that are seeing this now, you'd know that I previously deleted Chapter 9. Well, looking it over I just felt that it was incomplete and I could add more to it, especially since the previous ending I wrote didn't really feel like a proper ending. So here's the truly finished Chapter 9 for you all to enjoy which I will not be deleting. But that aside let's first address the reviews:
(KenosDC1): Yeah when I was making Tyria I thought it would be interesting to give her and Heath a Father-Daughter dynamic since like you said The Eye of the Midnight Sun treats its members like family.
(E. T. 2000): Honestly, that's a great name suggestion...so great that I can't decide whether to choose that or Dragonborn. Just like I can't decide whether I want to pair Arran up with Mimosa or Nero! Oh, how I hate irl internal conflicts!
(Raidentensho): Oh Most Definitely. But Salamander's Breath is already a spell name. I plan on making the enhanced spell name different just like how I changed Magna's Exploding Fireball into Exploding Blazeball
Now then, hope you guys enjoy the latest chapter!
Page 9: Familiar Faces All Around:
After a long night of rest and recovery, from that crazy mission, Magna, Asta, Noelle, and Arran were all gathered in front of Yami to reap the rewards of their mission.
"Sounds like you had your hands full alright! Oh wow!" Yami laughed
'The heck is he laughing about?' Arran, now awake and fully recovered, thought offendedly. 'I mean we almost died back there. Seihi died back there. I almost died back there!'
"Sorry captain but is this really the time to be laughing?" Asta asked his voice lower than normal
"Why not kid? It's not like being sad is gonna bring Seihi back right?" Yami asked bluntly
"Your right Yami sir! Seihi wouldn't want to see us in tears! He was a man of laughter!" Magna then turned and stepped toward the three rookies. "Come on let's laugh for Seihi!" Magna then proceeded to laugh...rather awkwardly. "Your turn!"
Asta then proceeded to laugh as well...though he sounded worse than Magna. "There you go exactly like that!" Magna then proceeded to join back in on the laughter but not before encouraging Noelle and Arran to join them who rather reluctantly began to laugh
"Ok, that's enough. First things first. Arran" Arran tilted his head a bit at the sound of his name being called. He instinctively flinched when Yami turned his gaze on him. To his relief, Yami took his cigarette out his mouth and asked "You doing alright now? Wounds all healed up?"
Arran nodded. "Yeah. The magic doctors in the capital can really work wonders" He chuckled nervously, choosing to decline to mention the fact that he now has two stinger-shaped scars on his back
"Good good. It's a real shame what happened to Seihi. But you protected the village. So hold your heads high" Though Yami acknowledged their success in Saussy Asta, Noelle, and Arran still looked at each other in uncertainty.
"Hey what's with the faces? You did a good job so be proud of yourselves you idiots" Yami remarked
"Sir!" Magna, Asta, and Arran replied while Noelle only muttered "Thank you" their moods all lifted as Yami began to laugh yet again
"Hey, Magna" Asta spoke up when he noticed Magna doing a weird type of salute. "What are you doing with your hand?"
"Are you kidding me?! You seriously don't know the magic knight salute!" Magna yelled in annoyance
"Well I don't either" Arran decided to throw his 2 cents in
"Then take a good look! These fingers represent the three leaves of a clover" Magna explained
"Woah/Interesting..." Asta and Arran commented in slight awe until their attention changed towards the sudden portal appearing in the lobby
"We're back~" Finral announced in a sing-song tone as he and Vanessa stepped out of the portal.
"We heard about Saussy Village. Good work out there" Vanessa complimented
"Thanks! It was a tough mission but we did our best!" Asta smiled
"So where were you guys at all this time?" Arran asked, being out of the loop somewhat since he was asleep
"Oh we were visiting the magic investigation department" Finral answered
"Yeah well? Did you guys find anything?" Yami asked
"Like who that guy or girl was?" Magna added with anger in his voice. "I swear I'm gonna storm into their hideout and tear it apart. The same goes for the one that got away"
"Yeah about those two. The investigators checked the whole area and what they left behind but they didn't discover anything important" Vanessa informed them but that answer did not sit well for Magna AT ALL.
"What good are they then?!" Magna threw a fireball and destroyed the nearest wall in frustration
"That's enough...hear me! QUIT BREAKING EVERYTHING!" Yami yelled in fury as he hypocritically smashed his fist into the nearest wall breaking it and effectively scaring Magna. "Sorry, Sir!"
"That pocket watch was pretty nice. It isn't something anyone could just have on their own." Finral commented ignoring Yami and Magna's antics like they were a normal day, which it kind of was.
"Your right. And from the way that guy was talking about commoners, I'd say we're looking at people of higher class" Vanessa deduced
Magna nodded in understanding. "Royalty or at least nobility"
Arran looked at the others as the atmosphere became tense, He was about to try and break it when all of the sudden, a familiar anti-bird popped out of Asta's hair
"Ohoho and who's this cutie pie?" Vanessa cooed
"A real annoyance" Asta groaned in irritation. "What's so cute about this pest?"
"Only everything!" Noelle replied as the anti-bird began to peck Asta's with him crying out in annoyance. Asta tried to reach out for the bird but it flew out of his reach
"Come here little one.." Noelle held her arms out welcoming the bird but it flew right past her, causing her to blanch in sadness
"You ugly feathered little nuisance!" Asta had enough as he brought his greatsword. "I'm gonna fry you up for dinner!"
Noelle was going to let such a thing happen as she conjured up a water ball from her wand. "You won't lay so much as a finger on him!"
However, whatever conflict that was about to sprout between the two rookies immediately ceased as the Anti-Bird flew around them again. This time it landed on Arran's head. Arran wasn't expecting the bird to interact with him at all. Heck the bird was staring down at him, never taking its eyes off him for even a second
Arran just continued to nervously stare back at the bird before he gave an awkward greeting. "Uh...hi birdie?" The bird stayed silent for a few seconds before relaxing on Arran's head. "Huh, it does like me. Whaddya know"
'How come the bird likes him and not me?!' Noelle internally wailed out in despair
"Alright everyone shut up and listen" Yami finally spoke up gathering everyone's attention. "It doesn't matter if the guy is royalty or nobility. We should leave the investigation to the pros and wait for the report to come in. Now then I have some good news for you"
"Good news? Asta, Noelle, and Arran all spoke up.
"Believe it or not, the Wizard King himself has acknowledged your skills in Saussy Village" Yami declared causing Asta's and Arran's eyes to widen in shock
"You serious?!" Arran yelled out as Asta shared in his surprise. "No way the Wizard King?!"
"For your work" Yami then held up a small golden star "He awarded us a star"
"A star?! Seriously?! GO US!" Magna cheered
"We got a star!" Asta cheered as well
Arran was more reserved but he was happy that they got rewarded for their efforts. "Does the star mean anything specific though?"
"It's a symbol. It's proof of the great deeds you've performed" Vanessa explained as Arran's smile grew from hearing that
"So what's it good for?" Asta asked
"U-Um...well it's an honor" Vanessa tried to explain further which Asta surprisingly understood
"That is awesome!" Asta cheered even more as Magna put an around his shoulders. "Hear that kids. It's an honor. Proof of our duties as proud men!" Magna declared
"And women too" Noelle interjected
"Right! A Medal for us real men AND women" Magna corrected himself which resulted in Noelle sighing in exasperation
When they stopped cheering Vanessa continued "It's a competition too. The squads all compete to see who gets the most"
"So not only do these stars showcase your achievements but they also display how successful your squad is" Finral finished for them
"Wow, these stars are a bigger deal than I thought they'd be," Arran remarked. "So who's currently in the lead?"
"That would be the Golden Dawn" Finral answered. "They currently hold the highest amount of stars with 70"
"70?!" Asta repeated in shock before running over to Yami. "How many do the Black Bulls have?! We can't be that far behind!"
"How many do we have?" Yami confidently smirked as the three rookies awaited his answer. Approaching a wooden board on the wall, Yami let the star float up to the board before it disappeared. Surrounding it was a bunch of black stars
"With this star, we're officially at negative 30 now," Yami said
"Negative 30?" Asta repeated in disbelief
"What?!" Noelle and Arran, meanwhile, exclaimed in shock
"Finally an even 100 away from catching up with the Golden Dawn" Yami continued
"100 away?!" Asta further exclaimed in disbelief
"Y-you can't be serious!" Arran refused to believe such a fact while Noelle merely held a face of incredulity
'100! Man, we have some serious catching up to do if we're gonna beat your squad Yuno!' Asta groaned in his head as he and Arran can imagine Yuno's cocky gaze glaring down at them. Asta can even hear him say "Not happening" in response to his thought
"How do you even get negative stars?!" Arran called out.
'Just what am I doing in this squad?' Noelle mentally complained at the sight until Yami brought them all out of their stupors
"Alright one last thing. Your wages for this month" Yami held out a brown bag for Arran to take. When he and Asta took there's, what was in the bag shocked them even more than the negative stars
"NO WAY! SO MUCH MONEY!" Asta held his pile of wages in his hands with stars in his eyes. "THERE'S LIKE A HUNDRED THOUSAND YUL IN HERE!"
Arran was practically speechless. He just kept repeating "So much money..." in a state of shock
"You've all got the day off tomorrow. So don't go blowing your wages away" Yami explained before leaving the base
"Thank you, Captain Yami, Sir!" All of the Black Bull members bowed in thanks.
"Barely pocket change" Noelle eyed her wages in boredom.
"I guess. For royalty like you, you must be really rich if this is just pocket change" Arran chuckled. "For me and Asta this'll buy us a year's worth of pot potatoes"
"And just what in the world are pot potatoes?" Noelle replied
"A hearty crop grown in Hage village" Asta enthusiastically answered. "A bit lumpy with a real subtle flavor!"
"They sound disgusting"
"Trust me they aren't" Arran smirked.
"He's right! Everything that's made by Sister Lily comes out great!" Asta exclaimed with Arran quickly interjecting with "Not what I meant!
However, this did succeed in gaining Noelle's full interest. "Who is Sister Lily?"
"A nun at the church at Hage Village. She helped mom and Father Orsi take care of us. Though she's also weirdly part of the reason for Asta's goal" Arran explained giving Asta an unimpressed stare as the boy currently had stars in his eyes at the mention of Sister Lily
"It's not weird at all!" Asta spoke up when he realized what Arran said. "Sister Lily is the beautiful woman I'm going to marry someday!
Arran turned back to Noelle with the same stare. "See what I mean?"
"You dummy Sister means she's a woman of the cloth so she can't marry," Noelle said
"Me and Yuno have already tried to tell him this" Arran sighed as Asta voiced his stubbornness. "I'll make it work somehow! It's all about surpassing my limits!"
"That's not what surpassing your limits is and you know it!" "Yeah, it does. I'll surpass the limits of marriage!" "Do you even hear yourself right now?!"
Noelle just watched the two commoners start an argument in exasperation. 'How did I get stuck with these idiots' She groaned mentally before feeling a hand on her shoulder. Looking up, she met Vanessa's cheery gaze.
"Congratulations on your first payday" She congratulated them before walking up to Arran and Asta, breaking them out of their argument by wrapping her arms around them and pulling them close. "So what are you guys gonna spend it on?"
"Nothing special" Noelle replied. That didn't seem to satisfy Vanessa's curiosity so she then addressed the two boys who were a bit too close for comfort. "And what about you two?"
Arran couldn't answer as his face was turning as red as a tomato from close he was to Vanessa's melons. Thankfully, Asta wasn't as embarrassed so he was able to answer for him. "Me and A-Arran were planning...on sending our wages to Hage village"
"That's good you two. Real men always help their family out" Magna nodded in approval
"S-so are you sending your wages back home too, Magna?" Arran asked once he recovered from his flustered state
"Of course I am!" Magna immediately responded before looking away and pushing his glasses up. "Well kinda" He corrected himself before giving the group a thumbs up. "After I've got a hundred times more!"
'Seriously?' Arran thought in exasperation. 'Does he ever learn?'
"Go big or go home! That's what a real man does!" Magna declared
"A real stupid man at that" Noelle belittled
"It's good to help out your family back home but don't sell it all kiddo" Vanessa encouraged. "Save some for yourself"
"Yeah but how?" Arran eyed his bag of yul
"Well for one we could go shopping in the Castletown tomorrow. It'll be fun" Vanessa smiled.
"Shopping?" All three rookies gazed at Vanessa in curiosity with the witch giving a wink and saying "I'll take care of you don't you worry"
Later on, back in his room, Arran was currently writing a letter for Hage:
"Dear Mom, how are you and the others doing? Gotta admit I feel a bit homesick at times. But I really like hanging out with the Black Bulls. They're a weird but overall nice squad. Me and Asta have already found a kindred spirit in Noelle and we've gone on our first mission together. Heck, we did so well on that mission the wizard king himself acknowledged our efforts. We're still working hard to become the Wizard King so wish us luck. From, Arran"
"P.S. Me and Asta got our wages today so we'll both be sending you guys some yul"
Once Arran finished his letter, he breathed a sigh of contentment before looking out at the starry night sky. Out in the distance, stood the royal capital with the big castle in the middle of it. 'That's the Wizard King's castle. I wonder what he's like...'
The next morning, Arran, Asta, and Noelle were flying with Vanessa on her broom towards the Castletown. Vanessa was chatting with Asta and Noelle while Arran was staring out at the wilderness below them
"So have any of you been to the Castletown before?" Vanessa asked only to hear a "Not really" from Noelle. "That makes sense given your royalty and all so you don't spend much time with the common folk. What about you two kids?"
"Yeah me and Arran passed through there when we were taking the Magic Knights exam" Asta answered
"Well then let's make the most of our trip there!" Vanessa giggled in excitement
Noelle didn't share her enthusiasm, however, due to one little issue. "I could do with a little less touching please" She ordered with a slight blush
"Oh give me a break I can't help it. Do you want me to fall off? Besides, why are you so angry when I touch you when you let Arran rest against your body on the way back to the base" Asta retorted causing Noelle to blush even more in embarrassment while Arran turned his head back to them to join the conversation
"Wait really? Surprised you didn't shove me off" Arran admitted
"Don't get used to it for I do not intend on letting you do that again! It's just at the time I didn't know how to handle you sleeping on top of me. And I was very much tempted to push you off as well" Noelle's expression then turned somber "But then I thought that you deserved a break. You did almost die back there remember?"
Arran frowned a bit as he remembered that moment all too well. "True. Well then" Arran flashed a genuine smile at Noelle. "Thanks a lot for that Noelle"
Noelle nodded but then turned away from him in further embarrassment. "Just don't do it again. You don't get me any more favors from me. And that especially applies to you Asta"
"Yeah yeah I got it just don't push me off again" Asta complained
After a few more minutes of flying, they finally landed in Kikka, the town where Asta, Yuno, and Arran took their Magic Knights Exam.
"It's just as awesome as I remember" Stars glowed in Asta's eyes as he, Arran, Noelle, and Vanessa walked through the streets of Kikka.
"It's certainly very lively" Noelle commented
"Yet still the same looking. Though I do wish we could bring Mom, Sister Lily, and the others along to see this" Arran said while looking around the town with Asta nodding in agreement
"Little Marie, my darling angel it won't be long now. To wait any longer to see your darling face is simply unbearable" A voice spoke up in the air as it was soon revealed to be Gauche flying on his broom as the others watched him leave in slight disgust at his creepy words
"Let's do this!" Another familiar voice was heard in the air, soon revealed to be Charmy scarfing down a massive buffet
"I've got heartburn just watching her" Noelle gazed uncomfortably as Asta nodded in agreement, trying his best to avoid puking
"Whatever appetite I had I just lost it" Arran happened to be a fan of the better food the capital can provide but even he wouldn't go as crazy as Charmy would. As he turned around to avoid losing tomorrow's appetite as well he noticed Finral striding through the streets going for woman after woman to take them out on a date
"Jeez, he's just as bad as Magna right guy-" Arran turned around only to find his compatriots leaving him behind "Hey wait up!" He ran after them as the only reason they left was that Asta had run off. Stars returned to his eyes as he eyed everything Kikka had to offer
"Calm down Asta we don't want to lose you-Oh sorry Arran! We forgot about you for a second!" Vanessa clasped her hands together in apology once Arran caught up with them
"Maybe pay attention next time Arran so you don't get left behind" Noelle arrogantly remarked
"Gee thanks Noelle" Arran sarcastically responded
"Now now you two calm down. Let's back on track. As far as I can tell, Asta's the only one excited to be here. Are you sure you two haven't seen anything you want to buy?" Vanessa asked
"Nothing's got my eye," Noelle said
"Same" Arran agreed. "To be honest, I don't know what I want". His gaze had soon switched to the civilians around him due to them beginning to gossip in disgust over the appearance of the Black Bulls. 'All of this over our robes? Really?'
"They sure are making a fuss about our robes" Noelle voiced Arran's thoughts
If it bothered Vanessa, she sure didn't show it. She only giggled in amusement "Yup. Though they don't appreciate our presence they still know that the appearance of magic knights will lower the possibility of crime. Plus if we're lucky some cute gentlemen will come running our way"
"I feel like you are the only one hoping for that to happen" Arran commented with a sweatdrop
A few minutes later, Vanessa exited a shop with a bag of ailments. "Stamina-restoring herbs and counters for poisons, check and check" Vanessa recounted her items before approaching the group. "Well, I got the important stuff. Now let's head somewhere a bit quieter"
"What did you have in mind?" Noelle asked
"Come on trust me. It'll be fun. This way" Vanessa led them to a dim-light alleyway. Just a plain ordinary alleyway
"It's just a back alley..." Asta said
Arran then looked at Vanessa with a deadpan. "Are we lost?"
"No no. Just watch" Vanessa said before walking ahead
"That's a dead end you know," Arran said with that same deadpan. Though that same deadpan was quickly replaced with shock when Vanessa did not hit the wall and went through it instead
"Woah!" Asta exclaimed in surprise as Noelle shared that sentiment
Arran was silent, racking his brain to figure out how that even worked
Vanessa was oblivious to their shock, popping back out of the "wall" like it was a normal occurrence. "Well, are you guys coming?" She snickered before disappearing back behind the wall. Asta was the first to approach it, walking straight through it as he stumbled in surprise. Noelle was the second to walk through and after finally getting over his shock Arran joined his squadmates behind the wall
Lying behind the wall was a whole 'nother area packed with stalls upon stalls with items ready to be bought
"Welcome to the Black Market," Vanessa said
"A black market...huh" Arran finally accepted this moment of ridiculousness and just began to take in his surroundings
"Now I won't lie. This place may be a bit on the dangerous side but you can find plenty of good magic items here" Vanessa explained
The term began magic items began to ring in Arran's mind. His eyes widened as he finally realized the opportunity Vanessa just opened up for him and Noelle. "Hey Vanessa, do you think there are magic items here that could help me and Noelle control our magic power?" Arran asked with Noelle turning towards him in surprise
"Oh, you're both still having a bit of trouble controlling your power?" Vanessa said
"Well...yeah" Noelle embarrassingly admitted while Arran shrugged. "I've been having better luck lately but I'm still burning my arms. So better safe than sorry"
Vanessa nodded in understanding. "Well don't worry, look hard and you two may find the right items for you. How about we take a look at what they have?"
Noelle and Arran nodded in newfound hope and excitement. "Yes let's go!" They both cheered
Asta, meanwhile, was looking down the hall towards a room filled with tons of people-packed tables. "Sure are a lot of people there"
"Oh no, you aren't ready for that kiddo. Things can get quite intense in there" Vanessa explained. Though she only confused the three rookies, their confusion was quickly cleared up when a certain someone came stomping towards that room
"Alright! Time to turn a payday into a 100!" Magna confidently boasted though the others knew that this was not going to end well
Though at another side of the black market, here we see an old familiar face. Now Green Praying Mantis Magic Knight, Sekke Bronzazza was currently playing poker with an Old Lady, and judging from his latest cry in frustration...he's been on quite the losing streak
"Lost again..." He groaned
"That's alright sonny you never stood a chance. I can see the future" The old lady boasted. Sekke didn't respond though his face said all of what he thought of that remark. He then put what very little money he had left on the table before walking away.
"Shouldn't have gone gambling. That was my mistake. Now it's back to work" Sekke lamented as he walked. "And some work it is. Dealing with braindead purse snatches. You don't need a magic knight to do that! But if I try to refuse it I'll have to answer to the captain and that man is terrifying. I thought being a Magic Knight would mean that I get to do important things...even if I am just a Green Praying Mantis. I mean seriously who wants to be a bug?!" Sekke's lamenting was stopped when he laid his eyes on three black bull members
"Alright let's try this glove for your magic Arran" Vanessa handed him said glove as he slipped it on. He then began to charge magic power in his hand and tried to focus it. But he only resulted in burning the glove to a crisp. "God damn it"
"Strange. That's the third magic item we've tried and yet you haven't gotten any closer to controlling it" Vanessa held a hand under her chin
"My guess is that his magic may be too powerful for the magic items you have here" Noelle deduced. "So they were all destroyed from an overload in power"
"Makes sense" Arran nodded in understanding even though that meant he was farther from his goal of controlling his magic
"Frankly, I'm glad you destroyed glad. I'd rather not wear something so unsightly" Noelle arrogantly belittled
"Well then, let's try to stabilize your magic, Noelle. What about this necklace?" Vanessa asked
"I'd consider it if it weren't so ugly" Noelle replied in slight disgust
"It doesn't look that bad" Arran threw his opinion in
"Only because you have no taste in fashion" Noelle replied
"And you supposedly do?" Arran eyed her
"Alright, you two let's not bicker" Vanessa broke them up before nudging Noelle. "Just try it on once. It might be a big help"
"Ok..." Noelle replied with slight uncertainty before donning the necklace. She then began to charge up a small ball of water as she released it. Sekke however was caught in the ball's path and it exploded right on him
Noelle gasped in surprise but quickly dismissed it and replaced it with arrogance. "You only have yourself to blame for standing in my way"
Sekke didn't seem to mind at all as he got back up just fine and dandy. "Haha! Well hello, lovely ladies" Sekke said with a suave tone while ignoring Arran in the process. "What brings you here?"
Noelle and Vanessa just watched Sekke's act in confusion, though their confusion was not noticed by him as he continued. "The Black Market can be quite a dangerous place for such delicate flowers like yourself. Are you lost perhaps? I can escort you out if you'd like"
"Be gone with you insect" Noelle insulted while Vanessa yawned in boredom. Sekke's act of being noble only served to make a fool out of himself
"Hey wait a minute..." Arran finally spoke up. "I remember you now! You're the guy Asta completely destroyed in the entrance exams!"
Embarrassed and humiliated didn't even begin to describe Sekke right now as memories of that horrible moment and the fact that he was called out for it, made his face pale. Speaking of Asta, he came running back towards them with a weird toothy pouch in his hand. "Check this out, guys! It's the coolest thing ever!"
"Asta you can't be that stupid to even consider buying that thing," Noelle said
"But Noelle look! It talks and everything!" Asta retorted enthusiastically. Noelle sighed and muttered "I stand corrected"
Arran merely facepalmed at the sight. "Asta you seriously worry me"
Sekke went paler than pale at Asta's arrival. 'No! No! Not him again!'
Asta then turned to address Sekke but like Arran, he initially forgot who Sekke was. "Oh hey, I know you! Your Haha right?"
"That's SEKKE haha!" Sekke corrected
"Well, how've you been Haha?" Asta asked oblivious to Sekke's correction
"I told you it's haha-Wait no I mean Sekke!" Sekke groaned at the fact that Asta's stupidity made him look stupid in turn
"Just who is this?" Noelle asked to break the cycle of stupidity
"He, me, and Asta took the entrance exams together. And like I said before, Asta completely destroyed him" Arran explained
"Oh so you're on the Mantis squad then" Vanessa mentioned after taking notice of Sekke's robe
'Two of the hottest ladies I have ever laid my eyes on and they're on the same squad with THOSE TWO?!' Sekke mentally yelled in frustration while trying to main a smile or sneer, whatever you can make out of that nervous wreck of an expression. 'Stupid Asta! Stupid Arran! I can't believe of jealous of the Black Bulls! Damn those two! Especially Asta! He's the reason I'm in this Mantis squad, to begin with! I'll make him pay!'
"So" Sekke spoke up once he finished cursing Asta in his thoughts. "Going shopping with the ladies huh?"
"Yeah we thought we'd make the most of our break" Arran replied
"You mean you'd rather goof around? I thought you'd rather be gathering points. Far as I heard the Black Bulls are 30 stars in the negative" Sekke taunted as means to get back at Asta and get him out of his hair. Though the reaction he expected was the complete opposite of what he got
"Oh yeah speaking of stars, we got one on our very first mission from the wizard king himself! Awesome huh?!"
'NO WAY!' Sekke mentally yelled in shock. 'HE MUST BE KIDDING!' Sekke looked to the other members for any hint of a lie but unfortunately, he found none for Arran and Noelle looked just as proud as Asta was at the mention of their hard-earned star
'THEY'RE ACTUALLY SERIOUS?!' Sekke mentally yelled once again as he tried to calm himself. But his calm and kind facade was quickly fading away in the face of all these bombs. "Oh did you really? I guess you must be doing fine then"
"What about you haha?"
"It's Sekke" Sekke quickly interrupted Asta to correct him. "And I'll have you know I have two...star...fish"
"Hey wait! Those are my winnings, you fiend!' The old lady's voice, from before, rang out for all to hear as a hooded man ran out of the Black Market with a bag of possibly the old lady's winnings. Wasting no time, Asta quickly ran after the thief
"Wait that's the old fart from before," Sekke said in recognition
"Seriously? A robbery when 5 magic knights are in the area? How desperate is that guy?" Arran belittled the thief
"That man has a lot of nerve," Noelle said in agreement as she helped the old lady up
"Your right. Let's leave this to the kiddo. He's got this covered" Vanessa decided as Noelle and Arran stood by her decision. Sekke however still wanted to play hero
"Haha! Asta I'm not going to let you have all the glory!" Sekke declared before opening his Grimoire. "Bronze Creation Magic: Sekke's Shooting Star!"
"Ew yuck!/So gross/What the actual fuck..." Vanessa, Noelle, and Arran all exclaimed in disgust
"Don't worry I've got this covered. You all just sit back and let Sekke do his thing" Sekke voiced with confidence before shooting off on his bronze bike with a loud "HAHA"
Meanwhile back with Asta, he was hot on the thief's tail, who was currently riding on a cloud.
"Hehe think you can catch me? Not a chance" The thief chuckled in confidence but that confidence faltered as he heard Asta's determined "Your not getting away!"
The thief dashed corridor after corridor, corner after corner, turn after turn, but Asta still didn't let him out of his sight for even a second
"You're a stubborn one!" The thief yelled out as he looked back at Asta but that would cost him as his abstracted state led him to fly right into a pile of hay. "Ah, I can't see!" He yelled out as he flew upwards
Asta followed behind him by leaping off clotheslines before running across the rooftops. "Damn I'll never catch up while he's on that cloud...good thing it's made of magic. Here goes!" With a determined yell, Asta threw his greatsword straight at the magic cloud
"Do you really think that sword will cut straight through my clou-" To the thief's surprise the sword did exactly that. It had cut the cloud causing the thief to behind his descent to the ground, much to his shock. "But how?!"
"I've got you now!" Asta descended from above the thief, greatsword in hand as he swung it down. The thief rolled out of the way and began to run again
Asta quickly got up to follow but Sekke came rushing by
"Haha?" Asta called out in response to Sekke's "HAHA!" when he passed by him
'Sorry, Asta but that purse-snatcher is mine!' Sekke thought just before he rammed his shooting star right into the thief's back knocking him forward. "Hahaha! Got you now! And I'll be able to take all the credit for this swift capture!" Sekke proudly declared as he laughed in victory
The thief struggled to get up as he slowly brought out a knife from his pocket. He was ready to stab Sekke with it when suddenly
"Gem Restraining Magic: Diamant Prison!"
Minerals began to emerge from the ground around the thief causing Sekke to back up. Upon closer inspection, the minerals were diamonds forming a cage around the thief to trap him
"Hey what is this?!" The thief yelled in dismay as he pounded on the cage. "Let me out!"
"Apologies boy but you've been a distraction for far too long" A haughty mature voice spoke up from above as Asta and Sekke turned their eyes towards the source. It was a girl that had a similar style to Vanessa and she didn't even look older. She had a black witch hat on with black reading glasses and silver eyes. Her skin was fair with white hair and a black and white gown that snuggled her hourglass figure. Though the gown was cut open in the front freeing up her legs, giving a glimpse of her lacy panties, and showcasing her gray boots. She was currently floating above them on a broom with her crystal-decored, gray-colored grimoire floating next to her.
"I have business with the loud cutie" She announced as she floated to Asta who was just staring at her in shock. Sekke could help but feel the jealously build in him at seeing yet another hot lady wanting to even be near Asta
"W-what's going on?" Asta asked
"Well let me be more specific to make things clear. My business is not with you but with your little friend. Arran I think his name was. I heard he has trouble controlling his magic so I thought this might help him" The lady then held out a golden bracelet in her hand. At the center of it was a ruby gem that seemed to radiate with pure energy.
Asta couldn't help but be attracted to it as he took the bangle out of her hands. He stared at it for a few seconds before returning to reality as he looked back at her to ask more questions. But the moment he looked back she was gone, and so too was the thief. "Hey Haha! Where did they go?!"
Sekke didn't even bother to correct Asta as he too was looking around. "I don't know. I didn't see her leave"
Asta was completely bewildered by what just happened as he stared at the bag of Winnings the thief unintentionally abandoned before looking back at the bangle he was left with.
"Asta. I'm going to report what happened here to the Magic Knights. You had better prepare for our next meeting! HAHA!" Sekke declared before riding on his shooting star
Sekke's declaration broke Asta out of his stupor as he waved back to Sekke. "Later Haha!"
After Sekke left, Asta rejoined the others and the old lady as he handed her back her winnings. "Be careful not to lose this again"
"Thank you very much for all your help sir Magic Knight" the old lady smiled in return
"See you later granny!" Asta waved goodbye
"Try to be more careful next time" Noelle advised
"See ya" Arran kept his goodbye short
"Stay out of trouble" Vanessa advised as well before they all took their leave but what Arran said next made them stop in their tracks
"Hey Asta. What's that in your hand?" Arran pointed at the golden bracelet as Noelle and Vanessa followed his gaze
"Oh, this? I don't really know. Some weird witch-lady gave it to me" Asta failed to notice the slight flinch Vanessa made at the mention of the witch-lady, something that Arran and Noelle noticed and made a mental note to ask about later. However, they all didn't notice that the old lady from before was now hiding and listening in on their conversation. "She said that I was supposed to give it to you as a way to help you in controlling your magic. But when I went to ask her why she had disappeared"
"I see..." Arran said as he crossed his arms in thought glancing every back and then at the bracelet in Asta's hands. After a whole minute, he finally made his decision, "Give it to me"
"Arran are you sure?" Vanessa was unsure about the whole idea even if there was a chance that it could help Arran
"I'm with Vanessa. This is a bad idea" Noelle voiced her concern
"Yeah, it might be. But what if she was genuinely trying to help? I mean she didn't attack Asta or Sekke. And if this was a trap, she had the perfect chance to set it back when we were in the Black Market. I don't think she means any harm" Arran explained before he grabbed the bracelet, sliding it onto his right wrist. Immediately, he began to charge up magic in his right hand and focus it. As the magic power grew in his hand, the ruby gem in the bracelet glowed brighter until, to everyone's amazement, Arran was holding an orb of fire in his hand
"N-no way...it works! It actually helped me control my power!" Arran happily cheered
"That's awesome Arran! Now you don't have to worry about losing control" Asta congratulated him as Noelle nodded in agreement with a slight smile
Vanessa breathed a sigh of relief before she clapped her hands together. "Well then I think that was a day well spent wasn't it?"
"Yeah definitely...let's go home now" Arran suggested before they all continued their walk back home
Once the Black Bull members were fully gone, the old lady stepped out of her hiding spot. "A greatsword with the power to erase magic and flame magic blessed by dragons" The old lady began as her body began to release...light? "In all my life I've never seen such a unique form of magic. And I never thought dragonic magic would come back from the dead" All the light soon dispersed to reveal the true persona behind the old lady. A tall blonde man dressed in regal clothes.
"Yami sure picked some interesting new members. This is why my secret excursions are so necessary" Thus spoke Julius Novachrono, the current Wizard King of the Clover Kingdom
As soon as Julius said that, a magical projection opened up in front of him as a fair-haired man shaped in a bowl-cut appeared. "There you are. Just what have you been doing out here sir?"
"Well if you must know, I'm wandering the Castletown in disguise hoping to find new types of magic" Julius explained to his advisor, Marx Francois
"Sir! That's not appropriate for a man of your position!" Marx said
"Even so there are tons of magical mysteries waiting to be discovered," Julius said.
"Sir please listen" Marx tried to convince his king but he interrupted him. "It's an emergency"
"Regarding that? Yes, I understand, don't worry I'll head back now" Julius reassured before closing the projection in front of him. A grim frown smeared his face as he focused on the other lingering thought in his mind
'Though what worries me is the timing of that item given to Asta. This was all planned. But by who? Just what have you gotten yourself into...Diana?'
The witch in question was currently strolling around in the dark, broom in hand with a satisfied smile on her hands. But the cloaked man behind her did not share this sentiment. "I don't understand what you are so worried about fearless leader. You needed your precious friend to come back and speed up the ritual so I'm just giving his vessel a boost"
"That may be so it doesn't change the fact that you disobeyed a direct order" The cloaked man spoke up not bothering to turn away from the stone tablet to face her. "You were ordered to stay away from the Clover Kingdom"
"Though I may call you fearless leader as a tease it doesn't mean I view you as one" Diana bluntly interrupted him. "I did you and your little group a favor. You should thank m"
"You are very lucky your presence is vital to our goal. Otherwise, you'd be dead by now" The cloaked man threatened her
"Keep making threats. Trust me it'll help you relieve some anger. Though a bit of advice. I'd suggest you make your move soon" Diana then walked out of the dark room. "Before one of the other kingdoms beats you to it"
The cloaked man watched her leave before turning back to the stone tablet. "Such a nuisance..." though he says that the Cloaked man cannot deny that Diana has been a huge help to his plans. With the Ruby Bracelet given to Arran, now the pieces are falling into place
Back with the Black Bulls, everything seemed to calm down after Kikka. That is until Yami decided to drop a bomb of his own on the rookies
"What?! The Golden Dawn got a star of their own?! Aw, I can't believe it!" Asta cried out in frustration
Yami nodded in agreement. "And just when we got to a 100-star difference too. Looks like we're back to 101" He laughed
"No Captain Yami we weren't close at all" Arran tried to tell them.
"Well, it's not gonna stay that way! They won't be in the lead for long!" Asta yelled out.
"True that. We're not letting Yuno stay ahead of us" Arran smirked with a competitive grin before looking down at the ruby bracelet making his mind up on what he wanted to do tomorrow
Speaking of tomorrow, with all the time they spent in the Castletown the day passed by rather quickly. Now it was morning as Asta and Arran were performing a different type of training in an attempt to hone Arran's magic even further. Magna, Luck, and Noelle were on the sidelines watching, with Luck itching to join the fight even though he wouldn't exactly help in this situation so Magna was trying to keep him in his seat
Arran cried out in surprise from a slash per Asta's greatsword that sent him to the ground. "Damn...still isn't working"
"What are you even trying to do?" Noelle asked curiously
"Now that I have this bracelet I'm trying to focus my magic into Melee spells" Arran explained as Asta helped him up. "The claws have done nothing but burn my arms so I'm trying to create something more conservative and less self-harming, like a sword"
"Yeah but haven't gotten anywhere in regards to that. He can make the shape but even it's pretty weak" Asta said
"Well, it doesn't help that you keep smacking the construct with a blade of anti-magic. Maybe try testing it against a different type of magic" Noelle suggested
Luck immediately shot his hand up to take his chance. "Like mine! Try mine out Arran!"
"You sure about this Luck?" Arran asked
"Yeah yeah! Come on let's go! Ever since your initiation I've been itching to fight you again" Luck practically bounced up and down ecstatically. "So will you do it? Will you fight me?"
"Hmmm...yeah sure why not" Arran eventually agreed
Luck then walked on over to Asta's spot while Asta moved out of the way
"Remember to leave him alive by the end of this Luck" Magna felt the need to remind the blonde berserker but he just shook the warning off
"It's ok I got this! Lightning Creation Magic: Thunder God's Gloves" The same monstrous knight-like gauntlets formed on his arms
Arran then closed his eyes again as he focused on the magic gathering in his hand. 'Imagine the shape...center your power...focus it...' Arran concentrated as the magic began to form around his hand before taking the shape of a sword. It was smaller than Asta's, only requiring one hand to wield it, the flames creating it demonstrated just how well made it was. But can it keep its shape?
"Let's do this Arran!"
"Bring it Luck!"
The two then sprinted at each other, flame blade and lightning claws clashing with each other as the two boys fought to exploit a weakness. Asta, Noelle, and Magna could note that Arran's blade had not faltered against Luck's gauntlets
"Alright, he's doing it!" Asta cheered as Noelle nodded smiling proudly at Arran
"Oh yeah, now that's how it's done! Keep fighting hard boys! This is how real men fight" Magna cheered
Blocking a downwards swing from Arran's flame blade, Luck then jumped back a few feet to gain some distance. "Your good. But let's see you try and avoid this! Lightning Magic: Thunderbolt Destruction" Luck then shot out an array of lightning orbs towards Arran who tried to block them all with his flame blade but a few got past his guard and struck his body knocking him down
"I'm not done!" Arran yelled in determination as he struggled to stand. He had already tried out this new construct 5 times and 4 times he failed. So he was starting to feel a bit fatigued
"Good! This wouldn't be fun otherwise" Luck smiled as he prepared another Thunderbolt Destruction
"Wait stop! Careful of Sylvester!" Noelle suddenly spoke up eyeing Arran's head as everyone turned their attention to it
Arran looked up and noticed that the same anti-bird had parked itself on his head again. "Oh hey again. When did you get here-Wait a minute Sylvester?" Arran looked at Noelle in confusion
"It's what we're naming the bird" Noelle cleared up his confusion
"I thought we agreed to name the bird birdie" Asta spoke up
"Nobody agreed to that" Noelle shot the idea down
Before this could turn into a full-fledged argument, Arran and Luck broke it up so they could get back to their fight. "What about Nero?" They both spoke up to which the bird held its wing up like it was agreeing with them
"Nero?" Noelle and Asta said
"Yeah, it means black" Luck clarified.
"Plus it's simple and not overcomplicating" Arran added with the now-named Nero nodding in agreement. "Now can we get back to our fight?" Arran asked Luck
"Hehe yeah definitely!" But before Luck could charge at him, they were interrupted by Finral. "Guys Captain Yami is back and he wants to talk with you" He announced causing Arran and Luck to face-plant in frustration. "WHY NOW?!" They cried out
"Everyone listen up," Yami called out to all present Black Bull members in the base. "We've been assigned a new mission. To explore a dungeon that popped out recently"
"WHAT?! A new dungeon?! Are you serious Yami sir?!" Magna exclaimed in a mix of surprise and excitement
"WOW! That's awesome! What's a dungeon?!"
"Seriously?! What the heck are you screaming for if you don't know what a dungeon is" Magna said in exasperation before turning to Asta. "Listen up, Dungeons 101. They're old tombs filled with lots of treasure and powerful magic items! Get what I'm sayin'? Dungeons totally rock!"
"Awesome..." Asta awed out while Arran looked to Magna and said "And I'm guessing these dungeons have some sort of twist to them?"
"Yup" Luck answered for him. "They try to kill you so they can protect the treasure they're keeping. So it's super dangerous and super fun!"
"And that's where our mission comes in. We'll have to be quick and discreet about clearing out the dungeon of any possible goodies. Especially since the dungeon appeared in a real dicey place. At the border of an enemy kingdom, specifically the Diamond Kingdom" Yami explained. "Now then as for who's going"
"Pick me! PICK ME!" Asta raised his hand in Yami's face. "If I go maybe I'll be able to use those powerful magic items"
"Oh yeah? And how will you use those magic items when you have no magic to begin with" Yami replied bluntly making Asta falter. "Well it doesn't matter the reason, your going anyway"
The three rookies looked at Yami in confusion to which he shrugged. "Wasn't my call. The Wizard king specifically asked you to go"
"WHAAAAAT?!" Now THAT, Asta was not expecting in the slightest
"No way the Wizard King specifically asked YOU to go," Arran said in disbelief
"Well, it wasn't just him. The Wizard King requested for you to go to Arran" Yami added thus making Arran share in Asta's shock
"Hey Asta, Arran that's awesome!" Magna congratulated them before pulling the two close to him. "So what's going on you two? Getting on the Wizard King's good side or something?"
"N-no we've never even met him!" Arran stuttered out still in his shocked stupor. "W-wow this...this truly is an honor" The Dragonic mage then smirked, pumping his fist in the air as he said "Thank you Wizard King. I'll do my best"
Asta on the other hand, grew stars in his eyes as he walked over to the nearest window like a holy light was shining down from it. "The Wizard King actually chose me...he chose us...I don't know why but...Oh wow! Don't worry Wizard King Sir I won't let you down! I will devote myself to this mission body and soul!" He exclaimed with tears of joy streaming down his face
'Well he sure is motivated' Arran sweatdropped at his childhood friend's behavior.
"Well, that's two. Noelle, you're going with them" Noelle looked at Yami in confusion as he continued "All about getting the experience right? And last but not least is Luck" which earned a surprised stare from Luck. "I want you to take the lead on this one"
"Wait really?"
"Yeah. Figured you'd lose your head eventually if you were holding down the fort for too long. Remember the newbies are in your hands now" Yami explained
"Thank you, sir! Don't worry I won't let you down" Luck smiled but the uncertain stares from Noelle and Magna voiced their thoughts on him being the leader. Arran was the only one excited since he got to be with a fellow friend, at least in his eyes anyway
"Good luck you three" Vanessa smiled
"What she said. Go give 'em hell guys!" Magna said
"Yes sir!" Asta replied
Arran simply nodded in response while Noelle said "I suppose we can do that"
Finral however, even though he was making the portal, wasn't focused on the mission at all, mainly thinking about how many girls he can ask out while the group was gone
Gauche likewise had other plans. "Since I'm not needed here may I go visit my sister Marie?"
"Your both welcome to do that if your willing to die" Yami threatened to make Finral and Gauche freeze in fear
The group quickly moved through the portal to avoid Yami's wrath as they landed on lush green grass near a dense forest
"Ok get it done you four" Yami bluntly advised before the portal closed
"Buh-bye!" Luck cheerfully replied before turning to the group. "Well then let's go, everyone. This way"
The group found themselves walking through a clearing in the middle of the forest after walking through the said forest a bit. Trees and rocks had uprooted and scattered most likely from the appearance of the new dungeon
"Why couldn't Finral have teleported us straight to the dungeon?" Noelle felt the need to mention
"Well, Finral said that he can only teleport people to places he's already been to. And the Magic Knights just discovered this dungeon so it kinda makes sense that he hasn't been here yet" Arran explained
"But it looks like he dropped us off pretty close" Luck spoke up after climbing a toppled tree. The others climbed over and their eyes met a stone structure with a gate in the middle, most likely the entrance to the dungeon. "So let's go" without warning Luck began to run towards the entrance of the dungeon startling the rookies as they scrambled to follow him
As they walked inside the dungeon, Asta had to light a lantern Finral had given him for the mission. The interior was very dark and cramped leaving no room for outside light to shine. Arran was constantly checking his surroundings as he walked while Noelle was slightly nervous as she clung to Asta's shoulder. Though the dark seemed to bother Arran and Noelle it definitely didn't bother Luck as he just kept walking with that same creepy smile on his face
"Could you maybe stop clinging like that? Getting harder to walk here" Asta voiced in slight annoyance
"Excuse me?" Noelle started off offended. "I do not cling" The very moment she said that she tripped on her own feet and topped on top of Asta, making him drop the lamp. The lamp shattered into pieces and Noelle let out a shriek. "Aw man now I can't see!" Asta complained
Luck merely laughed at the scene while Arran just facepalmed
And so the group continued walking, but in total darkness now. Noelle was liking the scenario even less and Asta was getting more annoyed from how clingy she was being
Arran stuck by Luck, as despite how nice he usually is to Noelle, even he was getting irritated from her complaining. Soon he had enough and lit his hand ablaze with an orb of fire thus lighting up the room. "Is this better Noelle?"
"Yes it is thank you Arran" Despite her thanks, Noelle was still clinging to Asta. So Arran decided to distract himself. "Yo Luck after this mission is done wanna continue our fight?"
"Of course!" Luck exclaimed, doing a 180 to face Arran while still walking. "Like I'd ever pass up a chance to fight you" He smiled as lightning sparked dangerously in his hand
"Hey, I said after the mission" Arran backed up a bit
"Oh come on let's do it now! There are only four of us here. We can have a quick fight and still get the treasure!"
With that said Luck sprinted at Arran throwing swipe after swipe with his lightning gauntlets. Arran blocked each one as he tried to get Luck to stop by throwing him into a wall. "Luck stop already! I said we can fight after the mission" he quickly dodged another punch that destroyed the wall behind him
"But what's the point in waiting when we can fight now!" Luck said from his place on the stone before jumping off of it dashing straight for Arran. He would've thrown another punch if not for Asta suddenly blocking him
"Luck calm down. Can't you wait until the mission is done?" Asta tried to calm him down but Luck wasn't taking no for an answer this time
"Umm guys. Take a look at this" Noelle interrupted, they turned and noticed that the wall Luck previously destroyed was shining brightly.
"That's...different" Arran curiously approached the broken wall. "Wonder what's past here?" Followed by Asta, Noelle, and Luck, Arran walked through the newly made hole.
The three rookies took in their surroundings in pure awe at what they were seeing once they entered the other side. It was a labyrinth of sorts with multiple entrances laid out in the dungeon, restructured like an intricate puzzle.
"Whoa...this is like the coolest place ever. So sparkly! It's awesome" Asta's eyes glowed brighter and brighter from excited he was
"So this is a dungeon..." Arran breathed out. "Never imagined it could be this...beautiful...but why does it look so...weird?"
"Looks like the magic in this place is causing the dungeon to distort" Luck explained before feeling a tingle. "There's way more mana in here than I detected from outside! The air is crazy thick!" His excitement grew even further with each word
Noelle nodded in agreement. "Yeah...I've never been in a place so steeped in mana. It must be"
Asta, however, was confused as he didn't feel anything. "How can you tell?"
"You can't even feel this intense amount of mana around us?" Arran asked
"Nope nothing," Asta said
"I guess things really are different for a person with no magic," Noelle said
"You don't have to rub it in! It isn't fair" Asta cried out as he walked ahead stepping on a rock in the process. The rock then began to suspiciously light up as a circle appeared around it
"What the" Asta spoke in a confused tone before a shadow loomed over him. A boulder was descending fast and Asta was on its warpath
"Asta look out!" Arran dashed towards the boulder, the outline of a flaming claw formed on his arm before he punched the boulder into pieces
"Thanks for the save Arran" Asta thanked the dragonic mage
"No problem" Arran smiled at him before looking at the stone Asta stepped on. "So that's just one of the traps in this dungeon. Bound to be more so let's stick together and tread carefully okay Noelle, Luck" Arran turned to address them but only saw Noelle. "Where's Luck?"
"I wanna try destroying them!" Luck was currently bouncing around activating trap after trap before destroying each one that activated.
Unfortunately for Asta and Arran, most of the traps Luck sprung activated near them so they were forced to destroy a few if they wanted to preserve their lives. Thankfully, it didn't last long and Noelle was spared from the chaos since she decided to stay behind
"What the hell was that Luck, were you trying to kill us?!" Asta and Arran exclaimed in unison
"No of course not. I still wanna fight you guys later after all" Luck flashed his signature smile at them before turning away. "I was just getting rid of most of the traps so we don't have to deal with them later"
Asta and Arran stopped and considered that. It was a solid plan and made sense but it still caused Arran to let out a sigh of exasperation. "Try warning us next time you pull something like that but anyway back on track. Let's try and find the treasure. Do you two sense any changes in mana around here?"
"No nothing" Noelle shook her head
"What about you Luck?" Arran called out but Luck didn't answer at first, only walking further away from them. "Luck?"
"I can sense changes in the mana around here. But they aren't from the treasure or from this place" Luck smiled devilishly as he came to the realization "We aren't alone in here. And their mana is potent. They must be super strong" he spoke in glee, grimoire floating next to him as lightning encased his legs to form boots "Lightning Creation Magic: Thunder God's Boots!"
The others watched him in surprise as the lightning boots formed on his legs and in the blink of an eye, he was already above them entering one of the many doors. "I'm going to see who this guy is so I'll leave the mission to you three! I'll make sure to catch up with you all once I finish him off!"
"Did he just leave us?!" All three rookies exclaimed together
"He just left us behind. How could he leave us to fend for ourselves?! He was supposed to be in charge..." Noelle said, very unhappy
"Well, what happened happened. We'll make sure to let Captain Yami know of what Luck did. For now, let's try and find our way around this dungeon" Arran suggested
"Easier said than done, Arran we don't even know where to look" Asta reminded him as their best chance of finding the treasure had practically abandoned them.
"We still have to try though," Arran said before closing his eyes in thought. "Hey Noelle, let's try and find a spot where the mana is stronger. That can at least give us an idea as to where the treasure is"
"If you say so..." Noelle replied unsurely as she walked down to a new spot, but as she stepped on a slab of stone, it glowed before a circle appeared where her foot was
"What?" was all she got to say before vines wrapped around her arms and legs, binding her as well as Arran who was in the close vicinity
"Shit, another trap! We got careless!" Arran cursed as he struggled to break free eyes widening at the giant venus flytrap that rose from the water
"Arran, Noelle! Don't worry I'm coming!" Asta charged at the plant, sword at the ready but he failed to notice the large vine approaching him from behind
"Asta look out!" Noelle's attempt to warn him would be too late as the vine grabbed Asta, sending his sword to the ground
"Oh no my sword! Arran can you try burning these vines?" Asta asked
"No these vines are preventing me from reaching my grimoire" Arran replied as he tried the form the flaming claw gauntlets on his arms. However, another vine wrapped around his neck threatening to snap it if he tried to escape
"Oh man, we're screwed!" Asta yelled as their only option of escape remaining was thrown out the window. The vines began to pull them closer as the venus flytrap opened its maw to reveal rows and rows of razor-sharp teeth
"Damn it!" All three rookies yelled in a state of panic as death seemed to be inevitable now. But alas a miracle had literally cut through the flytrap's hopes for a meal as hundreds of blades made of wind struck the venus flytrap down killing it instantly
As life left the flytrap's body that allowed the vines to release Asta, Arran, and Noelle. "Such condensed and powerful mana...who in the world could've done that?"
"Asta, Arran. There was once a time when we were in danger and you both saved me putting me in your debt" Spoke a familiar voice from a high vantage point as he closed his grimoire. "But now...that debt is repaid"
Arran's smile was bigger than ever before when he recognized the man that decided to join them. "Well well look who it is"
Asta nodded in agreement as the man's appearance made him share the same feeling as Arran. "Hey Yuno"
And just like that, we reach the end of Chapter 9! I'm not even gonna rant about this being a long chapter because of what I have planned for Devils and Dragons and Our True Saviors, so I've just accepted that a few of my chapters are gonna be longer than I expect them to be lol. But in any case with this proper introduction to the dungeon arc I believe I can now call it a night. Good timing too cause I need to go to bed with school tomorrow
So with that in mind be sure to Favorite, Follow, Review, and tune in for next time because when we come back reunions are abounding as Asta and Arran come face to face with Yuno and a few members of the Golden Dawn. Will they be able to work together, despite their differences? Or will this become a competitive treasure hunt?
Until then, Blueheartz out