Hello everyone, welcome to another chapter. I hope that you enjoy.
I don't own Black Clover, but you knew that.
THE BLIND SWORDSMAN
CHAPTER 8
Asta stood there, standing between the scared villagers and the attackers, holding his Demon-Slayer Sword in hand.
"Why would you do something so horrible?! Who the heck are you people?!" Asta shouted at the group of attackers.
'They don't look like enemy spies or barbarians out to trash the village. Who are these guys?' Magna thought about the attackers.
The attackers just stood there, with the leader sitting down with the same emptiness in his expression.
"We didn't hear of any magic knight squads showing up here." One of the hooded followers said.
"Maybe they're here on some official mission." Another hooded follower said.
The Leader looked at his pocket watch. "The Black Bulls. Crude heretics that don't fit with the rest of the magic knights squad, huh?" He then pushes on his watch and the watch starts clicking.
"Five Minutes. The worthless villagers don't know anything. We'll finish them off quickly… And hunt for what we seek!"
"Don't you ignore me!"
Asta shouted as he charges at the leader, ready to swing his Demon-Slayer Sword. One of his masked followers responded by activating Mist Magic: Whirlpool of Illusory Mist.
"You fool. Don't think you'll approach Lord Heath so easily. Wander in the mist…" Before the follower could finish, They heard a slice.
"YOU CAN'T HIDE FROM ME!"
Asta shouted as they saw Asta with the mist spell dispersing. This left the mist user in shock.
Heath then remembered. 'He cut my ice spell earlier too… So He's the one that got them in. I don't know what magic it is, but… His sword can negate magic! We mustn't let him get too close.'
"I asked you why you tried to massacre the villagers!" Asta shouted at the group of Perpetrators.
Heath was quiet for a second. "This village is in the forsaken realm, where the commoners dwell. They are an inferior breed. They can only use magic for everyday tasks, and nothing else. They are animals who are unable to use tools. These dumb creatures could rob me of my time. I am simply trying to clear them away. You have enough mana to join the magic knight, You're simply rescuing them because it is your mission."
What Heath said got Asta, Noelle and Magna quiet. "Now that you see them, don't they look like pathetic animals?"
Asta holds his sword tight as he starts to remember a memory of his.
Flashback
Wow! The people in the upper realm sure have it good. I bet they get to live large every single day. Why doesn't everyone live there?" A young Asta asked Sister Lily.
"It's Not quite that simple, Asta." Sister Lily answered him. "Only those with powerful magic get to live there. There's prejudice against those with weak magic, even if we're all humans."
"Yeah? Then I'll become a magic knight and I'll show them that a commoner, and even someone like me can become a powerful warrior!"
Yuno smiled at Asta's claim while a young Nash looked at him with a blank expression.
Sister Lily laughed at Asta's determination. "Your determination is a nice breath of fresh air."
"If someone like you made us rich, we would have been rich already." Nash said.
"What was that! I'm older than you!" Asta retaliated.
"THOSE PEOPLE… ARE THE ONES I NEED TO PROTECT!" Asta shouted, declaring his protection to the villagers.
Heath starts creating some ice. "I see… So you value these disgusting creatures."
Asta charges at them once more. "I'll knock that Ice right back at-"
As Asta charges, three of the hooded figures put their hands up and covered them with their mist. The leader then raises his hand. The mist clears up, revealing Ice and Mist Compound: Endless Ice Mage, with ice shards in the air surrounding the three magic knights and the villagers.
"Then can you protect this herd of animals under conditions like this? I'm not partial to the world "gradually" myself, but… This seems to be the most efficient way!" Heath stated as he launched the ice shards at his targets.
Asta swung his Demon-Slayer at the ice shards and reflected them back at Heath, but Heath dissolved the ice shards before they hit him.
"So you can repel magic as well… You can't defeat me like that though. I can make ice shards forever!" Heath said as he created more. "Go ahead. Try and protect them." Heath launches more shards as Asta starts to reflect them.
Magna destroys the others with some exploding fire. 'This isn't good. Asta and I have our hands full defending these villagers. Not only that, My magic is running low. The other guy has four mages at magic knight level, and That guy still hasn't shown us what he's really got!' He thought as he was sweating and breathing heavily.
Magna then smiles. "What a great first mission, huh? This is really bad news! But even so, REAL MEN DON'T CUT AND RUN!" Magna shouted as he launched a fireball, causing some more explosions. "I AM A COMMONER MYSELF! I'LL PROTECT YOU!"
"Let's see how long you'll last."
As Heath said that, A water ball was launched towards him, but it redirected away from him.
"Huh, it seems that one of you can't control your magic. The Black Bulls must be really hurting for new members. Beasts that can't protect themselves, If you'll just abandon them, you'll survive, Magic Knights!"
"Noelle, Retreat! Asta and I got this!" Magna said as he and Asta were reflecting and destroying the ice attacks.
Noelle was frozen. She had no Idea what to do. 'What do I do? I have the strongest magic here… and yet… I'm holding them back!'
As Noelle was thinking, one of the kids got her attention. "Please, Miss magic knight… Please save us..."
That little push was what Noelle needed. Her Mana started to flow out of her body.
'This little girl is asking for help. I can't possibly… RUN AWAY!'
Right on that moment, she gained her new spell Water Creation Magic: Sea Dragon's Lair. A circular sphere appeared around Noelle and the villagers near her, blocking all of the ice shards from attacking them.
"I will protect the people of this country. I am royalty… AND A BLACK BULL!" Noelle declared.
Magna was impressed while Heath was shocked by the amount of magic power she had. Asta stopped for a moment and smiled.
'I knew you had it in you.'
Asta then focused his senses back on Heath and charged at him, aiming his sword for a forward thrust.
"I've got no magic nor eyesight… But that ain't going to stop me, FROM TAKING YOU OUT!"
'Wait… Blind?' Heath thought as Asta came rushing at him.
Asta hits Heath straight on, causing blood to come out his mouth.
"Lord Heath..."
"Did he… hit him?" Noelle asked in shock.
'Dammit. He used ice to make me skid. He killed my momentum!' Asta thought as he sensed the ice magic under his foot.
"Your sword may be able to negate magic… But you might as well be a normal human. Albeit… one with extraordinary senses. Now it's my turn!" Heath said as he used Ice Magic: Heavenly Ice Fang, hitting Asta in the stomach before he had time to react. Asta coughed up some blood before hitting the ground.
"I won't kill you. You could be some use to my employer." Heath said.
"Asta!"
"That's some tremendously powerful magic. However... It seems that I'll be able to make an entrance for one!" Heath starts to create ice. "You have wasted enough of my time. You will be punish for this!"
Magna thought about this current situation. 'I've got almost no magic... but I have to fight. If we're talking about magical attributes, I have the advantage. But this guy's magic is so strong that the attributes doesn't matter. I'm pretty sure... That I can't win this-'
"I'M NOT DONE YET!"
Asta is back up, ready to swing his sword. Heath looked back and was ready to activated Ice Magic: Heavenly Ice Fang. However, Asta calmed down and saw the active mana coming. So he blocked the attack with his Demon-Slayer.
"I'm impressed that you're still alive. you're tough. but... you can't swing your sword well with those injuries." Heath said.
Asta landed on his feet. "I NOT DONE YET!" Asta said as he pulled out his katana.
"Stubborn little..." Heath generated some more ice, hitting Asta again.
However, Asta was still standing. "Not. Done. Yet!"
Magna was thinking about when he first got into the magic knights, he was congratulated by the villagers. 'Getting into the magic knights... for a peasant born in the forsaken world, That's fantastical all on its own. But now you hit your limit. Don't you think... you done enough, Asta?'
"There's no way you can win. Why don't you just give up?!" Heath said.
"...If I give up... who is going to protect them?! I realized that this isn't just to keep a promise. I'm going to be the wizard king..." Asta's eyes then starts to turn black. "IN ORDER TO PROTECT EVERYBODY!"
What Asta had said gave Magna the will to fight some more, but not before psyching himself by punching him in the face. "YOU'RE A REAL MAN, ASTA!"
Magna then walked out of Noelle's spell. "Protect the villagers, Lady Noelle."
"Wizard King, huh? What a ridiculous dream. Unfortunately, I don't think I'll need you anymore. You're about to die." Heath Said.
"LIKE I'LL LET YOU KILL HIM, YOU MORON!" Magna shouted, catching their attention. "IF YOU'RE GONNA OFF THAT GUY, YOU'RE GOTTA GET THROUGH ME FIRST!"
"You fool. Are you so eager to die?" Heath said as his followers aimed at Magna.
"BRING IT! Asta, do you remember the Baptism?" Magna asked.
Asta smiled as he knew exactly what he is talking about. Magna used the remaining mana he had and use Flame Magic: Prison Death Scattershot, shooting many fireballs at them while Heath realized some ice shards at him.
"What a waste." Heath said as he used Ice Magic: Crystal Shield to block some of the fireballs.
"I wouldn't call it a waste."
Asta said as when the fireballs flew passed Heath and his followers, Asta swung his Demon-Slayer, reflecting the fireballs to hit their backs. As the ice shards was heading towards Magna, He was saved when Noelle used her spell to protect him.
Heath was wondering why the flames weren't going out, so he decided to use his Ice Magic to freeze them. However, Asta was in front of him, ready to attack.
"wait..."
Heath tried to plead with him, but to not avail. Heath looked into Asta's eyes and realized that they were completely black and his face expression was calm, but full of anger. Asta swung his Demon-Slayer hard on Heath's shoulder, breaking his bones and knocking him on the ground.
Asta looked at the Heath and realized that he had won. He made a small laugh as the blackness in his eyes died down to his normal pure white pupils before falling to the ground asleep, exhausted about the fight he won.
After a few minutes, Asta woke up and sensed cheerfulness from the villagers and magic around the attackers.
Magna sees Asta waking up. "Hey buddy. How you doing?"
"I'm alright, just exhausted." Asta reached his hand out and Magna helped him up.
"Hey, I wanna know. How did your eyes changed to black?"
"That happens when I use this sword's dark energy."
"I didn't know your swords can change your eyes completely dark."
"Yeah, well..." Asta then thought about what Magna said.
"Wait, what do you mean completely?"
A anti-bird then came flying, landed on Asta's head with a stone in its mouth. The bird dropped it right into Asta's hand.
"Huh? What is this?" Asta then felt the magic in the stone. "There's magic in this."
"If you want it, you can have it. It's all yours for saving us." A male villager said. "You're our saviors. Thank you so much!"
Asta responded by making them a smile and a small laugh.
Heath then wakes up, captive at the moment. He then sees Magna, Asta and Noelle standing in front of him.
"Hey. you awake, scumbag?" Magna said. "I'm going to rest up a bit, and when my magic's back, I'm taking you all in. You're going to back for what you did."
Heath was silent. He then realized that his magic is seal.
"The Magic Knights are going to make you talk. Who the heck are you. What the heck you wanted. Everything."
"No, they won't." Heath said, confusing Magna.
Asta then noticed that Mana was building up in Heath. He focused his senses and realized that there's a magic item, and that it was growing dangerously big.
"WATCH OUT!" Asta shouted as Magna and Noelle had just sensed it. He quickly grabbed the back of Noelle's and Magna's clothes and pulled them back, avoiding the sharp ice that almost hit as it appeared on Heath and his followers.
Ice Magic: Ice Burial
They then see Heath starting to crack before completely breaking apart, when nothing but ice left and their Grimoires disintegrating.
"They Self-Destructed!" Magna said.
"Is- this what they think life is?! Who the hell are these people?!" Asta said.
Out the village and in a graveyard
A kid was crouching in front of a gravestone that belonged to the man that passed.
"Grandpa..."
"Nick... Let's go home, okay?"
"Hey kid." Asta said, catching the young boy off guard. "So the villagers told me... about your grandpa. They said that he was the only one that stood against them. Your Grandpa sure was awesome!
"...A few days ago... My grandpa said that he beat some Magic Knights. Just at Gambling, but still. He never took the test, but he would have love to become a Magic Knight. That was one of the things he regretted." He then wiped his tears and stood up. "... Could I? I am peasant, but... Do you think I can become a Magic Knight?!"
Asta smiled. "Sure you can! I am peasant, I don't even have magic, and I can't even see, and I got in! You're gotta have to work your butt off though!" Asta then clenched his fist. "Because by the time you get in... I'll be working harder, doing even more and one step closer to become the wizard king!"
He then put his fist on the kid's chest.
"I be waiting for you, Kid!"
"YEAH!"
And that's the end of another chapter.
Thank you for reading, and I'll see you next time.