0713MM: Hey guys! I welcome you to the 23rd chapter of The Silver Valkyrie! I do not own Black Clover, nor its characters, nor the OCs that are used in this chapter. The OCs and their Spells respectively are owned by Warmachine375. Chapter start!^^
Chapter 23
"What do you think you're doing to my squadmates?!" Vetto stared at her in slight surprise. However, he began to laugh darkly after recomposing himself from his initial surprise from Dazu's shout at him.
"What does it look like woman?! I'm going to feed them despair!" Vetto shot back. He then grinned darkly. "But I can save those 2 for later. It's your turn now woman! Fall into despair! Fail into despair and die like everyone else here will experience!" Despite his intimidation tactics with his words, Dazu kept her cool.
"We'll see about that!" Dazu retorted. "Catalyst Magic: Water Mana Beam!" The mana dragon's mouth opened up and released a blue beam of water mana towards Vetto.
So she's able to use the mana of an attribute, or multiple attributes, to generate these Mana Beasts. In this case, a dragon. Vetto thought.
"Not bad, woman!" Vetto commented as he evaded the mana beam, which hit the wall behind him and caused it to crumble and break apart. "You certainly have range with that Mana Beast. But what would happen to it if I got close? Let's find out! Beast Magic: Cheetah Charge!" Vetto's legs got wrapped by a magical aura that greatly enhanced his speed and he began to charge at Dazu's Mana Dragon as he raised a magical aura claw on his right hand. "Plus Beast Magic: Bear Claw!" He then clawed at the dragon. But to his surprise, the Mana Dragon blocked his claw slash with its own claw.
"You may be faster than me." Dazu started. "You may be stronger than me, but there's one thing that I shine in better than you."
"Oh really now?" Vetto wondered aloud as he leapt into the air and towards Dazu directly. "And what's that?"
Concentrate….! Dazu thought as she and her mana dragon moved out of the way of Vetto's Bear Claw strike, much to his surprise.
"Whaaa…?!" Vetto breathed in surprise. "How did you…..?"
"Catalyst Magic: Dragon Charge!" Dazu revealed before wincing. "Tch…! I borrowed your Beast Magic: Cheetah Charge Spell and turned into one that'd support my water mana dragon here…"
"So that's how she was able to do it…. By borrowing the magic of the mages around her…." Vetto whispered to himself before grinning. "Hahaha! Honestly, not bad at all, woman! I'm actually somewhat impressed!" His grin then turned into a frown. "But it won't ultimately matter. You, like everyone else here, shall taste despair!" He leapt at Dazu and her water mana dragon again, but like last time, he missed due to the water mana dragon jumping to the side.
"If I can just land a good hit on him…!" Dazu muttered to herself.
"Shame you'll never get it!" Vetto grinned as he appeared right next to her, surprising her to the point her water mana dragon began to dispel.
"No….!" Dazu gaped. "I let myself open after I borrowed his magic….!"
"You know the saying, curiosity killed the cat!" Vetto sneered as he kicked Dazu in the stomach hard. Which not only made her cough up blood, but it also launched her into the rock pillar, which she slumped to the ground from. "Beast Magic: Leopard Kick is what I used on you, woman. Like I said, you were impressive. For a time. But even you fell so easily! Just like the other 7 I fought before you. Now, if no one else is going to show up, I'll be on my way to obtain the magic stone here. After that I'll kill everyone in this temple." He looked around and growled. "You humans….! I know you turned Fana against us! Master Licht told us of such when he and Rhya got back from his trip to that rundown base of yours! In other words, you Amber Phoenix scum are going to be my first victims!"
"Elf me made her choice though." Captain Fana mused to herself. "She wanted to be given a second chance. So I gave her such." Captain Acier glanced at Fana and nodded.
"Not just you, but Julius and Marx did as well." Acier added. "In truth, you made the right decision, Fana dear." Captain Fana gaped silently in surprise, then her lips formed a tearful smile.
"Thank you, Acier." Captain Fana replied. "That means a lot."
"You were always one to want to do the right thing." Mars added. "Just like Fanzell taught us." Captain Fana laughed, then wrapped an arm around Mars's waist, he then responded in kind. Captain Acier took notice and giggled softly before turning back to the screen with a frown.
"Vetto must be stopped at all costs." Acier spoke softly.
"Time to end you 7. Plunge into despair." Vetto spoke coldy as the magical aura of a porcupine re-surrounded him. "Now Beast Magic: Porcupine Ar-!"
"Flame Magic: Phoenix Feather Shot!" Several flaming phoenix feathers flew towards Vetto, who evaded them with ease by using his speed to zip around the room. He eventually stopped and looked around.
"I know you're there, Fana." Vetto remarked. "So just come out already." On cue, the elf version of Captain Fana, wearing a white sleeveless dress and wearing sandals. The last time Vetto saw Elf Fana, she was also wearing the Eye of the Might Sun's outfit. But now, she wore an Amber Phoenix squad robe over her shoulder. Vetto looked over her and scowled. "To think you allowed these pathetic humans to turn you against us."
"You're wrong." Elf Fana replied. "I was blinded by hatred to not see the bigger picture. I thank my human counterpart for setting me free from the Evil Eye. Not all humans of this current generation are necessarily evil. Sure, there are some arrogant ones, but the members of the Amber Phoenix are so kind. They're people that have been given a second chance at life." She placed her right hand on her chest. "And I too, am extremely grateful to be a part of the squad my human counterpart created." She then narrowed her pink eyes. "And if you think of harming the Amber Phoenix squad in any way, I'll burn you to-"
"SILENCE!" Vetto roared, surprising Elf Fana.
His fury….! Elf Fana thought.
"You're…..!" Elf Fana began.
"Furious?! Yes!" Vetto snarled. "First these humans took you away from us, now they've clearly brainwashed you into thinking they're the good guys! Well, I'll be sure to ask Master Licht to revive you back on our side once I kill you here!" He then flared up a magic aura around his legs. "Beast Magic: Cheetah Charge!" He ran straight towards Elf Fana and aimed to punch her in the face. However, to his surprise, Elf Fana vanished in an orange light and continued to dance around the area.
She's all over the place! Vetto thought.
"I forgot how fast you can be….!" Vetto gnashed his teeth in frustration. Elf Fana then appeared right in front of him and slashed him the chest area with what appeared to be a sword made from her Fire Magic. Vetto grunted as he staggered backwards. "Tch….!"
"Now Flame Magic: Phoenix Whirlwind!" Elf Fana declared. A whirlwind of flames spouted off the tip of her Flame Creation Magic: Phoenix Blade and straight at Vetto. Because of how close Elf Fana was to Vetto, Vetto couldn't escape the fiery tornado; trapping him inside.
"Urk….! This pesky spell…!" Vetto growled. His frustration soon dissipated. "No matter! Beast Magic: Lion Roar!" A magical aura that takes the shape of a roaring lion appeared in front of Vetto that then unleashed a large shockwave towards Elf Fana. Due to its might, Elf Fana was pushed back several feet; her vision now disoriented. Her Phoenix Whirlwind that trapped Vetto had also dissipated.
"Ugh….!" Elf Fana groaned, trying to regain her vision.
"Now I got you! Beast Magic: Porcupine Artillery!" Vetto grinned maliciously as several magical aura porcupine quills flew out of his body and towards the disoriented Elf Fana. "Fall into despair!" Just as the magical aura porcupine quills were about to hit Elf Fana and make her take impalement damage, Elf Fana regained his vision and once again began dancing around the area as an orange light. Like a dancing flame out in the open world.
"You almost had me there, Vetto!" Elf Fana spoke as she kept moving around at incredible speed, forcing Vetto to stop and look around. "But it seems you've forgotten that I outspeed you!"
"Maybe you do!" Vetto admitted. "However, your attacks mean nothing to me! Observe! Beast Magic: Rhinoceros Armor!" Just as Elf Fana reappeared behind him and launched out more Flame Magic: Phoenix Feather Shot at Vetto, in addition to coming down on him with her Phoenix Blade for a slash across his back, it had little to no effect.
"Tch…!" Elf Fana grunted.
"Speed means jackshit if your opponent is ultimately stronger than you!" Vetto sneered as the magical aura around Vetto dissipated and he began to charge at Elf Fana head on. "I'll crush you! Then I'll make sure you are revived on our side, Fana!" Elf Fana took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
"It seems I have no choice but to use the special elf technique…." Elf Fana spoke softly; feeling the mana around her beginning to converge to a singular point on her body. Most likely the centerpoint. Vetto stopped his charge upon realizing what Elf Fana was doing and was about to unleash. He covered his face with his arms.
"Gah! What are you doing?!" Vetto demanded.
Meanwhile, Alice and Valeria were running towards the center of the area, they quickly picked up on the massive mana signature at the center of the area. Though they felt Vetto's mana as malicious, Elf Fana's massive mana signature felt different. It felt warm. Like something you'd want to be hugged by for warmth and comfort.
"You feel that?" Alice asked.
"Yeah, I do." Valeria nodded. "It means we're getting close."
"Let's keep going." And the 2 kept running, eventually picking up the pace.
"So much ki!" Asta cried out excitedly as he and Kiato were also running towards the center.
"I may not be able to read ki like you, but I can definitely feel their mana." Kiato pointed out. "One feels like multiple ravage beasts ready to go on a killing spree. While the other feels like a warm fire you'd want to cozy up to."
"That'd be Captain Fana's elf counterpart." Asta told Kiato. "Though she and Captain Fana look alike in every way, and have the same magic, they're both unique in there own ways. Captain Fana has 2 magic attributes, which give her an immense mana boost. While her elf counterpart has an insane amount of mana because she's an elf."
"Elf? As in those creatures blessed with immense mana?" Kiato questioned.
"That's them!" Asta grinned. "Now let's keep going!"
"So much magic power coming from the center of this place!" Lily gaped in awe as she and Friede were also heading towards the center.
"I know!" Friede agreed as she and the former Hage Village nun kept running. Though moreso like fast walking, due to their choice of clothes, minus there Amber Phoenix squad robes. "We better get there, and soon!"
"Yes, but please slow down Friede!" Lily laughed.
Meanwhile, back at the center of the area, Vetto continued to watch as the mana surrounding Elf Fana began to converge at the centerpoint of Elf Fana's body.
"Concentrate… Bring it all to a singular point….." Elf Fana told herself as she breathed in and out. "Hnnngh…..!" Vetto tsked, then let his mana flare up around him.
"Gah! I don't care if you're about to use an Ultimate Flame Magic Spell!" Vetto snapped. "I'll still kill you and make you taste despair!" Elf Fana's mana then transformed into a godly-sized phoenix. With the snap of her fingers, the godly-sized Flame Magic phoenix flew towards Vetto.
"Ultimate Flame Magic: Phoenix Formation!" Elf Fana declared as she unleashed a battle cry. "Return to your senses, Vetto!" Vetto watched as the godly-sized flaming phoenix flew towards him at high speed.
Even with Rhinoceros Armor, I'll still take heavy damage! Vetto thought as the flaming phoenix engulfed him.
"ARGH!" Vetto roared out in pain. "GAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" While Elf Fana's Ultimate Flame Magic Spell was engulfing Vetto, Friede, Lily, Alice, and Valeria showed up to witness it firsthand.
"So bright!" Friede shielded her eyes.
"I'm fine." Alice replied as she watched. Friede deadpanned at Alice.
"That's because you're wearing glasses Alice!" Friede complained, albeit playfully. "Not all of us wear glasses like you need to, you know!" Alice glanced over at Friede and shrugged nonchalantly before turning her attention back to the fight between Elf Fana and Vetto.
"Come on…..!" Elf Fana grunted as she continued to push more of her mana into her spell. "More…..! More!"
"GAAAAAHHHH! YOU WILL TASTE DES-!" Vetto roared, but was interrupted by the flaming phoenix burning his entire body, and his own agonic screams. After about another minute or so, the godly-sized flaming phoenix dissipated, leaving Vetto as a skeleton. Elf Fana had controlled the flow of her mana and the attack as to not to burn him into nothing but ashes. Elf Fana panted to catch her breath. On the side, Alice, Valeria, Friede, and all gaped in utter shock at Elf Fana's sheer power.
"No way!" Friede cheered, starry-eyed.
"That's the true power of an elf for you." Valeria smiled after recomposing herself from her initial surprise of Elf Fana's Ultimate Flame Magic Spell.
"Huff…. Huff…. That should…...force Vetto to use his Third Eye…." Elf Fana panted before falling to her knees. "God….. It's been so long since I used that Ultimate Flame Magic Spell…"
"That was incredible! Truly!" Friede grinned.
"But also extremely tired." Valeria frowned deeply.
"Yeah…." Elf Fana admitted before falling to the ground soon thereafter.
"Oh dear…!" Lily breathed. "Does anyone have any kind of spell to heal her?" Valeria shook her head.
"Sorry. I don't have any." Valeria retorted solemnly before turning her attention back to Vetto, who was mostly a skeleton. "But we should keep our guard up." Lily and Friede gave Valeria a confused look, but Alice frowned deeply out of concern; silently agreeing with Valeria. Suddenly, the 4 heard chuckling coming from Vetto's charred mouth; thus causing them to turn to face the skeleton. Vetto's chuckling soon turned into outright dark laughter.
"Heh heh heh…. Hahahaha!" Vetto laughed as his body began to regenerate. "Even though your Flame Magic is weakened here due to the natural Water Magic mana, you still managed to damage me this much! Enough to force me to use the special gift our allies gave us!"
"Whaaa…?!" Alice gaped. "He's…...regenerating…?!" Followed by Alice's initial shock was Lily, and Friede. Valeria only grimaced.
"Truly impressive, Fana!" Vetto mocked his now downed opponent. "But I'll plunge you all into despair soon enough!" He charged straight at the 4 new arrivals. "Since you people have such convenient timing of showing up after I defeat any of you peons, I'll make you 4 taste despair first!"
"Aaaah!" Lily cried out, attempting to form a barrier of water around the 4, but to no avail. But it wasn't because Vetto struck through it. No. It was something else.
"Tch…..!" Valeria grunted as she used not one, not two, but 4 arms to defend herself, Lily, Friede, and Alice from Vetto's charge attack.
"Valeria…! You…!" Alice breathed softly.
"She has 4 arms?!" Friede gaped in surprise. "How can that be?!" Vetto took notice of Friede's surprised reaction.
"Hoh?" Vetto wondered aloud as he leapt backwards after slashing off 1 of Valeria's extra 2 arms with his Beast Magic: Bear Claw, which caused the blondette to wince in pain. After doing so, he took clear notice of Valeria indeed having 4 arms. "If I didn't know any better, I would have assumed you had some genetic mutation."
"Oh how I wish that was the case sometimes." Valeria admitted. "But this is actually from a curse."
"Curse?" Vetto repeated. He then opened his mouth in surprise as the arm he slashed off moments ago regrew. "What…?!"
"I told you." Valeria sighed as the arm regrew. "I've tried to get rid of them."
"So why haven't you fallen into despair because of this curse?" Vetto questioned. Valeria stared at Vetto for several seconds before clenching her 4 hands into fists, then unclenched them.
" I have felt despair because of this curse from time to time." Valeria admitted. "However, I cannot let despair control my life. I have to eventually push past it. And that's what I've been doing for the past few months. Plus, I've gotten used to having 2 extra arms. In a way, it has made my Earth Magic Spells a bit more powerful."
"Valeria…" Alice whispered softly. Vetto scowled, then he grinned.
"Heh heh heh… Hahahaha!" Vetto laughed darkly. "Then you're an even bigger fool then I first thought, human! Stage 0 Mage or not, you cannot defeat me!"
"Not by myself." Valeria admitted. "But with 3 of my squadmates here with me to help, we'll be sure to put you down like the savage beast you are! Alice, Friede, Lily! You ready?"
"Yes!" Friede, Alice, and Lily all replied in unison. Vetto then cracked his knuckles, grinning maliciously.
"Excellent!" Vetto remarked. A large circle of brown runes surrounded Vetto and the area around him. "Hmm? What the-?"
"True Earth Magic: Mother Catastrophe!" Valeria declared her spell. Right after, the area surrounding Vetto, and the place he was standing on cracked and made a large crater. Vetto managed to leap out of the way.
"Ha! You missed, human scum!" Vetto mocked.
"Oh did I?" Valeria retorted, grinning as she used her 4 arms to lift several pieces of earthen debris into the air and throw it at Vetto, who easily evaded each throw of debris.
"Ha! That's your best effort?!" Vetto sneered.
"Nope!" Valeria grinned. "Alice!"
"Right!" Alice replied as her amber eyes glowed a golden color. "Golden Eye Magic: Sweeping Beam Cannon!" She then moved head and body around to fire a golden beam that went in an arc in the higher points of the cave area they were in. This caused the ceiling and walls behind and above Vetto to crumble away in several small explosions and fall down on top of him.
"Yus!" Friede grinned. "You got him!"
"Oh? Did she now?" They heard Vetto speak through the smoke.
"What?" Alice frowned deeply as she stopped her spell.
"Aaaaaah!" Valeria, Friede, and Alice looked up to see Vetto holding Lily up in the air, grinning darkly.
"Lily!" Friede cried out, moving her hand towards her grimoire.
"Make one more move, and she dies!" Vetto sneered. "So it's not worth the risk, human!" Friede gnashed her teeth in anger, while Alice and Valeria frowne deeply. All 3 of them are now unsure on what to do to save Lily from Vetto's grip.
"Tch…! What do we….-?!" Valeria began, only to look up and see Friede had leapt towards Vetto. "Friede!"
Black Flame Magic: Repentance Slash! Friede thought as she slashed at Vetto several times with her scythe imbued with Black Flame Magic. Vetto grunted as he threw Lily to the side and took the slashes head on. He slid back several feet.
"Kuh….! So this is Black Flame Magic, huh?" Vetto mused as he looked down at his chest, which had small blame flames coming out of the wounds Friede inflicted. "Heh heh heh….. Not bad. However…." His wounds healed, surprising Friede. "It seems you don't have enough power to damage me more then that."
"What….?!" Friede gaped as she stepped back.
Kill him! The female voice inside Friede's head roared angrily. Kill him now! Or I'll take over and do it myself! Fride clenched her head with her hands.
"Ugh…..!" Friede grunted. "That voice again…..!" Vetto chuckled darkly as a magical aura surrounded him.
"Having head troubles?" Vetto sneered. "Well too bad! Fall into despair! Beast Magic: Porcupine Artillery!" Several magical aura porcupine quills fired off of Vetto's body and towards his remaining 3 opponents.
"Shit….!" Both Friede and Alice breathed. "No time to dodge…!"
"Friede! Alice!" Valeria leapt in front of the 2 and took all the magical aura quills. Valeria then crumpled to the ground.
"Well well well! Looks like she decided to play hero and protect you 2!" Vetto remarked coldly. "Pitiful!" Alice and Friede removed their arms from their faces to see that Valeria was on the ground; blood poured out of her wounds.
"Valeria!" Alice cried out, running over to her friend and began to heal her. Friede gaped in absolute shock. After the initial shock went through Friede's body, she clenched her hands into fists, her eyes glowed black.
"YOU BASTARD!" Friede roared in absolute anger before leaping forward at Vetto again. "I'll finish you here and now! Black Flame Creation Magic: Hellfire Bird! Plus Black Flame Magic: Repentance Slash!" A bird made from black flames flew out of Friede's scythe and towards Vetto, in addition to slashing her scythe multiple times to form another Repentance Slash. Vetto grinned darkly as he evaded the black flame bird and the Black Flame Magic slashes from Friede.
"If you're trying to kill me, you'll have to a lot more then that!" Vetto mocked Friede. "Like seriously, truly pathetic!"
"You'll pay!" Friede roared. "Alice! Help me out here!" Alice looked up and nodded silently.
"I have never seen Friede this angry before…" Alice breathed. "Least from the short time I've been on the Amber Phoenix squad and known Friede."
"RAWR!" Friede roared angrily, her right eye changed to a golden color, and a blackish-white wing sprouted from her back. "I'll kill you, Vetto!" Vetto leapt into the air to evade Friede's multitude of Black Flame Magic: Repentance Slash.
"You've completely lost it girl!" Vetto mocked. "No matter! Allow me to put you out of your misery! Beast Magic: Bear Claw!" He leapt straight at the angry Friede. "Time to fall into despair!" Just as his magical aura bear claw was about to slash Friede and severely wound her, he felt his Bear Claw Spell hit someone else first. "Hoh?" He looked down to see that Alice had taken the majority of the blow. She coughed up blood before crumpling to the ground in front of Vetto. Although, despite this, Vetto's Bear Claw Spell had also slashed Friede, who had staggered backwards before falling to the ground. Her new form dissipated, too. Vetto observed the 4 fallen mages that dared to challenge him.
"Honestly, you people are just pathetic." Vetto scowled deeply before his scowl turned into a dark grin. "No matter. Time to finish the lot of you in this area off! Beast Magic: -!" Before he could finish, a large black slash that looked similar to Dark Magic cut through the group between Vetto, Friede, Alice, Valeria, and Lily. "Hmm?" He looked up to see Asta, Noelle, Kiato, and Kahono next to each other; in that order, from left to right. Vetto gaped upon realizing what sword Asta was holding.
He's in possession of Master Licht's sword AND grimoire?! Vetto thought angrily as he clenched his muscular hands into fists. Damn that mouse!
"Who the hell do you think you are?" Asta began. "I won't let some overgrown beast you hurt my friends and squadmates!"
"Time to put you down, Vetto!" Noelle added, getting into a battle ready stance. "This the 4 of us promise you!" Both Kiato and Kahono followed suit. All 4 of their grimoires floating in front of them. Their magic's mana (or in Asta's case, ki), was and around them. If this had been any other average baddie, or a group of bandits, they'd be running for there lives. Not Vetto. Instead, he just grinned darkly.
"It surprises me that the beast's prey comes to it and not the other way around." Vetto noted. "Regardless! I'll keep feeding you all despair! Until you choke!"
0713MM: And that does it for Chapter 23!^^ So the next chapter, Chapter 24, will depict Asta, Noelle Silva, Kiato, and Kahono vs Vetto! Which will be exciting for me to write!^^
Regardless, the Seabed Temple mission, if I'm right on the number of chapters it'll take, should be over within the next 2-3 chapters. Maybe 4, depending on how lengthy I make these chapters. But we shall see!^^