Chapter 73: Training on Yultim, Part 1: Uncrowned, Undefeated Lioness

Why am I here again? Lars thought, standing by Captain Dorothy, who was sleeping peacefully as he stood in a corner next to her. They had come to a tavern with the other captains, where they always drank after the Star Awards Festival, and Lars had been tasked by Kirsch with accompanying Dorothy (even though she was perfectly capable) to this tavern. Now, Yami was gloating about his achievements to the other captains, who all seemed tired of him.

Zoe and Lucia were also at this tavern, alongside Sol, who were trying to comfort their captain with their best efforts, after she lost in the drinking contest to Vanessa. This was unbeknownst to Zoe and Lucia, however, and they each had their different approaches to trying to lift their captain's spirits.

"Fourth place isn't bad, captain," Lucia said soothingly, whispering into Charlotte's ear.

"I apologise, Captain Charlotte," Zoe said, taking off her hat and sinking into a deep bow. "I have disgraced you with my inadequacy. Next year, I swear on my honour that we will place higher."

"That stupid witch is nothing compared to you, sis!" Sol declared profusely, trying to fire her captain up.

At the actual bar, Frida was in an intense discussion with her captain about her conduct at the awards ceremony. Lars couldn't hear every word, but the tension between them was palpable.

"You embarrassed the Silver Eagles," Nozel said coldly, his voice low but cutting. "Your conduct at the ceremony was unbecoming of a vice-captain."

Frida crossed her arms, her eyes blazing with defiance. "I spoke the truth. If you consider that an embarrassment, perhaps you should look at your own leadership."

Nozel's expression darkened, and for a moment, it seemed as though he might retaliate with his characteristic harshness. Instead, he let out a slow breath, clearly trying to maintain his composure.

"You would do well to remember your place, Frida," he said finally, his tone icy. "You're highly efficient, and it would sadden me to have to sanction you."

Lars turned away, suppressing a grimace. The tension between Frida and Nozel was nothing new, but it was always uncomfortable to witness.

"Why do these things always get so dramatic?" he muttered to himself.

Yami was the center of attention, gloating loudly. "Second place, huh? Feels pretty good to finally have everyone recognize how awesome the Black Bulls are!"

Rill, nursing a cocktail at the bar, tilted his head. "You're so weird, Captain Yami. Why are you happy with second?"

"Because it means we kicked your sorry squad's butt," Yami retorted, grinning smugly.

That set off the other captains. Nozel Silva bristled, glaring at Yami. "To think we lost to a squad that was always last place... utterly disgraceful."

Jack the Ripper cackled. "I'd shut up about disgrace if I were you, Nozel. At least your bangs are still intact."

Nozel's face darkened. "Do you want to start a fight?"

The tension thickened as magic energy flared between the captains, but the bartender quickly slid over cocktails that seemed to calm them down.

"This is on the house," the bartender said smoothly.

Jack huffed, Nozel muttered an apology, and Kaiser merely sighed, shaking his head. Lars couldn't help but marvel at how the bartender managed to diffuse the tension.

"I'll be leaving now," Nozel said, getting up and heading towards the exit of the bar. "You will remain at the Royal Capital, Mertens, to handle some administrative duties."

Frida sighed. "Of course, sir."

Kaiser and Jack followed, and Frida was left alone where the captains once were, resting her head thoughtfully on her chin.

BANG

Mereoleona Vermillion strode in, her scowl deep, her aura radiating everywhere in the room.

Ohhhh shiiit, Lars thought. She does not look happy.

"Yami!" she yelled, walking over to the swordsman. "You seem quite happy for someone who climbed up the ranks just once."

"Sisgoleon?" Yami asked.

"What drivel is this?" the lioness replied, confused. "Did we not already establish this?"

"Well, I thought since your brother's Fuegoleon, you'd be Sisgoleon." Yami said. "It makes perfect sense."

"We siblings are not referred to by such ridiculous names," Mereoleona replied.

Lars , who had been watching this whole conversation intently, was dumbfounded. He was sensing 3 different mind energies emanating from Mereoleona, and he knew that this was not possible.

The captain in question walked further into the room, and everything became clear. Lars stifled a laugh.

Asta and Yuno were ensnared by Mereoleona's fiery aura, which turned into paws and was now holding them by the head.

"H-heya, Captain Yami… dropkick guy…" Asta said sheepishly, raising a hand in recognition.

Yami let out a large laugh. "Looks like she caught you, kid! How'd that happen?"

Lucia and Zoe were mortified. Lars was wheezing at Yuno's unreadable expression.

"I'm not exactly sure myself," Asta replied.

As Yami laughed boisterously, one of Mereoleona's flaming paws rested itself on his head. The Black Bulls captain's face shifted from one of pure amusement to fear.

"You're coming too," Mereoleona stated simply.

"Wait, what?" Yami asked, as he was lifted up by the flaming paw.

"You weren't just late to the awards ceremony, you didn't even bother showing up," the lioness declared, her expression resolute.

"What the hell?" Yami sputtered. "I was there! I threw Asta on stage!"

"Regardless, someone like you always needs correction," Mereoleona said. "You're coming with me."

Charlotte breathed a nervy sigh of relief. "Th-that's what you get, Y-Yami."

"You're also coming, Roselei."

"W-what?" Charlotte asked, her expression shifting into pure terror.

"You're not taking Sis anywhere, you big brute!" Sol yelled, trying to pull Mereoleona's flaming paw off of her.

"Then you can come too," Mereoleona said, giving Sol the same treatment as her captain. She turned to both of the Mertens siblings, both of whom were sweating, not just from the heat, but from their pure, unadulterated terror of Mereoleona.

"Your conduct at the awards ceremony was disgraceful," she began, her aura flaring up. "Both of you should be ashamed of yourselves. How would your mother react when she found out about this?"

"W-we haven't spoken to our m-mother in months, Lady Mereoleona," Lars stuttered.

"Oh yes, you're definitely coming with me," Mereoleona said, using a flaming paw to grab both of their heads. Lars struggled against her grasp, protesting, while Frida simply accepted her fate.

"W-wait! I was tasked with bodyguarding Dorothy!" Lars said.

"If that witch couldn't protect herself while asleep, do you really think she'd be a captain?" Mereoleona replied.

"G-good point," Lars said, resigning himself.

"And you," Mereoleona said, turning to Zoe. "You-"

To her surprise, however, Zoe had already prostrated herself before Mereoleona. "Please, take me, milady. I must better myself."

Mereoleona scowled, picking her up with a flaming paw. "Don't grovel," she huffed, turning to Lucia.

"What the hell, you're coming too," Mereoleona said.

"W-wait what? Why?" Lucia exclaimed. "I haven't done anything wrong!"

As Mereoleona turned to leave, there was a bang, and Myla Fullbright entered, dragging her unsuspecting nephew behind her.

"Mereoleona! You thought you could just take off for the volcano without consulting me?" Myla boomed, her grin wide and untamed.

Mereoleona turned, her flaming paws still holding her captives aloft, and let out a low groan. "What are you doing here, Myla?"

"I insist you take Oda with you!" Myla declared, shoving her nephew forward with a hearty slap on his back.

Oda stumbled, his face a mix of confusion and terror. "W-wait, Auntie Myla, I don't think I—"

"Absolutely not," Mereoleona said sharply. "I'm not babysitting your nephew."

"Babysitting?" Myla threw her head back in laughter. "Mereoleona, the boy's a Fullbright! If anything, he'll be keeping an eye on you!"

"I don't need anyone keeping an eye on me," Mereoleona growled. "And you're not coming either."

"Oh, I am most definitely coming," Myla said, folding her arms.

"You don't even have a grimoire," Mereoleona pointed out, flames flaring faintly around her.

"And I've never needed one to get by, have I?" Myla replied, her tone cheeky.

Lars and Lucia exchanged a knowing glance. They both had extensive experience with Myla's tendencies. She was a force of nature—boisterous, unconventional, and always one step ahead, even without conventional magic.

"Trust me, you're in for a ride," Lars muttered to Lucia, who gave him a resigned nod.

Frida raised her hand. "Can I respectfully opt out of—"

"No," Mereoleona cut her off, her flaming paw tightening around the Silver Eagle's head.

Before the conversation could devolve further, Noelle Silva appeared in the doorway. She was clearly looking for someone, her eyes darting around the room before landing on Asta.

"Stupidsta! There you are!" she called, striding forward. "Kahono and Kiato are leaving, and they wanted to—"

Her gaze shifted to Mereoleona, and her words caught in her throat.

"Oh… Uh… Lady Mereoleona. H-hello!" Noelle stammered, bowing quickly. "I'll just—um—see myself out now. Goodbye!"

Before she could take another step, a flaming paw ensnared her as well.

"Not so fast," Mereoleona said. "Your conduct at the ceremony was passable, but I'm taking you too. You could use some refinement."

Noelle flailed. "W-what refinement?!"

"Less talking, more preparing yourself," Mereoleona replied, her fiery grip unwavering.

Yuno, still dangling from another flaming paw, muttered under his breath, "This is not how I envisioned my day."

Lars, still caught, glanced at him and smirked. "You get used to it."

With her collection of captives—including Asta, Yuno, Noelle, Yami, Charlotte, Sol, Lars, Lucia, Oda, and Zoe—firmly in tow, Mereoleona began dragging them all toward the exit. Myla followed cheerfully, ignoring the lioness' grumbles.

"Why are you really here?" Mereoleona demanded, glaring at her former mentor.

"Because I trained you in those woods, and I know what's waiting at the volcano," Myla said matter-of-factly. "Besides, someone has to make sure you don't scare off the young ones before they've even touched the lava."

Mereoleona growled but didn't argue further.

As the group left, Lars leaned toward Lucia. "This… This is going to be an experience, isn't it?"

"Isn't it always?" Lucia replied with a sigh.

Meanwhile, Yuno muttered, "My character…"

…

"Welcome to the Yultim Volcano, kiddies!" Myla laughed boisterously, spreading her arms in greeting. She had dragged a few members from her own squad who were idling around in the common room (namely Cade and Quinn) and now they were also accompanying her.

The Crimson Lion Kings were also present, and that included Anastacia, who was already sweating from the heat, and an enthusiastic Cara, who was bouncing all over the place with an excited grin on her face.

"Please, restrain yourself, old hag," Cade said, earning himself a knock on the head from Myla's staff. Lars couldn't help but snigger.

"Yultim Volcano resides in a strong magic region," Mereoleona grumbled unenthusiastically. "All the mass before you is one volcano… or something, I don't care."

Myla, out of consideration for her pupil, chose to go on ahead, activating Mana Skin. "It seems like you can't lead like the lioness you are when I'm around, cub," Myla smirked, adjusting her glasses, "so I'll be going on ahead now. Try not to die!"

Cade and Quinn hurried on after her, the latter raising his marble white grimoire, which glowed with a white light.

"Marble Magic: White Surfer!" Quinn declared, a platform of marble very much like the platform of earth that Ximena often rode on appearing under his feet. With his Mana Skin glowing, he sped up the volcano after his captain.

"Thread Magic: He-" Cade said, but then was stopped by Mereoleona.

"Just where exactly do you think you're going?" the lioness growled, stopping Cade. "I need to talk to you. Halcourt, Mertens and Castro as well."

"Y-yes, Lady Mereoleona," the usually stoic Cade said

"Don't ask me stupid questions," Mereoleona growled, her aura flaring up. "I already told you everything I needed to, why would I be calling you now?"

Anastacia gulped and nodded.

"Your job, like that dear old hag over there, is to scale the mountain," Mereoleona said. "To do that, you will need to use a technique called Mana Skin."

Frida leaned over to her fellow Vice Captain and whispered. "It's elementary, but I don't think that you can manage that. After all, your magic is far too… clunky."

To her surprise, Anastacia smirked. "Armament Magic is a beautiful thing."

"Until the Royal Knights Selection Exam, we, the Crimson Lion Kings, will train here. Our guests, however, are exempt from this decree," Mereoleona said, looking around and daring anyone to challenge her.

"So we can leave?" Oda chuckled nervously.

"No."

"Ok."

"Now, my squad and the rest can go. I need to speak to the four I mentioned."

"Don't need to tell me twice," Yami muttered, activating Mana Skin and leaping up the volcano. Charlotte immediately followed him, not saying a word as she did.

"Siiiis!" Sol cried, activating her own Mana Skin and running up the mountain after her.

"Wait, Sol! Don't do something rash!" Lucia exclaimed, activating her own Mana Skin and leaping after her.

"Try to keep up, weapon bitch," Frida smirked. "Amethyst Crystal Magic: Brutus's Armour!" The purple armour appeared around Frida, her Mana Skin layering on top of it as well, and she took off at a higher speed than Sol or Lucia, but not enough to catch up to the two captains that had already gone ahead.

"Leopold, you're in charge now," Anastacia said, her expression darkening. "I have a score to settle with a certain crystal mage. Armament Magic: Heat Resistant Valkyrie Armour!"

Anastacia was encased in a radiant, shimmering suit of golden armor. The magical plating seemed to hum with heat-resistant properties, deflecting the scorching environment as if it were nothing. Her wings, made of overlapping metallic feathers, gleamed with an intense golden light, ready to propel her forward. With a confident smirk, she took off at full speed, the heat around her bending slightly as she surged forward.

Leopold, still standing at the base of the volcano with the remaining Crimson Lion Kings and Noelle, scratched his head in confusion. "Wait, I'm in charge? She didn't even tell me what to—"

Cara clapped him on the shoulder, her sharp grin cutting through his hesitation. "Relax, Leo! You're practically a natural leader already. Just give us the word, and we'll crush this mountain."

Leopold nodded, rallying his squad with renewed determination. "Alright, Crimson Lions, listen up! Our goal is to make it to the summit—use your Mana Skin and don't hold back! Let's show these guests how true Lions conquer the heat!"

Noelle, standing slightly apart, activated her own Mana Skin to combat the oppressive heat. "I'll… I'll prove myself here too," she muttered before following Leopold's lead.

Yuno, accompanied by Bell, ascended effortlessly. His Mana Skin flared up as Bell hovered beside him, her mischievous giggles echoing. "Yuno, we'll leave them all in the dust! You're unstoppable!"

Yuno simply nodded, his focus sharp as ever.

Mereoleona turned to the stragglers—Lars, Cade, Zoe, and Cara—her fiery gaze piercing. "I wanted a word with you four before you go gallivanting up the mountain. Your Celestials—Iskra, Zaira, Liora, and Bashir—are known to me. I've heard the stories."

Lars tilted his head, confused. "You've heard about them? How can you sense them?"

Before Mereoleona could answer, Iskra, Lars' Celestial of Intellect, interjected in his mind. "Because she's built different, Lars. Don't overthink it."

Mereoleona crossed her arms. "There's an aura about you four—it's undeniable. But I'm disappointed. You're holding back."

Cade stood silently, Zaira trembling faintly beside him. I don't like her, Zaira whimpered, referring to Mereoleona.

"Get over it, Zaira," Cade muttered under his breath, earning a glance from Lars.

Lars chuckled nervously. "We're not holding back on purpose. Only I can use something called Celestial Convergence so far, and even then, it's risky."

"Explain," Mereoleona demanded.

Lars cleared his throat. "Celestial Convergence is when you temporarily assimilate a Celestial's power into your body. It boosts your magic and physical abilities drastically, but it's not easy to maintain, and the toll is heavy."

Mereoleona smirked. "You're saying only you can handle it right now? Pathetic. I wanted a real fight."

Liora giggled teasingly. "Zoe, maybe you should try it for Cade's sake. Imagine the look on his face!"

Zoe flushed but maintained her stoic expression. "Quiet, Liora."

Cara, on the other hand, was unbothered, resting her hands behind her head. "Bashir and I don't need fancy tricks, right, big guy?"

Bashir let out a resigned sigh. "Your antics will be the death of me, Cara."

Mereoleona rolled her eyes. "You're wasting my time. If you can't fight me at your full potential, then get moving."

Cara grinned. "Race you to the top, Larsey!" She activated her Beast Magic: Prowler's Stride, a spell that enhanced her agility and speed, and bolted up the volcano.

Zoe sighed, raising her Ink Magic: Flowing Step, which created a slick path of ink beneath her feet to glide upward. Despite her calm demeanor, her mind was racing with thoughts of Cade. "I don't like him. I don't like him. I don't like him."

Cade shook his head, muttering, "Thread Magic: Heavenly Arachnid Ascension," and shot a web of threads to hoist himself upward.

Lars, who relied solely on his Mana Skin, adjusted quickly to the technique, having prior experience with an arguably harder technique in Mana Coating. Mereoleona watched him go, a rare glimmer of approval in her eyes. "He's a natural at this."

She turned to Asta, who was struggling against the oppressive heat, his face red and drenched in sweat. "And you, shrimp. You don't even have Mana Skin. How are you going to make it up?"

Asta gritted his teeth. "I'll… I'll figure it out! I won't lose here!"

Mereoleona smirked, crouching beside him. "Good. Then prove it, brat."

The Magic Knights disappeared up the mountain, leaving Asta to confront the heat. He clenched his fists, determination burning brighter than the volcano itself. "I can do this!"

As Lars and Cara climbed the volcano together, Cara's Prowler's Stride gave her a significant speed advantage, but she frequently slowed to tease Lars. "Come on, Larsey! You can't let an 'erratic fool', as Anastacia so delicately put it, outrun you!" she laughed, leaping effortlessly from one outcrop to another.

Lars adjusted his Mana Skin, allowing him to keep pace with her, the heat no longer a problem as he acclimated quickly. "Keep talking, Cara. Let's see who makes it to the top first!"

Further up the trail, Frida and Anastacia were locked in a fiery rivalry. Frida's armour sparkled brilliantly as she taunted Anastacia. "You're slow, Anastacia. Maybe that fancy armor of yours is just for show."

Anastacia smirked as her armour glinted in the sunlight. "I'll show you slow," she shot back, boosting forward with a burst of mana, her wings slicing through the hot air. "Try to keep up, crystal queen."

Meanwhile, Lucia, Cade, and Zoe moved as a trio. Cade's Heavenly Arachnid Ascension allowed him to swing through the volcanic terrain with ease, while Zoe's Flowing Step let her glide along the slick trails of her ink. Lucia's Mana Skin shimmered as she kept pace, her confidence bolstered by her determination not to fall behind her peers. "Stick together," she called to Cade and Zoe, her voice calm but firm. "This is no place to get reckless."

Cade chuckled, landing gracefully on a rocky ledge. "You say that, but the ink lady's already miles ahead."

"I'm just testing my limits," Zoe replied, her stoic demeanor masking her excitement. "Keep up, or don't bother."

Back with the Crimson Lions, Oda found himself grouped with Leopold, Noelle, and the rest of the squad. Noelle's Mana Skin glimmered as she struggled to maintain her focus in the sweltering environment. Leopold, ever the hothead, was rallying the group with enthusiasm.

"Oda, you're up!" Leopold declared, pointing to a looming Magical Lifeform, a molten beast blocking their path.

"What? Why me?" Oda protested, his tone exasperated.

"You've got Spatial Magic! That thing looks like it needs some clever maneuvering!" Noelle added, though she looked like she wanted to tackle it herself.

Before Oda could reply, a streak of black shot past them. Asta, now in his Anti-Magic form, rocketed forward, his determined yell echoing through the volcanic air. He sliced through the Magical Lifeform in a single fluid motion, leaving the group in stunned silence.

"Guess that's one way to do it," Oda muttered as Asta disappeared up the trail.

Higher up, Myla was effortlessly navigating the terrain with a fluid mix of Wood Magic and Mana Skin, her short hair whipping in the hot winds. "Quinn, keep up!" she called, glancing back at her struggling partner.

Quinn, drenched in sweat, grumbled as he stumbled over the rocky path. "You're enjoying this way too much, Myla."

"Maybe," she teased, extending a hand to help him over a ledge. "But you're not giving up, are you?"

Finally, as Asta reached the summit and prepared to dive into the magma, Mereoleona's overwhelming mana surged. Asta's sword, still gripped tightly in his hands, was pulled toward her.

"Mereoleona, get out of the way!" Asta shouted, but the Lioness Captain stood firm, her arms crossed.

"Run? Not a chance, shrimp," she said, her fiery aura flaring as she swatted Asta skyward, sending him careening back to the ground below.

Lars, watching the scene unfold as he climbed beside Cara, couldn't resist a smirk. "Well, that's one way to deal with him. Guess she's got the whole 'unrelenting force' thing down."

Cara burst out laughing, nearly losing her balance. "Remind me never to get on her bad side."

"You already have," Lars deadpanned.

"Oh yeahhh! I forgot," Cara chuckled sheepishly. The mind mage sighed along with Bashir, who had come out to express his… whatever he felt at Cara's stupidity.

She's so airheaded, the two thought, sharing a glance. But she's a loveable airhead.

Frida and Anastacia arrived soon after, deep rooted in their own bickering.

"Maybe if you hadn't decided to take the scenic route, we would have gotten here faster!" Anastacia snapped.

"What's the matter, Stace? Can't keep up?" Frida taunted, using a nickname that she knew Anastacia hated - one that her mother gave to her, and one she only reserved for close friends.

Frida was a close friend, but right now, they were in a feud of sorts over something trivial that happened on the last mission, and wouldn't give each other an inch when it came to competing.

"Don't refer to me by that nickname," the Crimson Lion vice-captain hissed.

Somewhere else, Yami and Charlotte were also up the mountain, and behind them was Myla dragging a currently woozy Quinn.

"Kids these days," Myla sighed. "Can't even handle a little heat. Back in my day, I slept in the wild through the hottest summer that the Heart Kingdom had ever known! This is nothing compared to it!"

"S-sorry, Ms Myla," Quinn stuttered, wiping his brow. He had a naturally low heat tolerance, unlike Myla.

Zoe, Cade and Lucia arrived soon after. The ink mage was blushing HARD, and although she could pin that down on her naturally low heat tolerance, but she, Liora and even Lucia knew that that wasn't the case. So, as Zoe tried to shake her embarrassment off while climbing up the mountain, she had used her Ink Magic: Calligraphy to use the kanji for silence to stop Lucia or Liora from saying anything.

Cade could feel the emotional turmoil emanating from her, so he decided not to go there.

The rest of the Crimson Lions arrived soon after in little groups, their climbs having been quite unfascinating after the sudden defeat of the magical life form they had encountered. Upon arriving, Oda went straight to Lars, leaning on him as if he was exhausted, his dark hair smothering itself on Lars's shoulder.

"I want to go home…" he whined, burying his face deeper into Lars' shoulder. The mind mage gave his friend a comforting pat on the back.

"Don't worry, Oda…" Lars sighed in exasperation.

Mereoleona turned to address her squad and the other Magic Knights who she had "kidnapped".

"So you're finally all here, you fools!" she declared, her fiery eyes sweeping over everyone who was gathered there. "The Yultin Volcano becomes completely dormant at night. You were supposed to get here BEFORE nightfall! At this rate, we'll NEVER win back first place!"

"Wait, it wasn't already night?" Cara whispered, nudging Lars with her elbow. The mind mage just sighed.

"Those of you who couldn't make it up here before nightfall will try again tomorrow!" Mereoleona declared.

"Yes, maam!" the squad declared. Myla, who had been silently watching this exchange, couldn't help but feel a sense of pride at her former pupil commanding so much respect.

"Even though I made it up before nightfall, I will climb the mountain a hundred- no, a THOUSAND times and become stronger than you, sister!" Leopold replied, his determination blazing.

"Climb it 10,000 times!" Mereoleona yelled. "Now, I give you all permission to soak in the hot springs!"

"But… where's the water?" Lucia said, raising an eyebrow.

On cue, water began to bubble out of a large hole in the ground, erupting in a beautiful geyser that shone in the moonlight.

"Wooooooooah! Hot spring water just came out of nowhere!" Asta exclaimed, his shout layering over many members of the Crimson Lion Kings' awed gasps.

"No matter how many times I see it, it never gets old," Anastacia smiled.

"This hot spring is renowned for its ability to strengthen the body, and it's said to be the best in the kingdom," Mereoleona declared. "Yet, despite its remarkable benefits, it remains empty and secluded. Why? Because reaching this hot spring is a perilous journey, one that has claimed the lives of many travelers before they could bask in its rejuvenating waters."

"Makes sense," Oda muttered.

"All right, fools! Take off your clothes!" Mereoleona yelled, taking everyone by surprise.

A/N: yeahhhhhhh

hot springggg

mereoleona kidnappings are always so funny