Black Clover: The Chaos Legacy

Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Awakening



Soon, Recca broke the silence with a teasing grin. "Okay, come on, Asta, chop some wood! You can't do magic, so at least do some manual labor."

Asta puffed up, glaring at her. "Shut up! Did you even dig up the tatos you were supposed to?"

Recca leaned back with a smug expression. "I dug up the ones for today ages ago. Unlike someone, I don't slack off."

Asta froze for a moment, caught off guard. "Huh?! Then what about yours, Ryo?" he asked, turning to me like he might catch me slacking too.

I smiled, amused at his growing panic. "I already finished mine. You were too busy yelling about magic to notice."

Sister Lily, watching our antics with a warm smile, gently broke in. "Now, now, that's enough bickering." Her gaze shifted to the sky, which was growing darker with each passing moment. Her smile faded slightly, replaced by a thoughtful, concerned look. "It looks like it's going to get chilly tonight," she murmured.

The atmosphere grew quiet again as we all instinctively glanced up. The overcast sky seemed heavier, and a cool breeze began to pick up, rustling the nearby trees. Asta, not one to stay quiet for long, stood up abruptly.

"Then I'll chop double the wood! I'm gonna keep us all warm!" he declared with determination, rushing toward the stack of firewood with an exaggerated sense of purpose.

Recca rolled her eyes, but a faint smile tugged at her lips. "Drama king," she muttered, crossing her arms as she watched him.

I couldn't help but chuckle as I watched Asta enthusiastically start chopping wood, his energy seemingly endless. The hours slipped by, and eventually, the overcast sky gave in, releasing a gentle flurry of snow. The first flakes floated down, gradually blanketing the ground.

Noticing the change, Sister Lily called out, her voice carrying a note of urgency. "Everyone, let's head back inside before the snow picks up."

I handed Nash back to her and went over to help Asta move the firewood before it got wet. Surprisingly, Nash remained quiet this time, his tiny eyes watching the snow with fascination. As I stacked the wood, I found myself once again reflecting on the power of fate.

Once back in the church, we all gathered around the dining table, illuminated by the soft glow of a single candle. Asta sprawled on the table, groaning. "I'm hungry," he complained, his stomach growling loud enough to echo in the quiet room.

Sister Lily, cradling Nash in her arms, glanced toward the window, her expression tinged with worry. "Yuno is taking an awfully long time. Even Father isn't back yet," she said, her tone betraying her growing concern.

Asta shot up in frustration. "Can't we just eat without them?" he grumbled.

Recca immediately frowned and admonished him. "That's not fair to Yuno. You know that."

Asta slumped back down with a heavy sigh. "Fine," he muttered. But as the minutes ticked by, his impatience got the better of him. He stood abruptly, peering out the window into the snowy night. "That's it. I'm going to bring him back!" he declared, dashing out before anyone could stop him.

Time dragged on, and Sister Lily's concern only deepened. She paced near the window, occasionally glancing at the door. Finally, I stood up, determination etched on my face. "Sister Lily, I'll go bring both of them back," I said, my voice steady despite the chill running down my spine.

She hesitated but nodded, her worried eyes meeting mine. Without wasting another moment, I rushed into the snowy night, the wind biting against my skin as I made my way toward the town.

Although I knew they would be fine—more than fine, in fact—how could I, someone who had shared meals, slept under the same roof, and bathed together with them since childhood, let my brothers endure this alone? The thought was unbearable. With renewed determination, I pushed myself to run faster toward the town, my breath visible in the biting cold air.

As I reached the outskirts of the town, the sight that greeted me made my blood run cold. Yuno stood there, tears streaming down his face, while Asta, bruised and battered, fought desperately against a adult man. The man was holding Yuno's pendant in his hand, a cruel smirk on his face as he punched Asta away with ease. Asta, covered in blood and bruises, kept getting back up, no matter how many times he was thrown to the ground.

My chest tightened as I took in the scene. The sight of them suffering ignited something primal within me, a protective fury I had never felt before. It was as if a dam inside me burst, and I heard it—a distinct click in my mind.

The next moment, an immense wave of mana erupted from me, surging outward like a storm with me at its center. The air crackled with raw energy, the ground trembling beneath the overwhelming force. Even the snow falling from the sky seemed suspended for a moment, pushed back by the sheer intensity of the mana. The man froze in his tracks, his smirk wiped away as terror took its place, startled by the sudden, overwhelming surge of mana. 

As he turned to face me, fear etched across his face, I roared, "Get away from them!" My voice thundered through the alley, shaking the very air. Instinctively, I waved my hand, and a swirling blast of multicolored mana erupted forth, streaking toward the man like a bolt of chaos itself.

The blast struck him with explosive force, hurling him through the air. The pendant slipped from his grasp and clattered to the ground as he crashed into a nearby wall, the impact so violent it cracked the stone. He crumpled to the ground, motionless. Life or death? I didn't care to find out. 

Snapping back to reality, I sensed the crowd beginning to gather, drawn by the noise and the surge of mana that had surely been felt across the town. There was no time to waste.

I hurriedly grabbed Asta and Yuno, my arms pulling them close as I whispered, "Let's go!" Without looking back, I scooped up the pendant and darted out of the alley, the boys in tow. My heart pounded in my chest, adrenaline coursing through my veins as we fled into the snowy night. The biting cold did little to cool the fire burning inside me.

After running for a while, exhaustion hit me hard. Carrying Asta and Yuno, along with the dissipating coat of mana, drained my strength faster than I expected. When I finally stopped, I looked down and saw Asta lying on the ground, his face smeared with blood and bruises. Yuno wasn't much better—just lightly injured, with a small trickle of blood at the corner of his lips.

Yuno rushed to Asta's side, tears welling in his eyes as he apologized, his voice shaky. "Asta, I'm sorry. I... I... It's all my fault." 

Asta gave a small, reassuring smile, though his face was twisted in pain. "It's nothing. Don't worry about it. I told you, we've always got your back." 

Yuno sniffled, barely holding it together. "Asta..."

Asta, despite his injuries, smiled softly. "I'm going to be the Wizard King, Yuno. I'll protect you, everyone. I'm gonna make everyone happy and give them nicer things. And then... I'm gonna prove to everyone..."

"Prove?" Yuno asked, confused.

Asta nodded, determination still strong in his voice. "That even if you're poor... or an orphan... you can still become the Wizard King."

Yuno hesitated, doubt clouding his face. "We can? Can we really?"

Asta, struggling to sit up, nodded. "Yeah. Anyone can. If they work hard enough. Me, you, or even Ryo."

I chuckled and joined the conversation. "No, thanks. I don't want that thankless job."

Asta and Yuno were taken aback. "Ehhh!! Why not, Ryo? And why 'thankless'?" they both asked in unison.

I grinned. "Once you're the Wizard King, you're just stuck in a room under piles of paperwork. Trust me, even the current Wizard King sneaks out to avoid it. No thanks. I just want to get stronger and live freely while enjoying life."

Asta shook his head, refusing to back down. "I don't care about all that! I'll become the Wizard King and prove myself to everyone!"

Yuno wiped away his tears, his resolve hardening. "I... I'll never cry again. Maybe I... no." He stood up, fists clenched in determination. "I'll become the Wizard King too. I'll get strong and protect you, protect everyone. I'm gonna make everyone happy and give them nicer things."

Asta grinned, pushing himself up beside Yuno. "So, you're gonna be the Wizard King too, huh, Yuno?" He paused, narrowing his eyes. "Then that means—"

They both shouted in unison, their voices full of determination, "Yuno(Asta), you are... my Rival! We'll fight at the top and see who will be the Wizard King!"

After the intense moment, Asta collapsed back onto the ground, exhaustion overtaking him. 'I guess the adrenaline rush is over', I thought, and without hesitation, I rushed to his side.

"Asta..." I murmured, gently supporting him as I glanced at Yuno. "Yuno, support him on the other side. We need to get him back to the church. Only Sister Lily can heal him."

When I turned back, I noticed that the pendant had slipped from my hands. I picked it up and handed it to Yuno, who carefully placed it around his neck. Together, Yuno and I helped Asta to his feet, with Yuno supporting him on the left side and me on the right. We made our way back to the church.

When we arrived, Sister Lily's eyes widened at the sight of Asta's battered body. The normally composed and calm woman froze for a moment, her breath hitching as she saw the bruises and blood. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she quickly wiped them away, trying to maintain her usual calm demeanor. Her voice cracked slightly as she hurried toward us.

"Lay him down on the bed, quickly!" she urged, her usual kindness replaced by an edge of panic.

We did as she asked, and without a second to lose, Sister Lily summoned her grimoire. The magical light from her healing spells enveloped Asta, and slowly but surely, his bruises began to fade, his injuries mending right before our eyes. But despite the success of the spell, Sister Lily's hands trembled slightly, betraying her worry.

Once she was sure Asta was stable, she turned to me, her face filled with both concern and a deep sense of relief. "What happened?" she asked, her voice tight with emotion, as if the mere thought of her charges in danger was too much to bear.

I sighed and recounted the events. Sister Lily listened quietly, her tears now slipping free as I spoke. She wiped them away quickly, but her eyes showed the raw concern of someone who had seen the children she loved so deeply hurt. She placed a comforting hand on my shoulder and then looked at all of us and whispered, "I'm just so glad you're all safe... That man will be okay. He'll survive. But don't ever scare me like that again."

After dinner that night, I drifted off to sleep, my mind still buzzing with everything that had happened.

The next morning, after a quick breakfast, we all went about our usual chores. Asta, of course, was still tirelessly attempting to "channel his mana." After yesterday's incident, he was more determined than ever, feeling a sense of urgency now that both Yuno and I had awakened our magic.

I sat under a tree, finishing up my own morning chores, my thoughts focused on studying my magic. There was still so much to learn and refine, and I wasn't about to waste time.

As I sat there, my mind lost in thought, I raised my hands instinctively, trying to summon my magic once again. Slowly, a colorful mist began to materialize in my palms, swirling around like a living thing. The vibrant cloud of flowing particles caught my attention, and I couldn't help but remember where I'd seen them before—those same particles had been floating around that white orb in the dark space I had once visited.

'How did they appear in my hands?' I wondered, my thoughts swirling. 'Was it because of that orb? What was that orb doing in that space? How did it even enter my body in the first place?'

The questions bounced around in my head, and I tried to focus, to make sense of it all. But my mind felt too scattered, the mystery far too large for me to piece together in one sitting. As I often did when deep in thought, I reached up to fiddle with the pendant around my neck, the familiar motion grounding me.

But this time, something was different. The moment my fingers brushed against the pendant, the gems on it began to glow—brightly, intensely, as if they were alive. The sudden surge of energy startled me, and before I could react, I involuntarily closed my eyes. When I opened them again, I found myself in a familiar yet vastly different place.

I was once again in my sea of consciousness, but everything had changed. The endless sea that I had seen before was no longer the same. The once empty sky was now filled with the colorful mist, swirling gracefully through the air like an aurora dancing across the heavens. The mist flowed in elegant arcs, revolving around the space as if it were a court of subjects circling a king. And there, in the center of it all, was my silhouette—cross-legged, serene, and focused, in stark contrast to the vibrant chaos around it.

In front of my silhouette hovered the orb, now cracked, its once smooth surface marred by a small but unmistakable fissure. The crack seemed to pulse with a faint, rhythmic glow, as if it were alive and waiting for something. The air around it crackled with a strange energy, and I couldn't help but be drawn toward it, the answers to my questions just beyond my reach. As I stepped forward, a beautiful, ethereal voice filled the air, as if it had been waiting for me.

"Oh, Inheritor, welcome back," the voice said, gentle and melodic. 

The moment the voice faded, I watched in awe as the crack in the orb began to widen, the fragile surface crumbling as if it couldn't withstand the weight of time any longer. With a sudden burst, the orb shattered completely, and the particles—those same colorful, glowing particles—shot out and were quickly absorbed into my silhouette.

As the energy poured in, the mist around me grew exponentially, its vibrant hues now almost blinding. The amount of magic—no, power—that had accumulated was staggering, and I felt an undeniable connection to it.

Then, as if drawn by the force of the energy, several of these particles began to gather, condensing in front of my silhouette. Slowly, they took form, and before me stood a figure—an entity created from the very essence of the mist, its shape flickering and shifting like a mirage.

I couldn't speak, couldn't move, as I stared at the being before me. Something deep inside told me this was important, that this moment would change everything.

But what was this figure? And what did it mean for me?

A/N: I'll leave you guys with a cliff hanger. Hehe. Who is that figure? Let me know about your guess. Also hope you all enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. 


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