(A/N):
Drop a meme here that you find funny. Or reflects your mood.
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WITCH FOREST...
SPRING FESTIVAL — FINAL DAY...
Morning light filtered through blooming branches.
The Witch Forest was alive.
Music.
Laughter.
Mana dancing freely in the air.
The Spring Festival reached its final day—
Ending not with war…
…but with friendly sparring.
SPARRING GROUNDS...
Circles of magic flared.
Witches dueled witches—
Controlled, elegant, precise.
Dorothy floated lazily through the air, giggling as dream constructs clashed.
Charlotte stood firm, briars snapping and reforming with disciplined grace.
Vanessa laughed as threads redirected spells mid-flight.
Ben watched from the sidelines.
"...."
Hands in pockets.
Relaxed.
He didn't participate.
This wasn't his place to fight.
By midday, portal opened.
Finral appeared briefly, breathless.
"Sorry guys—mission just came in!"
One by one, the Black Bulls stepped through—
Luck, Magna, Gauche, Grey, Gordon, Asta, Noelle—
Vanessa paused.
"...."
She looked back at the forest once more.
"…Try not to miss me too much,"
She said with a grin.
Then she vanished with the others.
As the time passed...
The time for Ben returning to his castle has come.
The forest grew quieter.
"...."
"...."
"...."
Ben adjusted his coat as he walked toward the forest's edge.
Beyond the forest—
A royal carriage waited.
Crest gleaming.
Time to go.
Roots shifted behind him.
The Witch Queen approached.
In her hand—
An ornate hand mirror, frame etched with ancient runes.
She extended it.
"Enchanted,"
She said calmly.
"Through this, we may contact one another."
Ben accepted it carefully.
"...."
"…Thanks,"
He said.
"For everything."
A pause.
"...."
"Try not to start a war with mens."
The Witch Queen smirked faintly.
-Smirk
"No promises."
Charlotte stood nearby, arms crossed.
"...."
"…Take care,"
She said, softer than usual.
Dorothy waved enthusiastically.
"We can come back and play games again especially UNO~!"
Ben smiled.
"I will."
He stepped out of the witch forest.
The carriage door opened.
Ben took one last look back—
"...."
Followed by Charlotte and Dorothy.
They then stepped inside.
The wheels began to roll.
Spring petals drifted down.
"...."
And the Witch Forest returned to its quiet watch.
AFTER BEN'S DEPARTURE...
The forest settled.
"...."
"...."
"...."
Then—
-WHOOSH.
Several royal guards descended from the sky, boots touching down in perfect unison.
One stepped forward, holding a prism projector in one hand and a sealed scroll in the other.
He knelt.
"...."
"By order of King Benjamin Salvatore Kira,"
He said respectfully.
"This is for the Witch Queen."
The Witch Queen studied the device—
Its crystal edges refracting light strangely.
She accepted both items.
The guard bowed deeply again.
She unsealed the scroll.
"...."
Her eyes moved calmly across the text.
Instructions.
Explanations.
A mana chip, crafted from compressed mana crystal—
Embedded inside the prism.
Which can be removed and replaced.
Contained within it—
A stored moving image.
A "movie."
She paused.
"...."
"…A memory that moves,"
She murmured.
The final line caught her attention.
"You will enjoy this."
Her lips curved slightly.
"...."
A dark chamber.
Smooth walls.
Plain surfaces.
All easily constructed.
She nodded once.
-Nod
"That will be all."
The guards bowed again and stepped back.
"...."
Brooms summoned.
The royal guards ascended swiftly—
Vanishing into the sky as they raced to catch up with the royal carriage.
The Witch Queen turned back toward the chamber.
Alone.
Curious.
"...."
And faintly amused.
BLACK BULLS SECRET BASE...
The base trembled slightly as Yami leaned back in his chair.
"Alright, listen up."
Everyone froze.
"...."
"...."
"...."
"A joint operation,"
He continued.
"With the Golden Dawn."
Murmurs spread instantly.
"A dungeon has popped up,"
Yami said, eyes sharp.
"Border region. Critical area."
Luck's eyes lit up instantly.
-Grin
"Ohhh? A dungeon?! Sounds fun!"
Asta practically bounced in place.
"YES! I'm ready! I'm totally ready!"
"Calm down, idiots,"
Yami snapped.
Noelle had already turned away.
"...."
Without a word, she stepped outside—
Determined.
A new move echoed in her mind.
Inspired by the Witch Forest.
Near the couch—
Vanessa stared at a wine barrel.
"...."
Unopened.
Her fingers hovered.
Then lowered.
"…Golden Dawn, huh,"
She murmured.
Something about this mission—
Didn't feel simple.
By looking at the serious face of the captain Yami.
Yami leaned back against the wall.
Arms crossed.
Eyes half-lidded.
"...."
But his mind wasn't on the noise around him.
Vanessa's thought faded into the background.
The mission.
The dungeon.
The Golden Dawn.
There was something else beneath it.
Something deliberate.
This mission wasn't just about a dungeon.
It was a test.
For William.
Yami's jaw tightened.
"...."
'If he really is part of the Eye of the Midnight Sun…'
Then this would expose him.
FLASHBACK...
WIZARD KING'S PALACE...
Sunlight poured through tall windows.
Stacks of ancient tomes floated quietly.
Julius Novachrono sat behind his desk, expression calm—
"...."
But eyes sharp.
Yami stood before him, arms crossed.
"...."
"I'm reporting the attack,"
Yami said.
"Elves. Midnight moon has some connection with it. And King Benjamin's conclusion."
Julius listened silently.
"...."
"…They were after magic stones,"
Yami continued.
"Crystals. Power sources."
Julius's fingers steepled.
"I suspected as much,"
He said softly.
"It's why I approved the joint operation,"
Julius continued.
"Yami… this mission isn't only reconnaissance."
Yami's eyes narrowed.
"…You're testing William."
Julius didn't deny it.
"You both are precious to me,"
He said quietly.
"You… and William."
Memories flickered—
Two rookies.
Two outsiders.
Two captains forged through effort, not birthright.
"If one of you has gone rogue,"
Julius said, voice heavy,
"then it is my responsibility…"
He looked directly at Yami.
"...."
"…to have the other stop him."
PRESENT...
Yami exhaled slowly.
-Sigh
"…Tch."
The weight settled in his chest.
Vanessa watched him from across the room.
She noticed it.
That heaviness.
"...."
That silence.
"…So,"
She said lightly, lifting a bottle which she had not opened yet,
"This mission's not just a dungeon crawl, is it?"
Yami didn't answer.
"...."
His gaze drifted toward the horizon.
While calmly taking a puff from his cigarette.
-Puff
"…Let's just say,"
He muttered,
"things are about to get complicated."
OLDEN DAWN SQUADS BASE...
Golden light filtered through tall windows.
William Vangeance stood near his desk, mask resting lightly against his face.
A scroll lay open in his hands.
His brow furrowed.
-Frown
"...."
'A joint operation... A newly emerged dungeon... Border region.'
And at the bottom—
The Wizard King's seal.
William exhaled slowly.
-Sigh
"…So it's time,"
He murmured.
He had been absent too often.
Moving in shadows.
Watching from afar.
If eyes were on him—
"...."
Then he needed to be seen.
William rolled the scroll shut and looked up.
"Call the vice captain,"
He said calmly.
Moments later, footsteps echoed.
-Thud -Thud
The vice captain Langris Vaude entered and knelt.
"We will participate in the mission,"
William said calmly.
"Prepare a squad."
He paused.
"Eight members."
The vice captain Langris Vaude nodded.
-Nod
"Understood."
"And include the new recruits,"
William added.
"...."
"Yuno. Mimosa."
A softer tone followed.
"This dungeon will be a good place for them to hone their skills."
"And perhaps…"
"…gain something that aids their growth."
At the mention of Yuno—
The vice captain Langris Vaude's expression tightened.
"...."
Just for a moment.
'A commoner. Under the same roof. Wearing the same robe.'
His jaw clenched.
"...."
But he said nothing.
"Yes, Captain,"
He replied stiffly.
He turned and left, cloak swaying as the doors closed behind him.
William remained still.
"...."
Mask hiding his face.
His magic humming faintly around him.
A joint mission.
A border dungeon.
And Yami Sukehiro watching from the other side.
"…I will not falter,"
William whispered.
RECRUITMENT HALL...
Bootsteps echoed sharply.
-Thud -Thud
The vice captain stood at the front, arms crossed, eyes cold.
"Listen up."
Conversations died instantly.
"...."
"...."
"...."
"A dungeon has emerged at the border,"
He said while looking at the squad members gathered.
"Joint operation."
A pause.
"...."
"With the Black Bulls."
Murmurs rippled through the hall.
"...."
"...."
"...."
"Eight will go."
He began listing names.
Experienced members first.
Trusted ones.
Then—
"Yuno."
The room shifted.
Eyes turned.
"...."
"...."
"...."
Some narrowed.
-Frown
Some scoffed.
Yuno stepped forward without hesitation.
Calm face.
"...."
Straight posture.
But inside—
'I belong here.'
He remembered the village.
The church.
'I won't stop,..'
he vowed.
'Not until I become Wizard King.'
His mana stirred—
Quiet, controlled, powerful.
He met the vice captain's gaze.
Unflinching.
"Mimosa Vermillion."
Her hand lifted instantly.
"Yes!"
Her excitement was impossible to miss.
"A joint mission with the Black Bulls?"
She whispered, smiling.
'Noelle…'
Whispers followed.
Yuno didn't react.
Mimosa only smiled politely.
Both of them stood apart—
Chosen.
The vice captain's gaze lingered on Yuno.
A commoner.
Too talented.
Too confident.
His jaw tightened.
"...."
"…Prepare yourselves,"
He said sharply.
"We move soon."
The squad assembled.
Eight cloaks.
Golden crests catching the light.
Yuno stood firm among them.
Mimosa glanced around, excitement barely contained.
"This is going to be amazing,"
She murmured.
Yuno spoke quietly.
"I'll prove it."
She looked at him.
"That you belong?"
He nodded once.
-Nod
"No,"
He said.
"That I'll surpass everyone."
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(Author's POV)
(A/N)Thanks for reading the chapter!
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