"My Queen, I'm off now!"
The next morning, the Witch Queen watched as Adam prepared to leave the palace. This hateful man had eaten so much for breakfast—it was like he had a bottomless stomach!
The Witch Queen stared at Adam's departing back and muttered to herself, "That stupid guy must think I was lying."
When you use the truth to deceive people, who can tell what's real and what's false?
"The stronger the magic power, the more miserable his death will be."
"Hello!"
Adam cheerfully greeted the witches as he walked through the forest. He was in a great mood—he'd eaten well, slept well, and even the bed had a faint fragrance that made him sleep like a baby.
Honestly, he didn't want to leave. This place was heaven!
"Ah! It's that stinky rascal from last night!"
The witches recognized him instantly and scattered in terror. They ran back home, sealing their doors and windows tight as if Adam were some sort of monster out to harm them.
Why didn't Her Majesty punish this guy?
Could it be that this guy… even the Queen…?
"Do I look that scary?"
Adam scratched his head, puzzled by their reaction. A handsome guy like him—why were they running away?
"It's so unfair. I'm not a monster, and I don't eat people."
What he didn't realize was that if anyone else had acted the way he did yesterday, they'd already be tied to a cross and left under the blazing sun for three months.
With a shrug, Adam flew toward the north of the Witch Forest. The mysterious dungeon ahead had completely captured his interest.
"Baby, here I come!"
At the Black Bulls' Headquarters
In order to break the curse on Asta, the Black Bulls split up to take action!
Magna and Luck headed to a dungeon on the kingdom's border—a dungeon far more dangerous than the first dungeon Adam had ever visited.
Gauche and Gordon chose to go to the Royal Capital's largest library to search for a way to lift the ancient curse.
Charmy and Grey ventured to an uninhabited region near the kingdom's frontier, exploring a primeval forest to find plants that could cure the curse.
Everyone was on the move.
Vanessa returned early that morning to the Witch Forest, only to find a shocking scene—every home was sealed tight, doors and windows barred, as though the people were hiding from something terrifying.
She didn't have time to think about it. Her only goal was to beg the Witch Queen for forgiveness and ask her to save Asta.
"Queen! Your beloved Vanessa has returned! Please open the door!"
Vanessa shouted outside the palace gates. A cold wind howled. The door creaked open, and a flock of crows swept her inside.
Bang!
The heavy doors slammed shut behind her, as if sealing her fate.
But after being taught a painful lesson by Adam, would the Witch Queen still cling to her obsession with Vanessa's "fate"?
Perhaps this mysterious man who appeared out of nowhere was destined to change her outlook.
Meanwhile, Noelle had asked Finral to teleport her to meet Asta's swordsmanship master.
Fanzell Kruger, a former commander from the Diamond Kingdom, now lived quietly in the Clover Kingdom with his witch fiancée and his cold, young apprentice.
"Ah! Hooligan!"
Noelle screamed as she launched a powerful Water Magic attack toward the messy-haired Fanzell.
The bad blood between Fanzell and the Black Bulls stemmed from his apprentice's complicated love-hate relationship with her master—and a bloody past involving the Bulls and the Diamond Kingdom's assassination squad.
Yami had been kind enough not to report the incident; otherwise, the entire Fanzell family would have been thrown into prison.
Northern Witch Forest — Border of the Spade Kingdom
Near a powerful dungeon zone, the air reeked of danger. It was known as the graveyard of mages—a forbidden place everyone avoided.
"Oh my god! This is even more spectacular than the underwater temple's outer ring!"
Tornadoes twisted through the valley, lightning flashed endlessly, and the roar of thunder echoed like a beast's cry.
Adam landed at the edge of the strong demonic zone. Surrounded by towering mountains and violent storms, the entire area was encased by natural disasters—nature's own fortress.
"Let's go have a look!"
He cloaked himself in magic power. The awakening of perfect dragon power made his body feel indestructible.
Yet, great strength often brought great suffering.
As Adam stepped into the storm, a blinding bolt of lightning as thick as an arm shot straight at his face.
Crack!
The strike slammed against his magic coat, deflected harmlessly. Adam kept walking without flinching.
But the storm grew fiercer, battering his magic defenses. Lightning struck like torrential rain, and the constant rumble of thunder filled the skies.
"No… this magic power is becoming harder to control."
It was strange—ever since obtaining the power of the Water Demon, controlling magic had felt effortless. But here, his mana was wildly unstable, as though the zone itself was trying to consume him.
His aqua-blue coat trembled violently, almost rebelling against its owner.
"Haha… Witch Queen, so this is your plan."
Adam sneered. In this deadly zone, the stronger one's magic, the worse the backlash.
"Nice trick. But I'm not that easy to kill. Disperse!"
With a shout, he released his magic. The storm howled in laughter, mocking human arrogance.
Just your physical strength alone, and you dare to challenge thunder?
Crack!
A monstrous bolt of lightning tore through the sky, guided by a spinning tornado that aimed straight for Adam.
"Proud Chicken! Grant me the power to control objects with my mind!"
His grimoire flared with golden light, the symbol of a rooster glowing brightly. Adam raised his hands—and the incoming lightning froze in midair.
Even the storm seemed to halt, as if unwilling to trespass into his domain.
"I'm such an idiot," he muttered. "I already had the easiest way through—why did I have to make this so hard?"
If he'd used the Sheep Talisman, he could've floated through unscathed.
"Dragon Blast!"
Adam exhaled a torrent of flame, swallowing the lightning whole. His hands flared with energy beams that scattered the raging storm until calm returned to the world.
He didn't know how long it would take to escape this place, but one thing was certain—recklessness would get him killed.
Rumble!
The thunder gathered again, the storm rebuilding itself with renewed fury. Sheets of rain poured down from above, punishing the defiant intruder.
"I'm not sticking around for round two!"
Adam sprinted away, lightning crashing behind him. Even a dragon's body could turn to charcoal in this place.
Dodging one strike after another, he transformed into a cheetah, dashing at impossible speed through the storm.
Each bolt chased him in vain—too slow to catch him.
Finally, he stopped at the edge of the storm, sitting down and panting heavily.
A grin crept across his face. "I gave you a chance, but you blew it."
Crack!
A deep blue lightning bolt flashed above, as if the dungeon zone itself was answering his taunt.