Training Ground
Nami, drenched in sweat and exhausted, was training relentlessly. Each time she raised her sword and struck with all her strength, but no magic was released, no trace of skill appeared.
Her status window?
Empty. No level, no equipment, not even a single basic skill.
Nothing.
But Nami didn't give up.
Each strike was stronger than the last.
She murmured under her breath:
— "If I don't have talent… I'll obtain it through training…"
Until eventually…
Little by little the world before her eyes blurred, her strength ran out, and she collapsed toward the ground.
But…
Before she hit the ground, someone caught her.
She could only make out a dark face…
and then she lost consciousness.
Black Clover Guild
Shinkuro woke up gasping for air.
— "I'm… alive?"
Before he could fully come to his senses, a screen appeared in front of him:
You have an emergency message.
Shinkuro muttered in surprise: Emergency?!
He opened the message in bewilderment…
Countdown: 3 hours remaining until the opening of the Dābora Gate.
Shinkuro's eyes widened:
— "Dābora? What the hell is that?!"
He quickly put on his battle gear, adjusted his glasses, ran downstairs to the hall and saw that
half the members were still unconscious…
except Masaru, Daigon, and a few mid-tier fighters.
Shinkuro stepped forward anxiously.
Masaru smirked: "What's wrong again, four-eyes? Why are you so panicked?"
Daigon frowned: "Speak properly, you gorilla!"
Masaru stood up, about to draw his sword, but—
Shinkuro shouted:
— "Stop it! We don't have time! A serious threat is coming!"
Saya said in surprise:
— "But the next gate isn't supposed to open for another three days!"
Shinkuro, calm but worried:
— "This one… has nothing to do with the regular floors. It's far beyond that…"
Everyone looked at him in shock…
Mount Grief – Burial place of friend Yagami
Yagami was sitting by the fire, eating a piece of grilled meat. Opposite him, Satan was also eating calmly.
The sky was dark, the air heavy… when suddenly a screen appeared:
Emergency Message:
3 hours remaining until the opening of the Dābora Gate
A demonic smile crept onto Yagami's lips.
— "Finally… the time has come."
Satan said calmly: "So it's finally opening."
Yagami stood up, walked to Yuji's grave, sat beside it and said:
"You gave me a second life… and I promise you this: the dream you always talked about… I will make it come true… brother."
Black Clover Guild
Shinkuro shouted:
— "You got the message too, Masaru?!"
Masaru calmly: "Yeah, I got it. So what?"
Shinkuro angrily:
— "You idiot! Why didn't you tell anyone?!"
Masaru carelessly: "I forgot."
Kaoru asked quietly:
— "Sir… what exactly is this Dābora Gate?"
Daigon snapped:
— "It's none of your business. Go do your job."
But Shinkuro said the opposite:
— "No, now is the time. Many are still unconscious and you need to take their place. Are you ready?"
Kaoru bowed respectfully:
— "Yes sir! I'll do everything I can."
Those who had just woken up were worried they might die in this unknown hell this time:
"I wish I hadn't woken up…"
When Shinkuro heard their words, he shouted in a loud, clear voice:
"Don't lose hope! As long as there is hope, even fate itself can't do anything to you!"
Suddenly everyone's morale rose. They got off their beds and started checking and preparing their equipment.
Masaru was looking at Shinkuro with a smile…
Mount Grief:
Yagami drew his swords. The blades were rusted and looked as though a hundred years had passed over them.
Yagami sent a bit of his energy into the swords, but the moment the energy entered, they shattered and crumbled.
Yagami said calmly:
"Even lasting this long is a miracle in itself."
He turned to Satan and said:
"Return to my body."
Satan returned to Yagami's body and asked:
"What are you planning to do, master?"
Yagami said calmly:
"Let's go to the city and buy a sword."
Guild Market:
Yagami entered the market. Every kind of armor, enhancement clothing, magic items were there.
While looking around the shops, his eyes suddenly fell on a hooded outfit with black pants and black boots. He said:
"I like it."
He entered the shop and asked:
"How much is this outfit?"
Yui (the shopkeeper), a beautiful, well-shaped woman in revealing clothes and a short skirt, came forward seductively and said:
"Can I help you, handsome?"
Yagami asked calmly again:
"How much is this outfit with the pants and boots?"
Yui said flirtatiously:
"So you're one of those cool, black-clad types… I love men like that."
Yagami glanced at her and said:
"If you're not selling, I'll go somewhere else."
Yui said playfully:
"Aww, why so grumpy? For you it's free, but…"
Yagami said calmly:
"I don't want your charity. Tell me the price. Take your money."
Yui said:
"It's 100 gold coins."
Yagami asked calmly:
"That's quite expensive… so it must have magical skills then?"
Yui said:
"Yes, everything you asked for is S-rank. The top has magical armor, the pants have auto-healing magic, and the boots greatly increase running speed."
Yagami took out a pouch from his pocket, handed it to her, and took the clothes.
Yui said flirtatiously:
"Want to try them on right here?"
Yagami said calmly:
"No need. Just transfer."
Suddenly his old clothes were replaced with the new ones.
Yui said:
"So you're a mage after all…"
But Yagami said nothing, just gave a small nod of thanks and left the shop.
After Yagami left, Yui smiled, licked her lips, and a strange light flashed across her face…
Yagami then entered a sword shop.
The shopkeeper came forward:
"Please come in, sir!"
Yagami said seriously:
"Bring me your best swords."
The shopkeeper went into a hidden room and after a few moments returned with 5 swords and said:
"These are the best we have."
Yagami picked up one, transferred a bit of his power into it.
The sword endured the power.
The shopkeeper said proudly:
"I told you! This sword is one of the best in the area."
Yagami sent a little more energy. The sword slowly started cracking.
Yagami restrained his energy, handed the cracked sword back and said seriously:
"What about this one?"
The shopkeeper gave him another one and said proudly:
"This is the strongest. This sword belonged to the third king of Hatiman. Black Blade – the grip is wrapped with magic rope that transfers magic into it faster and more easily."
Yagami took the sword, looked at the black blade and said:
"Excellent blade."
The shopkeeper said proudly:
"Don't you want to test it?"
Yagami transferred 50% of his power into the sword.
The blade color changed — from black to blood-red.
The shopkeeper looked in shock and said:
"Why did it do that? How much magic power do you have? May I ask your level?"
Yagami, still looking at the blade, answered:
"I'm S-rank."
The shopkeeper said:
"Then this sword was made for you, sir."
Yagami said calmly:
"What else do you have? I need one for my right hand too."
The shopkeeper excitedly said:
"Yes sir, this sword—"
Yagami cut him off:
"No, these won't do. Bring me something that can endure real battle."
The shopkeeper locked the door, lowered the shutters, gestured to Yagami and said:
"Follow me."
Yagami followed in surprise. They reached a basement.
They went down to a gate sealed with chains and powerful seals.
The shopkeeper recited the unsealing incantation. The chains and locks opened.
The shopkeeper looked at Yagami and said:
"I found a sword during the war between those three monsters. I think this sword belonged to one of them… because this sword… feels alive."
Yagami looked in astonishment.
When the gate opened, an extremely powerful energy burst out.
Yagami's eyes widened, he just stared, then a demonic smile appeared on his face and he said:
"Now this… just got interesting..."
(To be continued)