Asta swung his greatsword, and the moment it connected, the enemy's magic was erased.
The enormous ice cone split cleanly in two and flew past Magna on both sides.
Asta shouted angrily, "This is unforgivable! Why would you do something like this? Who are you?!"
The ice-faced man glanced down at his pocket watch and spoke in a flat tone.
"Lazy and uncouth heretics of the Black Bull Magic Knights. Five minutes. Kill everyone and locate the target."
Asta clenched his teeth. "I'm asking why you killed the villagers!"
The man's expression did not change.
"This village lies within the Huiwai zone, where the lower classes reside. Those who live in Huiwai are inferior races who can barely use life magic. They are nothing more than useless livestock."
"I eliminated them because they would only waste my time. That is all."
"You possess enough magic to become a Knight, don't you? You want to save them because it's your mission. But can't you see? They're insignificant animals, not worth saving."
Sylvar Crowe stepped forward and shouted coldly, "No matter how you dress it up, they're still human beings, just like us. People like you, who cling to 'nobility,' are the truly despicable ones."
"What shallow sympathy," the ice-faced man replied.
Asta's voice was firm. "I will protect these people."
"Is that so?" the man said calmly. "If you value these lowly beasts so much, then protect them."
"Ice–fog compound magic. Infinite ice gravel."
"Let's see how many you can save."
Countless ice cones formed behind him and rained down toward Asta.
Asta swung his sword wildly, cutting through as many as he could to shield the villagers behind him.
Sylvar lashed out with chains, intercepting the rest.
Magna unleashed fire magic nonstop, blasting ice apart before it could reach the crowd.
Not good.
Noelle tried to counterattack with water magic, but every spell missed.
A mocking voice echoed from the enemy side.
"To think the Black Bulls would have someone who can't even control their own magic. What a disgrace."
Noelle froze.
At that moment, a small girl tugged at her cloak.
"Please… save me."
Something inside Noelle shattered.
Her grimoire reacted.
"Water Creation Magic — Sea Dragon's Lair."
A massive vortex of water formed overhead, spiraling into a protective dome that shielded everyone beneath it without a single blind spot.
The next instant, Asta charged.
He stabbed toward the ice-faced man, but a slick ice surface formed beneath his feet.
He slipped, and the strike failed to knock the man down.
Ice surged from the ground.
A spike impaled Asta upward, flinging him into the air.
He crashed down, blood spilling from his mouth, unconscious.
The ice-faced man walked past him toward the barrier.
For the first time, anger flickered across his expression.
"You've wasted enough of my time. You'll pay for this."
Asta stood again.
"It's not over yet!"
He slashed from behind—
But an ice fang erupted from the ground, piercing him once more.
Blood sprayed as he was thrown back again.
Still, Asta forced himself upright.
"I don't want to become the Magic Emperor to keep promises," he yelled.
"I want to become it to protect everyone!"
Magna laughed loudly. "That's the kind of idiot I like!"
Sylvar had exhausted most of his magic blocking the other mages, but beneath Noelle's shield, his reserves recovered just enough.
He stepped forward.
"Senior Magna. Let's go. This is the decisive moment."
"Good."
The instant they exited the water barrier, the ice-faced man turned toward them.
"This is your baptism," Magna said.
He unleashed everything.
"Fire Magic — Shotgun Magic Ball!"
At the same time, Sylvar hurled chains outward, binding all five enemies and forcing them to split their focus.
The explosive fireball curved past the restrained mages.
Behind them, Asta swung the Demon-Slayer Sword.
The magic rebounded.
The blast slammed back into the cloaked figures, knocking them unconscious instantly.
Only the ice-faced man remained barely conscious.
Asta rushed forward and struck him down.
It was over.
Sylvar immediately bound each enemy with magic-sealing chains, locking their mana flow.
He reinforced the seals on the space mage and the ice mage in particular.
Asta raised his sword with one hand and roared,
"I beat you! The one you called inferior! Did you see that?!"
Then he collapsed.
As Asta lay unconscious, Sylvar stared at the five fallen enemies.
He had to be ready.
If he wanted the space grimoire, the Yin Seal would need to be opened.
As for the ice grimoire… that depended on whether any magic remained.
Before they woke up, he needed to recover as much mana as possible.
Soon, the five stirred.
Magna scowled.
"When my magic recovers, I'll take you back. You'll spend the rest of your lives paying for this. Who are you? What's your purpose?"
Before he could finish—
"I refuse."
The moment those words were spoken, the three remaining cloaked figures froze solid, turning into massive blocks of ice.
The space mage and the ice mage remained sealed, unable to move or activate even their magic tools.
The instant Sylvar heard those words—
He opened the Yin Seal.
A surge of magic power erupted from his body, shocking both Magna and Noelle.
Sylvar lunged forward, seized the space mage first, and activated Magic Book: Seal.
The space mage's grimoire began to collapse inward, page by page, until only a single book remained.
Then came the ice mage.
His grimoire followed the same fate.
Seconds later, the frozen figures shattered into ice fragments.
Magna stared in disbelief. "What just happened? Was that your magic?"
Noelle asked quietly, "How did you do that?"
Sylvar panted. "That wasn't my magic. I tried to stop it… but failed."
Magna frowned. "Then why did they enter their own grimoires?"
Sylvar coughed. "A secrecy failsafe. If they're captured, the magic tools eliminate them to prevent leaks."
Magna thought it over, then nodded.
"Fine. Then they all committed suicide today. Understood?"
He looked at Noelle.
"Yes," she said quickly.
At that moment, a dull-feathered anti-magic bird flew down and pecked Asta on the head with a stone.
Noelle burst out laughing.
They returned to the base.
After the report, Captain Yami said,
"You idiots caused a mess. Good work."
"Yes," they replied.
Vanessa added, "Forensics checked their belongings. Nothing useful. Judging by the watch and behavior, probably royal radicals."
Yami continued, "The Wizard King approved your actions. We earned a star."
"What?" Magna shouted.
"What do stars mean?" Asta asked.
Vanessa explained, "Nine orders compete by stars. Golden Dawn leads with seventy."
Yami placed the star on the board.
The Black Bulls' penalty dropped from thirty-one to thirty.
"This is your pay," he said, tossing them a bag.
Vanessa offered, "Let's head to the castle town."
Finral transported them.
Vanessa led them into the black market.
Sylvar split off to buy magic potions.
The shopkeeper explained their limited effects.
Sylvar was speechless.
A magic world, yet healing was this weak?
On the way out, he spotted a wind mage robbing an old woman.
Asta chased.
Sylvar intercepted, chains snapping out.
One strike. The thief fell.
The thief woke suddenly and stabbed Huha's foot.
Another chain strike. Immobilized.
Huha wailed dramatically.
Asta shouted, "Live your own dream!"
Vanessa healed him. "Just paralysis poison."
Back at base, Sylvar returned to his room.
It was clean.
Good.
He reviewed the operation.
First, space magic.
Then ice.
After a full day and night—
Success.
Space magic acquired.
Then ice magic.
Escape, offense, supplies.
The plan could finally begin.
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Author's Notes:
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