Asta coughed out another mouthful of dirt and pushed himself upright, smoke still curling off his clothes. His brows furrowed, jaw set so tight it looked like it might crack.
"NO! I'M NOT DONE!!"
With a battle cry that echoed off the broken stone, he charged straight for the blazing wall guarding the entrance, arms pumping, legs driving him forward through the heat.
He was inches from breaking through—
—when a condensed fireball tore through the inferno from the other side and smashed into him point-blank.
"GAAAH—!"
He went flying again, tumbling head over heels before crashing into the ground in a cloud of dust.
As the flames thinned and parted, Yami and the others stepped through, seeing the chaos unfold in full display.
"Okay, now I'm real mad! You ready to take me on!?"
The shout came from a rough-looking mage wearing dark sunglasses despite the fading daylight. His black hair was streaked with gray and swept back in a wild, messy style, with the lower strands hanging loose around his neck. Everything about him looked loud and reckless, from the sharp grin on his face to the flaming bat gripped tightly in his hand. Fire licked along its length, crackling and snapping as if it were just as eager for a fight as he was. Beside him, his grimoire hovered open, its pages fluttering wildly in the heated air.
Opposite him—and several feet above the ground—hovered a much shorter blond boy with messy blonde hair and sharp, feral blue eyes. Crackling arcs of electricity wrapped around his legs, forming jagged, armored boots made entirely of lightning. He bounced lightly in midair, twitchy and restless, a grin stretched across his face like he was enjoying this far too much.
"No, not really! But let's go!" he chirped gleefully.
The sunglasses-wearing mage snarled and reeled back with his flaming bat. His grimoire flared brighter, summoning multiple fireballs that formed in a tight cluster at his side and swung for the heavens.
"DIEEEEEE!!!!" he screamed with each strike.
Every fireball rocketed forward with blinding speed, streaking toward the airborne blond in rapid succession.
But the lightning-booted mage only laughed as he effortlessly zigzagged through the barrage, sparks snapping in the air as he twisted and flipped between explosions.
Around them, the rest of the squad hardly reacted to the chaos.
Though one member did slump upright from a worn-out sofa, groaning loudly. A tall woman with long pink hair falling messily around her shoulders rubbed her temples, clearly nursing a brutal hangover. She wore nothing but a dark bikini, one strap slightly twisted as if she hadn't bothered fixing it after collapsing there.
"Ugh… why's it so loud in here…?" she mumbled, squinting toward the flames. "I should've skipped those extra drinks… my head's killing me…"
Emilia's eyes widened slightly at the woman. "Wait, that pink hair… I remember her; she was there with them when they rescued me." Her eyes then flattened as the woman downed an entire bottle of wine. "I would've never guessed she was a drunkard."
Before she could dwell on it, a sweet smell caught her attention.
Her gaze shifted to a massive wooden table pushed against the far wall, piled absurdly high with cakes, tarts, pastries, and candies of every shape and color. Frosting glistened. Syrup dripped. It looked less like a snack spread and more like a sugar shrine.
Seated cross-legged atop the table itself was a small black-haired girl, cheeks puffed out as she crammed an entire cupcake into her mouth. Crumbs scattered everywhere as she reached immediately for another, eyes sparkling with pure delight.
Emilia blinked.
"…Is that all for her? There's no way she'll be able to finish all that."
And then—
Off to the side, half-hidden in shadow, sat a familiar figure, staring intently into his magic mirror.
"Ugh, I almost forgot he was in this squad too," Emilia thought, a faint twitch forming in her brow.
Gauche tore his gaze away from the floating mirror in front of him, blood trickling freely from his nose.
"ENOUGH! SHUT UP, DAMN YOU!!" he roared, face flushed.
Emilia blinked.
"Bloody nose…? That usually means it's Marie."
Her eyes flicked to the mirror, curiosity prickling.
"I wonder- is he talking to her right now?"
For half a second, she considered blinking behind him just to confirm it—but she stopped herself. If it was Marie and she suddenly saw Emilia appear out of nowhere, the poor girl would be wide awake with excitement for the next hour and probably wake everyone else up with her.
"Yeah… better not."
It was then that Asta burst into the hideout, brushing soot off his shoulders and shaking ash from his hair. He froze for a moment, wide-eyed at the absolute chaos—flames, lightning, yelling, crumbling masonry.
For a split second, he looked overwhelmed.
Then his jaw set.
He squared his shoulders, planted his feet, and inhaled deeply.
"I'M ASTA FROM HAGE VILLAGE!! I'M A BLACK BULL NOW TOO!!" he bellowed at the top of his lungs, fists raised high. "SOMEDAY I'M GOING TO BECOME THE WIZARD KING!!"
Emilia sweatdropped.
"They completely ignored him…"
"That flan you were saving was suuuper tasty!" Luck called out sweetly, lightning sparking around his limbs.
"GOOD! THAT'S THE LAST THING YOU'LL EVER EAT!!" the punk mage roared back, swinging harder, sending even more flaming projectiles rocketing upward.
They all missed, instead destroying the walls behind them.
"Come on, give it a rest you idiots!" Gauche finally snapped, turning from his mirror. He shook a fist toward them, nose still bleeding. "You're going to wake up my sister with all the noise you're making! DAMNIT!!"
The pink-haired woman on the couch groaned before turning her attention to Gauche.
"Ugh! Get over it, you freaky sister lover!" she yelled before pressing her palm to her forehead. "Let's see… I remember getting into a drinking contest with some guy… after that…" Her voice trailed off as she tried—and failed—to piece together her lost memories.
Walking past Emilia and the others, a sheep man carried an enormous tray stacked high with food.
Emilia glanced toward the long table. The towering piles of cakes, pastries, and tarts that had been there seconds ago were completely gone. Not even crumbs remained.
Her gaze slowly shifted to the small black-haired mage, who was already mid-chew, cheeks puffed out as she stared at the incoming tray with sparkling anticipation.
The sheep-hooded man gently set the massive platter down in front of her.
She thanked him before inhaling the next cupcake.
"What the hell…? How can she fit all that food in such a tiny body?" she thought, genuinely shaken.
Another flaming fastball screamed across the room and slammed straight into Asta. Again. He bounced off the floor with a yelp, smoke curling off his clothes.
"Would you PLEASE shut up!?" the pink-haired woman groaned, clutching her head. "I've got the mother of all headaches!"
"That's your own fault, ya' drunk!" the punk with the flaming bat shot back without even looking at her.
Her eye twitched. "What'd you say!?"
"Oh, you heard me!" he barked—then casually swatted a wine bottle across the room.
It missed her entirely, but it did not miss Asta. The bottle cracked against his face just as he was pushing himself up.
Emilia felt for him as she watched him reel from the blow.
The pink-haired woman then got up and stormed to the mage in sunglasses, jabbing a finger into his chest. "At least I'm not some virgin street punk with a bat and a bad attitude!"
A flush of red burned across his face. "W-Where do you get off callin' me that!?"
"Really?" Emilia thought dryly, watching him unravel.
Hovering just above them, the blond lightning mage grinned wickedly. "You'd better be careful! Get distracted, and I'll get you!"
The punk whirled, retreating from the woman and pointing his flaming bat at the airborne menace. "Oh yeah!? Then get down here and try it! COME ON!!"
More fireballs blasted across the room.
One clipped a wall.
Another barely missed Asta—who had wisely decided to remain face-down for the moment.
Through the chaos, Emilia's attention drifted to the far side of the room.
A massive figure slouched across an entire sofa, muscles thick as tree trunks, dark skin gleaming in the firelight. He exhaled—
—and a thick cloud of smoke poured from his mouth like a dragon's breath.
The haze drifted lazily toward the ceiling.
Emilia blinked.
"…Why does he look like he's about to eat someone?"
Gauche finally snapped.
He shot up from the couch so fast it nearly tipped over, one boot slamming onto the table beside him. A mirror materialized at his side as he pointed at the arguing trio.
"I TOLD YOU TO SHUT UP!!" he roared, eyes wild. "IN THE NAME OF MY ANGELIC SISTER MARIE, I WILL DESTROY YOU BOTH!!"
Behind her, Yami had been watching the whole spectacle like it was a stage play put on for his amusement. But after another explosion, his smile began to wane. Instead, a familiar dark purple pressure seeped from him.
"…Alright," he muttered, voice low.
His hand rose slowly and turned into a fist.
"I've had enough… QUIT BREAKING STUFF ALREADY—!!!!"
He drove it straight into the wall beside him. The impact shattered the wall, sending debris and smoke throughout the room.
From somewhere near the floor, Asta pushed himself upright, brushing rubble off his shoulders.
"Wow! Now it's WAY broken!" he yelled.
"It's official… they're all crazy." Emilia sighed, pinching her eyes.
Once the smoke cleared, every pair of eyes in the hideout snapped toward Yami.
They all lunged at once with smiles, forgetting their previous arguments.
A flash of cold blue light carried Emilia a few steps to the side, dodging the horde.
But Asta wasn't so fortunate.
"GYAAAH—!" he yelled as he was trampled.
They crowded around Yami, all talking at once. He scratched the back of his neck, staring at them blankly as if this were the most normal thing in the world.
The spiky-haired guy in sunglasses—pumped a fist. "How was it? Did ya' find us an arrogant newbie?" He leaned in close, tightening his fist. "I can take 'em down a notch or two-!"
Before he could continue, the blonde mage popped up and shoved Magna's face aside.
"Please, sir! Can I go up against you today?" He threw a few quick shadow punches: "Come on, don't hold back!"
Vanessa slid in next, draping herself around Yami's neck with dramatic flair, a faint flush on her cheeks. "Now, now~ forget all about these little brats," she purred lazily. "Why don't you come have a drink with me instead?"
"Hey, hey! Try this! It's really good!" Charmy chimed, appearing out of nowhere and shoving a pink-frosted cupcake toward his face. "Take a biiig bite! Go on!"
Gauche stood up more slowly, nose still faintly bloodied. "I can't take this anymore," he muttered. Then, stiffly, "May I please go see my sister?"
Emilia blinked. "Did he just say please?" She almost laughed. "Sister Theresa would never believe this. Looks like Yami's got him on a tighter leash than she ever did."
Off to the side, the massive man on the couch exhaled a thick plume of smoke-like steam and mumbled something incoherent in greeting.
Yami snorted. "Yeah, yeah. Missed you idiots, too." Then his expression flattened into annoyance. "Now shut up, will ya'?"
"Sorry, sir!" they shouted in perfect unison, dropping into neat, formal kneeling positions in front of him, hands on thighs like disciplined soldiers.
Emilia stared.
"That's all it takes, huh?"
"Alright," Yami said, gesturing lazily. "I'd like you all to meet… uh—" He glanced around. "Armor girl, where'd the runt go?"
Her eyebrow twitched. "Armor girl? Seriously?"
She scanned the room and quickly spotted the problem.
Asta's legs were sticking out from beneath the massive, steam-exhaling man. The poor boy wheezed as he clawed his way free.
"Quit messin' around!" Yami barked.
"Pretty sure he's stuck," Emilia said.
The large man shifted slightly, and Asta finally rolled out, gasping for air. He stumbled upright and hurried over to stand beside Emilia, dirt and grime still clinging to his face.
He gave a shaky thumbs-up.
"I-I'm okay!" he wheezed.
Now that everyone had finally settled—more or less—Yami jerked a thumb toward Asta and Emilia.
"Now, like I was sayin'… these are our other new members."
Hearing that, both were confused.
Emilia's gaze flicked around the room. "I only remember me and Asta getting picked."
"Go on," he grunted. "Tell 'em your names or somethin'."
"Right!" Asta straightened instantly, fists clenched at his sides as he inhaled deeply. "MY NAME'S ASTA FROM HAGE VILLAGE!! IT'S VERY NICE TO MEET EVERYONE!!" His voice boomed through the hideout.
"You're from Hage? That's out in the middle of nowhere." The punk-looking mage commented.
Then their attention shifted to Emilia.
Some looks were openly curious. Though Gauche's expression darkened immediately.
Emilia stepped forward calmly.
"I'm Emilia Rowe, and I'm from…"
For half a heartbeat, she almost said it.
"...Droggo. The old border town that was destroyed…"
But she swallowed the words.
"I'm from Narin, in the common realm. I was raised in a church there."
Simple. Clean. No past attached.
Vanessa gave her a small, easy smile from the floor. It wasn't flashy or dramatic—just a quiet welcome.
"Does she remember me?" Emilia wondered. "It's been a while… and I don't exactly look the same."
Gauche clicked his tongue and looked away, clearly irritated.
Yami motioned lazily toward the man beside him.
"Finral. Introduce everyone, will ya'?"
"Sure thing, sir," he replied easily. "Let's see, where to start…" he began, putting a hand to his chin before turning to the gothic man beside him.
"You know Gordon Agrippa. He's not the easiest guy to talk to, but he's good people."
The pale, slender mage stood stiffly a few steps away. His black hair was slicked straight back, his long face framed by heavy black eyeshadow around red eyes. He wore black lipstick and nail polish, giving him an almost eerie appearance.
"...hello, welcome to the Black Bulls, I hope we can be friends…" he murmured in a voice so soft it barely registered over the crackle of leftover embers in the room.
Asta leaned toward Emilia. "Did he say something?"
"I have no idea," she replied quietly.
Finral coughed lightly and moved along.
"Next, we have Vanessa Enoteca," he explained. "She, ah… tends to pick fights when she's drunk. But she's good people, I promise."
"'Pick fights'? I don't know what you're talking about." Vanessa replied before her golden eyes shifted to them, "Hage village? Way out on the outskirts of the kingdom?" she asked.
"Yeah!" Asta answered immediately.
"And you… You're from the same church Gauche's sister is from, aren't you?"
"Don't talk about my sister so casually," Gauche snapped.
Vanessa didn't even spare him a glance. "Oh, get over it, you creepy sister lover."
"YOU—!"
But she was already on her feet.
With an easy sway in her step, she walked straight up to the two of them. Asta and Emilia were still standing side by side when she suddenly looped her arms around their shoulders and pulled them down closer to her height.
"You two must've worked so hard," she cooed, the scent of alcohol unmistakable. "From a tiny church and some middle-of-nowhere village all the way to the Magic Knights? That's impressive, kiddos~."
Asta and Emilia froze.
"Why don't I give you two a little reward?" Vanessa purred, leaning in closer.
Asta looked like he might combust on the spot.
Emilia didn't hesitate.
"I think I'll pass…"
Vanessa opened her mouth to say something, but abruptly clamped a hand over it.
There was a split second of dreadful silence before her eyes widened and…
"BLEUUUUGHHH!!!" The contents of her stomach spilled through her fingers and onto the floor right in front of them. Some of which splashed onto Emilia's white shoes.
"Just great…" she thought, looking down at them before shooting the dizzy pink-haired mage an annoyed glare.
Finral quickly stepped forward, forcing a polite smile. "A-Alright! Let's continue, shall we?"
A blond blur suddenly sprang up from the floor, arm shooting high into the air.
"Hey! Do me next!" he called out eagerly, grinning widely.
Finral laughed lightly and nodded. "Right, this is Luck Voltia. A battle freak who's addicted to fighting, but he's good people."
Luck beamed.
"It's nice to meet you guys!" he chirped — and in the same breath dropped into a loose fighting stance, fists raised, eyes sparkling with excitement. "So hey… do you guys like to fight!?"
Without warning, he began lightly jabbing at them — quick, playful punches aimed at their shoulders.
Asta blocked them with his palm, while Emilia simply let him bump against her armor.
"You two wanna go!?" Luck challenged, his eyes going almost feral.
"Uhhh…?" Asta looked at him, confused.
Emilia gave a faint, almost amused smile. "He'll make an excellent sparring partner."
"Hey."
A familiar voice cut in, colder, sharper.
Gauche stepped forward, ignoring Luck and Emilia entirely. He leaned in toward Asta, shoving a small photograph of his sister directly into his face.
"You see her?" he demanded.
Asta blinked, looking at the picture.
"...She's an angel!" he explained.
"Yeah…?" Asta replied, utterly confused.
Emilia rolled her eyes, shaking her head slightly.
Gauche lowered the picture slightly. His nose was bleeding, and his eyes were unhinged.
"Listen carefully," he continued darkly. "If you ever lay a finger on her…THEN YOU DIE…"
"Whaaaa—?!" Asta cried, still confused.
Before it could escalate further, Emilia stepped in and shoved Gauche back by the shoulder.
"Calm down, Gauche. He's not going to do anything. Don't be weird."
"Ugh! Why does it have to be YOU! Of all the squads in this kingdom, you had to pick this one?" Gauche scoffed, clicking his tongue. "I dealt with you enough back at that damned church."
"Get over it." Emilia shot back instantly. "Whether you like it or not, I'm here to stay," she replied, crossing her arms.
The air between them turned sharp. They stood there, glaring — neither willing to back down, neither blinking first. If looks could cut, the Black Bulls' base would've split in half.
Asta looked between them nervously.
"Oh?" Luck leaned forward, interested, wondering if a fight would break out.
Magna grinned. "Looks like the newbie's pickin' a fight."
It was then that a new tension suddenly cut through the room, suffocating everyone and everything around them.
"Is there a problem?"
Yami's voice was low. Dangerously low.
In an instant, Emilia and Gauche separated, neither wanting to push their captain's patience any further. The oppressive mana filling the room slowly eased as Yami lowered it back to normal, finally allowing everyone to breathe again.
Though one person looked disappointed.
"Awww~ I wanted to see them go at it!" Luck pouted.
"Alright, alright! Let's all play nice in the sandbox, yeah?" Finral quickly cut in with a nervous sweat drop and a strained but hopeful smile. "We've still got more introductions to get through, after all."
He gently angled himself toward Gauche, who was already in the process of sitting back down while grumbling obscenities under his breath.
"As you heard, this is Gauche. Gauche Adlai," Finral clarified. "He loves his sister a bit too much… but he's good people."
"Good people? …Yeah, I'm not so sure about that," Emilia thought, casting a sideways glance toward Gauche, who was still glaring at her.
"This here is Charmy Pappitson," Finral continued. "A huge eater… but she's good people."
The tiny girl raised a cheerful fist while still stuffing her face with a muffin.
"Niche ta meecha!" she mumbled through the food.
Finral then turned toward the massive figure nearby — the same giant who had nearly crushed Asta earlier.
"And this is Gray. I don't really get him, but he's good people."
The behemoth hunched slightly, steam constantly billowing from his mouth as he muttered something too low and garbled to understand.
"Uh… hi," Asta greeted awkwardly.
"Then there's Magna Swing," he said, gesturing toward the rough-looking mage seated on the floor. "He's a street punk with an attitude, but he's good people."
Magna shot them both an intimidating glare, trying to look as threatening as possible.
It worked on Asta, and he stiffened immediately, swallowing nervously.
Emilia, however, just stared back at him with a flat expression.
"Your tough-guy act isn't scaring me…"
Pointing to himself, he continued, "And I am Finral Roulacase, Lady Killer." He winks at Emilia.
"Ugh…"
"And finally, we have Black Bull's fearless leader, the great Captain Yami Sukehiro!" Finral presented him with flair, though Yami remained silent afterward.
Asta instantly bowed. "Really glad to be here, Sir!"
Emilia also gave a respectful bow. "Same as him."
"There are other members, of course," Yami said, "but the rest are out on missions or on leave or I dunno…"
After a second of looking at them, he asked, "Think you newbies can play nice?"
Asta raised his fists to his sides, his face full of determination. "Yes, sir! We're gonna get along so well!" He then leaned back and inhaled deeply. "LIKE I SAID BEFORE IT'S REALLY NICE TO MEET YOU GUYS!!!"
The entire base shook from the sheer volume of his scream, and Emilia recoiled as her ears began to ring.
"Was that really necessary?" she asked flatly, rubbing one ear.
Around the room, several others looked equally pained.
"Is he trying to kill me?" Vanessa groaned from the floor.
"No kidding…" Magna muttered, grimacing.
Yami stared at Asta for a long moment before speaking.
"That's something I noticed earlier," he said lazily. "You're as loud as you are short, huh?"
"YEAH!!" Asta shouted back instantly without a shred of shame.
Yami's expression darkened. "Shut up, kid..."
"R-RIGHT! S-SORRY!" Asta stammered immediately, shrinking into himself.
After another drag from his cigarette, Yami cracked his neck slightly. "Well then… Let's give the newbies a proper welcome."
A slow grin pulled at Magna's face.
Luck's eyes lit up.
Asta blinked.
"But," Yami added casually, "try not to kill 'em."
"Right. Should've figured there'd be some sort of hazing ritual," Emilia thought, a confident smile tugging at her as she surveyed her squadmates. "It's no issue. I can handle whatever they throw at me."
Meanwhile, Asta looked toward Yami with growing panic.
"W-Wait, wuuuuhhhh??"
Before he could process it any further, Magna shot to his feet and marched straight toward them.
"Didn't ya hear him?" he asked lowly, stepping in so close to Asta and Emilia that they could see their reflections in his sunglasses. "Yami wants us to make sure you two get good workouts. That's just what I'm gonna do."
Asta let out a strained whine.
Emilia, however, didn't budge. She met Magna's stare with a daring glare of her own.
Looks like someone's rearing to go…" Magna's smirk widened as he looked Emilia over. "Your mana's not half bad, but that doesn't mean anything. I'll still take you down a notch or two, girly. And we're all equal around here, so I won't pull my punches."
"Good," Emilia replied without hesitation. "Otherwise you'd go down much quicker, and that'd be no fun."
"Heh." Magna grinned wider. "You've got spunk. I like that."
Then he turned toward Asta.
"But YOU—"
The sudden shift in tone caused Asta to visibly shrink back.
"I mean, just look at you…" Magna scoffed. "A pathetic runt from some backwater village nobody's even heard of before. You've got no mana either, and yet YOU'RE one of the newest members of the Black Bulls?" He barked out a laugh. "You've gotta be kidding me!"
Asta stood there stunned, unable to get a word out as Magna continued.
"I dunno what some magic poor hick like you could've possibly done to impress Yami…"
Magna grabbed his Black Bulls robe, tugging it outward to proudly display the squad's insignia as his expression hardened.
"Do you guys wanna wear the robe that proves you're true members of the Black Bulls?" he asked, now looking between both Asta and Emilia.
Asta's eyes went wide.
"T-That's a real Magic Knight squad robe…" he said in awe, staring at the Black Bulls' cape like it was a sacred treasure. "It's so… so cool…"
"Damn right it is," Magna replied proudly before barking the question again.
"SO YOU WANT IT!?"
"Yeah, I do! GIMME, GIMME!!" Asta practically begged.
"Wow, you're really excited," Magna said with a laugh. "You want it that bad, huh?"
He then turned toward Emilia.
"What about you, girly? You don't seem too interested, so maybe you don't need one."
While Emilia wasn't nearly as outwardly excited as Asta, she absolutely needed that robe.
"Of course I want one!" she declared. "And I'll do whatever it takes to get it!"
"You'll do whatever it takes? Good." He jabbed a thumb toward himself proudly. "Because to earn one, you gotta earn the approval of Yami's chief subordinate! Me! The man among men, Magna Swing! This marks your entry into the Black Bulls! A true baptism by fire!"
"Bring it on," Emilia answered confidently, shifting into a more ready stance. "I can take whatever you've got."
"Uh… whaa?" Asta was still thoroughly confused.
Unfortunately for him, he didn't get much time to think about it, as everyone was already moving. Finral opened a portal outside to begin their major trial, making sure to bring the couch along so that everyone could sit and watch.
Standing before Asta and Emilia, Magna whipped out two Black Bull robes and held them high for everyone to see. His expression turned deadly serious.
"Alright, village boy and armor girl," he declared. "Let's see how badly you want these robes." He pointed at them with the hand holding the capes. "You got to earn 'em by completing every task I give you!"
"I'M READY! LET'S DO THIS!" Asta shouted immediately, pumping both fists with such excitement that it shook the room.
Emilia merely raised an eyebrow, curious where this was going.
Around them, the other Black Bulls looked thoroughly unimpressed. Vanessa yawned. Gauche ignored them entirely. Charmy continued eating. Luck, however, looked offended.
"Aww, why do they get a baptism!? I wanna do it too!"
"HERE WE GO! GO! GOOOOOO!!" Magna interrupted, dropping into a dramatic stance. "FIRST, I WANNA SEE YOUR PHYSICAL PROWESS!"
He pointed accusingly.
"FIVE THOUSAND CRUNCHES!!"
"YOU GOT IT!!" Asta yelled.
Without a moment's hesitation, he threw himself onto the floor and immediately started.
Emilia stared.
"Did he say five thousand?"
She looked to Magna.
"What's the matter? Can't do a few crunches?" Magna questioned, giving her a pitiful look.
That was it; there was no way she was backing down—especially not when Asta was already blasting through them like a man possessed.
Without a second thought, she dropped to the floor and joined him.
The first few hundred weren't bad.
The next thousand were annoying.
"DONE!" Asta shouted.
Emilia glared at him between ragged breaths.
"How are you already done?"
Just as Emilia powered through the last one, Magna's voice punched through her concentration.
"NOW FIVE THOUSAND PUSHUPS!! HURRY IT UP!!"
"You've got to be kidding me..." she moaned, exhausted, wiping sweat from her brow.
She glanced sideways.
Asta was cranking them out without breaking a sweat.
"ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-SEVEN! ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-EIGHT! ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-NINE!"
The little monster wasn't even slowing down.
Still on the ground, Emilia gritted her teeth, forced her arms into position, and started. At first, she tried to convince herself this would be manageable. She had trained with Kazuya for years, sparred until her body screamed, and pushed through exhaustion more times than she could count. But by the halfway mark, her arms were shaking. By three thousand, she was questioning every life choice that had somehow led her to do pushups in front of the Black Bulls.
Meanwhile, Asta was already finished. Worse, he looked like he could do the whole thing again without complaining.
"COME ON, EMILIA!!" Asta suddenly shouted, throwing both fists into the air. "YOU'VE GOT THIS!! DON'T LET SOME PUSH-UPS BEAT YOU!!"
Magna leaned on his flaming bat with a smug grin, clearly enjoying the difference between them. "Man, you're still goin'? You sure a girly like you can handle bein' a Black Bull? What? This too hard for you?"
"S-Screw you!" Emilia seethed, sweat dripping from her chin as her arms trembled beneath her. Her eyes burned with stubborn defiance. "T-This is nothing!"
"YEAH! THAT'S THE SPIRIT!!" Asta yelled, somehow even louder than before. "KEEP GOING! YOU'RE ALMOST THERE! PROBABLY!"
Despite his intentions, he was making it much worse as a headache began to form. "This kid's louder than Kazuya and the children combined!"
By the time she finally finished, Emilia collapsed flat on her back, drenched in sweat, chest heaving, and barely able to feel her shoulders. For a moment, all she could do was stare up at the sky and try to remember how breathing worked.
"YOU DID IT!!" Asta cheered, grinning as if she had just won a tournament. "THAT WAS AWESOME, EMILIA!!"
"Even with all the conditioning I've done with Kazuya, this was much harder than I expected. I'll make it a point to train my body more… damn."
Still sweaty and exhausted, Emilia eventually forced herself upright. Her body wanted to stay on the ground and die there, but her pride refused to let anyone see that. She squared her shoulders as best she could and prepared herself for whatever insane challenge he came up with next.
Asta, meanwhile, looked ready to run a marathon.
"Finally done? Jeez, took you long enough!" Magna mocked, earning a sharp glare from Emilia through her tired, half-lidded eyes.
She was still trying to convince her arms they actually belonged to her when Magna jabbed a thumb toward another part of the clearing.
"NOW GO PICK UP THOSE BOULDERS OVER THERE!!"
Emilia followed his gesture and saw two enormous rocks resting nearby, each one looking heavier than the last.
Then Magna's grin widened, his eyes settling directly on her.
"Oh, and no magic allowed~," he added in a deliberately taunting tone.
Emilia stared at him.
"Bastard…"
"YES SIR!!" Asta shouted, already sprinting toward the larger of the two boulders.
The small boy wasted no time. Planting his feet firmly in the dirt, he wrapped his arms around the massive rock and pulled. His muscles bulged, his legs trembled, and a strained yell tore from his throat as he slowly, impossibly, hauled the boulder off the ground.
Emilia watched, equal parts irritated and impressed.
"No wonder he can power through this stuff. He's built more than even Kazuya."
Emilia walked over to the slightly smaller boulder. She wasn't about to embarrass herself.
Ignoring Magna's impatient stare, she positioned herself carefully. Feet planted. Back straight. Knees bent.
Then she lifted.
"NNNGH—!"
The stone slowly rose from the earth.
Every muscle in her body screamed in protest as she hoisted it higher and higher until she finally managed to settle it overhead.
"Took you long enough," Magna sneered. "Now let's see how long you can hold 'em!"
Emilia's eye twitched.
"I could throw this at him."
The thought was becoming more tempting by the second.
Minutes dragged by.
The weight dug into her shoulders.
Her arms burned.
Her legs shook.
Sweat poured down her face and dripped from her chin.
Beside her, Asta was shaking too, but somehow he looked far less miserable.
"What is he made of?"
"Dammit," she thought through gritted teeth. "This is nothing. Absolutely nothing."
Even as the boulder slowly sank lower and lower.
Finally—
"ALRIGHT! DROP 'EM!!"
The pair released their burdens.
THOOM!
Both boulders crashed into the earth, sending tremors through the ground and kicking up clouds of dust.
Emilia bent over, hands on her knees, desperately trying to catch her breath.
She barely got two breaths in before Magna shouted again.
"ALRIGHT!! NOW DESTROY THEM WITHOUT USING ANY MAGIC!! CHOP CHOP!!"
Emilia stared at him.
Then at the boulder.
Then back at him.
"…You can't be serious."
Magna's grin widened.
Unfortunately, he was.
With a sigh, Emilia rolled her shoulders and stepped forward.
As ridiculous as all this was, she had to admit something.
It was a phenomenal workout. Honestly, more exhausting than most of her sparring sessions with Kazuya.
"Guess we got too used to each other," she thought. "Should've mixed up our training more."
Taking a breath, she drew back her fist.
CRACK!
Pain shot through her knuckles as they slammed into solid stone.
A small web of fractures spread across the surface.
She hissed through her teeth.
Then punched it again.
Harder.
CRACK!
The fractures deepened.
Again.
And again.
Each strike hurt worse than the last.
Meanwhile—
Asta had adopted a very different strategy.
"RAAAAAH!!"
THUD!
He slammed his forehead into the boulder.
Then immediately rolled onto the ground, clutching his head.
"AGH! THAT HURT!!"
He lay there for several seconds.
Then suddenly jumped back up.
"BUT I'M NOT DONE YET!!"
THUD!
Another headbutt.
Another scream.
Another collapse and more rolling around in pain.
Then he got up and did it again. And again. And again.
Eventually, after enough abuse to concern any reasonable person, a loud CRACK echoed through the field.
The massive stone split cleanly down the middle, two halves crashing apart as dust exploded into the air. Astonishingly, the only evidence of what he'd just done was a small red bump forming on his forehead.
"YAAHHHHHH!!!" He screamed in victory.
Emilia stared.
"That kid's a tank..."
For a moment, she could only watch in disbelief.
Then determination surged through her.
"No! I'm not letting him show me up anymore!"
With a yell, she drew back her bleeding fist and slammed it into the weakened stone one final time.
CRACK!
The fractures spread all at once, racing through the boulder before it finally split apart.
Emilia breathed heavily, staring at her handiwork. Her knuckles were scraped raw and throbbing, but she'd done it.
Around them, the Black Bulls watched with varying levels of interest, quietly taking note of the newcomers' strengths—and their glaring weaknesses.
"Not bad, newbies," Magna admitted, holding up the two folded Black Bull robes. "You two are tougher than you look. Especially you, village boy."
The moment Asta saw the robes, his eyes lit up.
He practically teleported across the yard.
"Okay, so I passed, right!?" he blurted, reaching eagerly for one of the capes. "Gimme that robe already!"
Magna immediately shoved him backward.
"Not so fast!" he barked as Asta stumbled back. "You think it's that simple? We ain't done yet, village boy!" Magna's grin widened. "There's one more test. The last—and most important—part of your baptism!"
The playful excitement vanished from Asta's face.
He straightened immediately.
"Right!"
Nearby, Emilia rolled her shoulders and flexed her aching fingers. Blood still dripped from her knuckles, but she ignored it.
"One more test?"
Magna's fiery grimoire floated open beside him.
Pages flipped.
Orange light spilled outward.
A sphere of flame formed above his palm, crackling and swirling with heat.
"Using any skills at your disposal," Magna explained, "whether they're magical or ordinary..."
The fireball grew larger.
"You've gotta dodge or defend against my attack magic."
He held up the blazing sphere.
"If you can do that, you pass." A smirk stretched across his face. "You'll officially be a Black Bull, and I'll hand over the robe."
Asta gulped.
"R-RIGHT! I UNDERSTAND! I'LL DO MY BEST!!"
"Shut up!" Magna snapped. "Damn kid, you're starting to give me a headache."
He jabbed a finger toward an open patch of ground.
"Now get over there!"
"YES SIR!"
Asta hurried into position, and Emilia followed behind.
"After all that, this is what he saved for last?"
A small ball of fire wasn't exactly intimidating to someone whose entire fighting style revolved around dodging attacks.
"This'll be easy."
She crossed her arms confidently.
"That robe is already mine."
"Get ready!" Magna called, pulling his arm back.
"YES SIR!!" Asta shouted back, reaching into his grimoire and drawing out the massive black sword.
The moment it appeared, the mood shifted.
Until now, most of the Black Bulls had only been half paying attention. Vanessa was nursing her hangover, Charmy was focused on her food, and Gauche was more interested in staring at Marie's picture than in watching the newcomers. Now, however, every eye drifted toward Asta's strange weapon.
Magna summoned his flaming bat and pointed it toward Asta. "YOU READY!?"
Asta tightened his grip on the sword. Sweat trickled down the side of his face, but his stance remained firm. "READY!!"
"HERE WE GOOOOOO!!"
"BRING IT ON! LET'S SEE WHAT YOU CAN DO!!" Asta shouted back, his voice carrying equal parts nervousness and determination.
"TAAAKE THIS!! WAAAHHH!!"
Magna swung.
A barrage of flaming spheres erupted from his bat and shot across the yard. Asta immediately sprang into action, sidestepping one, ducking another, and twisting around a third. The fireballs exploded behind him in bursts of flame and smoke, but not a single one landed.
"Not bad," Emilia thought, watching him weave through the attacks.
Even Magna seemed impressed.
"Huh, you're pretty decent!"
"YES SIR!" Asta replied, a grin breaking across his face.
"Alright," Magna said, dispelling his bat. "The real battle starts NOW!"
His grimoire flipped open once more. Pages turned rapidly as mana surged around him. A small flame appeared in his hand and immediately began condensing.
Smaller.
Denser.
Hotter.
It pulsed as it grew, becoming a brilliant sphere of compressed fire that distorted the surrounding air with heat.
While it wasn't on Kazuya's level, it was still impressive.
"Flame Magic..." Magna began, drawing his arm back. The ball of fire swelled slightly as heat rolled across the training yard. "EXPLODING FIREBALL!!"
"NOW DIE!!"
It crossed the distance between them in the blink of an eye.
Asta raised his sword.
Then froze.
For a single terrifying moment, he simply stood there.
Emilia's eyes widened.
"Not good."
At that speed, there was no way he'd avoid it if he hesitated.
Her mana stirred instinctively, and she prepared to blink to grab him. But it was then that Asta moved.
His feet dug into the earth.
His muscles bulged.
With a yell, he swung the massive sword with everything he had.
The flat of the blade connected with the incoming fireball.
The flames that formed its outer shell scattered in every direction like grains of sand caught in a violent gust of wind.
At the same time, the condensed core of the spell rebounded.
Straight back toward Magna.
The fire mage's grin vanished.
"HUH!?"
BOOOM!!
The explosion swallowed him instantly, and a powerful shockwave rolled across the yard, kicking up dirt, rattling windows, and forcing several of the Black Bulls to shield their faces.
When the smoke finally began to clear, silence settled over the group.
"That spell should've exploded the second it contacted his blade, but instead it rebounds… what kind of weapon is that?"
Whatever Asta was wielding wasn't an ordinary sword, and judging by the looks on the Black Bulls' faces, they were beginning to realize that too.
Asta stood there, his blade still smoking from the impact. He stared at it in amazement, turning it over in his hands as though seeing it for the first time. From the look on his face, Emilia could tell his defense had surprised him just as much as it had everyone else.
"Seems he had no idea it could do that either. Looks like it's a mystery to us all then," she thought, finally pulling her gaze away from the sword and toward the inferno.
A figure slowly marched out through the flames.
"What the hell did you just do, you little runt?" Magna questioned, his tone low and dangerous.
Asta let out a startled yelp as Magna continued his approach.
Emilia watched with mild surprise.
"Huh... he took a direct hit from that, and he's still awake. Guess he isn't all talk then."
Magna brushed soot from his shoulders as he emerged from the flames. "I was able to dispel it in time, so I'm alright. But that doesn't change the fact that I was nearly offed by my own magic."
Suddenly, he sped up.
"Why, you little…" he growled before breaking into a yell, charging right up to Asta and grabbing him by the shoulders.
Asta was too terrified to move.
Emilia folded her arms, watching with interest to see how this would play out.
Then, just as suddenly as he'd exploded in anger, Magna smiled.
"Hah! You're really good! Wow!" He patted Asta's shoulders, laughing, before his pats became forceful thumps on the back, making Asta recoil with each hit. "Here I thought you were just gonna block my magic and you fired it back!? You know, I think I like our little Rasta!!"
"It's, uhm, A-Asta…" the boy stammered, struggling to stay on his feet as the blows continued.
"Hey, sorry, I called you a magic poor hick earlier. Hell, to be honest, I'm from the sticks myself, Rayaka Village, just up from Hage."
Blinking, Asta looked back at him. "No way! Really!? Rayaka is WAY out in nowhere!"
"Yeah, sure, says the kid from Hage!" Magna snarked back.
Rubbing the back of his neck with a sheepish smile, Asta admitted, "Oh, and uh, just so you know, it's not that I have low magic power; I actually have none at all…"
Emilia's eyes widened.
"It's no wonder I couldn't get a read on his mana... There isn't any."
Her gaze drifted to the black grimoire floating beside him.
"But then what's that black energy that comes out of his grimoire... and how does he even have a grimoire at all? It makes no sense."
Meanwhile, Asta's revelation seemed to catch Magna completely off guard.
"What was that!?"
Asta flinched.
"You've got no magic power!? And you were still able to turn my magic against me!?"
"Uh, yeah, I guess so…" Asta replied, now visibly tense. But relaxed when Magna smiled.
"Well, that's even more amazing than... You're not just some runt; you're a real man," he commented sincerely.
Magna straightened and gave Asta one final hard pat on the back, nearly knocking the boy forward. "Right then!" He turned his attention toward Emilia. "Emily, you're up next!"
"It's Emilia," she said, walking toward the other side of the clearing, away from the burning wreckage left by Asta's turn.
Once they were separated, Magna rolled his shoulders and raised his hand, his grimoire lighting up beside him as another flaming ball sparked to life in his palm. "You know the rules, girly! Dodge or defend!"
"Understood. I'm ready when you are," she replied.
Seeing that her grimoire still wasn't in use, Magna's grin sharpened. "Let's see if you stay cocky when my flames blow you away!" he screamed, sending an intense flaming orb her way at blinding speed.
The spell tore across the clearing, fast enough that most people would have barely had time to react. Emilia waited until the very last second. Then, right as it was about to touch her, she vanished in a flash of cold blue light and reappeared off to the side. The flaming orb shot past where she had been standing, curved upward, and slammed into the side of the Black Bulls' base with a massive explosion of flames.
"Whoa!" Luck was awed, practically bouncing in place. "I saw her do that earlier too! What kinda magic is that!? It's super quick!"
"Yeah… I've never seen anything quite like it," Vanessa commented, watching Emilia with a quiet interest.
Gauche briefly lifted his eyes from his sister's picture and glanced at Emilia. For a moment, he seemed to register what she had done, but his interest faded almost instantly, and his gaze dropped right back to Marie as if the rest of them had ceased to exist.
Asta stood there in silent amazement, staring at Emilia as she had just performed some impossible miracle. Finral, on the other hand, let out a weary sigh and looked back at the burning hole blasted into the side of the hideout.
Yami's brow twitched. "Didn't I say to quit breaking stuff?" he questioned, glaring at Magna.
"S-SORRY, SIR!!" the punk mage yelped, going completely rigid before bowing sharply, nervous sweat pouring down his face.
Emilia looked back at the flaming hole in what was apparently her new home. "I sure hope that wasn't my room he just blew up."
As Emilia walked back toward the group, she saw the others already crowding around Asta, firing questions and compliments at him faster than he could answer. The moment they noticed her approaching, she was swallowed into the chaos too, the Black Bulls pressing in from every side.
Luck suddenly dropped into a fighting stance, his fists snapping through the air as he began shadowboxing at both of them with a bright, eager grin. "Okay! Time for baptism part two! Now you've gotta take me on!"
Before either of them could answer that, Vanessa drifted over and leaned down beside Asta, blowing lightly into his ear.
Asta immediately went stiff, his face flushing bright red as he stumbled back with a strangled noise, nearly bumping into Emilia.
Vanessa giggled and slipped between them, draping an arm around both their shoulders as if they were already old friends. "You two were pretty impressive out there," she said, giving them a lazy wink. "Nice going, kiddos."
"Uhm, thank you?" Emilia replied, leaning away slightly as Vanessa's weight settled against her. "Her breath reeks of bile and alcohol… Eugh."
Asta, meanwhile, didn't seem to notice the smell at all. He was too busy standing there, red-faced and rigid, his eyes pointed anywhere but at Vanessa.
"Hey, you two! I brought you something!" Charmy called, appearing in front of them with a wide, cheerful smile. In her hands was a massive pink-frosted cupcake, topped with colorful sprinkles and a plump strawberry. "Don't be shy! It's really yummy!"
She eagerly pushed it toward their faces, then stared up at them with expectant eyes. "Well?"
Emilia and Asta glanced at each other.
"We can split it," Emilia said.
Charmy beamed. "Here, you guys can split this half!" With surprising care, she divided the large treat in two.
But just as Emilia and Asta reached for their pieces, Charmy froze. Her gaze stayed locked on the cupcake. A bead of drool slid from the corner of her mouth.
Then she quickly pulled it back.
"Mmmm… how about half of a half?"
Emilia blinked. "You sure?"
Charmy nodded intensely, still staring at the treat like it was taking every ounce of willpower she had not to devour it on the spot. "Yes. Now quickly, eat up!"
"O-Okay, thanks!" Asta said, taking the smaller piece before splitting it again and handing Emilia her share.
The three of them ate their portions, though Emilia's was easily the smallest. Still, the moment she bit into it, she had to admit it was good. Annoyingly good, in fact.
Finral clapped his hands together, trying to cut through the noise before the Black Bulls could spiral completely out of control again. "Okay! Okay!" he called, forcing a smile as everyone gradually turned toward him. "Don't we still have some business to take care of?" he asked expectantly, looking between Emilia and Asta.
"Booooring!!" Luck whined, already losing interest now that no one was actively trying to blow anyone up.
Magna ignored him and stepped forward with a grin, holding up two Black Bull robes.
"Alright, you two, here you go! You guys earned this fair and square!"
Emilia's expression softened. Asta, meanwhile, went completely still, staring at the robes as if Magna had just presented him with treasure. Emilia accepted hers first, carefully unfolding the black fabric and running her fingers over the emblem. A quiet smile formed on her face. "Finally… it's official. I'm a bona fide Magic Knight now."
As she began fastening the robe around her neck, Asta remained frozen, his eyes already growing watery.
"What, you don't want it?" Magna teased, pulling the robe back slightly.
That snapped him out of it immediately. "NO!! I DO, I DO, I DOOO!!!" Asta shouted, carefully grabbing the robe with both hands.
He held it high, looking up at it as though it were the most precious thing in the world.
"Come on, what are you waiting for? Let's see how it looks," Vanessa chimed in, lazily waving her wand.
The robe lifted from Asta's hands and floated into place, settling over his shoulders before fastening neatly around his neck.
Vanessa gave her wand another playful flick. "Now for the finishing touches."
Asta's headband began to glow. The threading shifted, darkening until it turned black, and at the front, the Black Bull emblem formed cleanly into place.
Emilia watched the glow fade from the band with interest. "So that's her magic? She can manipulate clothing? Or is it the thread itself she's controlling…?"
Asta stood tall, now wearing the Black Bull robe with his newly altered headband, while Emilia adjusted the collar of her own. Around them, the squad looked on with varying degrees of pride, amusement, and excitement for their newest teammates.
"Ya know, you two actually look pretty good in those," Magna said, nodding in approval before glancing toward their captain. "Right, Yami?"
Yami looked them both over, unimpressed. "I don't think black works for him, and it definitely doesn't go with you either."
Emilia's smile stiffened as a sweatdrop formed at her temple. "Gee, thanks…"
Magna moved on without missing a beat, looking between them with a more serious expression. "It's official now. You guys are part of us. The Black Bulls." His tone sharpened slightly. "Don't do anything that'd bring shame to Yami or to the Black Bulls."
Emilia nodded.
Asta bowed deeply. "UNDERSTOOD!! I'M SO GLAD TO BE A PART OF THIS TEAM!!"
Then he threw both arms into the air and screamed with everything he had. "YEAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!"
Even Emilia, who was used to Kazuya's volume, felt that one. Her ears rang as she winced slightly.
"Shut up, kid," Yami said, annoyed as he leaned in close.
"O-Oh, sorry," Asta said, lowering his voice for all of two seconds before bowing again. "I'LL BE MORE CAREFUL FROM NOW ON, SIR!!"
"What part of 'shut up' do you not understand!?" Magna snapped.
Yami turned away with a tired grunt, already done with all of them. "Okay, show's over. I'm goin' to bed. If anyone wakes me up, I'll kill you… Good night!"
Once Yami was gone, Magna turned back to them and jerked his thumb over his shoulder. "Alright, runt, follow me to your room. Keep close, or you'll get lost. And I ain't gonna hunt you down."
"Right! Lead the way, sir!" Asta shouted, snapping to attention.
"Good. Now let's get a move on!"
Before Emilia could follow after them, Vanessa slipped in beside her with an easy smile, her movements loose and casual. "Here, follow me and I'll take you to where the girls sleep."
"Right. I'll follow you then," Emilia replied with a nod.
With Asta and Emilia finally being led inside, the rest of the Black Bulls began drifting back into the hideout as well. Some disappeared down dark halls, others wandered off to continue whatever strange habits passed for normal around here, and Charmy had already gotten her hands on what she called a small nighttime "snack," despite it looking big enough to feed several people.
Emilia followed Vanessa deeper into the creaking, uneven halls of the Black Bulls' base, the others' noise fading behind her. The walls were cracked, the floors groaned beneath every step, and the whole place looked one bad fight away from collapsing in on itself.
And yet, as strange, loud, and half-destroyed as it was, this was where she had chosen to be.
Her new squad.
Her new path.
Her new home.