[Grim's Mindscape]
"Ahh, so close."
Sitting on the floor and complaining, King had to watch Grim whine about passing out after cutting through Gaja's stage zero spell.
"Give it a rest already would ya. So what if you passed out. If you feel that annoyed by it then train your mental strength up so that HyperFocus doesn't shut your brain down next time."
Hearing that, Grim's annoyance seemed to jump up a few notches.
"This is all your fault you bastard!"
"Me?"
"Yeah you! If you would just tell me how to activate my elf form then I wouldn't have this problem!"
"Seriously? You're asking me for a freebie? You disappoint me Grim."
"Oh fuck off! I ain't asking for no damn freebie. I'm just saying that you could at least give me a hint."
Amused by their conversation, King looked at him with a playful glint in his eyes.
"But wouldn't you feel more satisfied discovering it by yourself?"
"...Goddammit!!"
"Pffthahahahahahahahahaha~"
'This 17th incarnation of mine is definitely a fun one to watch.'
"Ahem, don't be so down Grim. Considering that all your base mana abilities have been enhanced and that you've only had a week to understand them (not even master them), you breaking a stage zero spell is a feat that would be near impossible for anyone else in this world to replicate."
"As for that [Raikiri] of yours. Hoo boy that was something. I was banking on you trying to do something stupid like cutting through it with [Breath of the Beast] or overpowering it with [Rengoku]. But look at you creating a variation of the [Thunderclap and Flash] to completely break it. If it wasn't for it being the first time you used that move and putting too much of a strain on your [HyperFocus], you probably could have continued fighting afterwards."
"And while I can't say that you won that fight. Saying that you lost also wouldn't be accurate. At the end of the day, it wasn't Gaja's attack that beat you after all. But because your unrefined [Raikiri] also couldn't reach him either, it clearly wasn't your win. If I had to be honest, I'd say you two drew."
[Thunderclap and Flash, Raikiri: By compressing and storing all the lightning magic normally built up to reach the insane amounts of speed via the thunderclap and flash spell, Grim condenses all that power into his blade and unleashes it through a singular destructive slash similar to iaido.]
"Now that I think about it, him being unable to injure you despite borrowing natures mana and using a stage zero spell makes you look even more impressive. So congrats Grim, you've got something else to brag about."
"Why would I brag about a fight I didn't win?" He cocked his head and said as if he was talking to an idiot.
*Smiles*
"But thanks King. Even if you call it a draw, not winning means I lost. But that's fine. It just means I still have a ways to go until I'm the strongest."
"Heh." King smiled back. "You've grown up well Grim. I hope the next time we meet you'll be far stronger than you are now."
"You betcha."
---
[Heart Kingdom Throne Room]
"You've been cursed!!"
Hearing the story from the queen themselves, Asta and the others were surprised to find out that the devil cursed being that they had been searching for all this time was actually standing in front of them.
"Mmm." She nodded. "At the current rate of the curse's progression, I'll be dead in a year's time. That's why I need your help."
"Our help? But with Sir Smurik and Mr Gaja on your side, what could we do?"
"You may not know this, but anyone below stage one can't fight a devil. But when it comes to killing a devil, even a stage zero mage isn't enough. Thats why we need power that cannot be completely understood through normal means. Power that can completely ignore the stage system!"
"Nero who uses forbidden magic and [Sealing Magic]. Asta who possess no magic power but can use [Anti-Magic], and Grim, a true son of mana and the wielder of the versatile [Demon Slaying Magic]. Alongside people like the [Time Magic] wizard Julius Novachrono and the [Dark Magic] captain of the Black Bulls Yami Sukehiro."
"For you who possess incomprehensible magic that can slay Devils, I shall call you Arcane stage mages!"
"Arcane huh? That sounds pretty funny."
Hearing the familiar and mischievous voice of their sleeping companion sound out behind them, the Clover kids all turned around at the same time and yelled-
"GRIM!!"
Sending a friendly smile their way, he eventually got to his feet and walked towards the Queen. Seeing this, the others panicked and were about to introduce her.
"No need, I've heard the situation but-"
Now standing completely infront of her, Grim's yellow eyes gave off such a feeling that it made the queen feel like she wasn't being looked at by a human being.
"What exactly do you want to do with us?" He asked.
About to step forward, Lolopechka raised her hand to stop Gaja from taking any further actions.
"I-I want you to kill the devils in Spade Kingdom."
'Spade kingdom? Interesting.'
"But that's not all is it? No, there's no way you'd go out of your way to do something like fight devils without wanting something in return."
"So tell me Queeny. What is it that you really want?"
"I-I-"
Activating the minimum amout of [HyperFocus] needed to monitor her heartbeat. Grim didn't take his eyes off her for a second as she lowered her head and bit her lip.
"I don't want to die." She whispered.
"What was that?"
"I-I DON'T WANT TO DIE!!!" She screamed clutching her chest with tears welling up in her eyes. "I'm *sniff* scared *sniff* I'm scared of dying."
"Lolo." Feeling the despair in her voice, Undine wanted nothing more than to pull her into her embrace. But she held back. If Grim was really as important as Lolo believed, then they had to acquire his help no matter what.
"So please *sniff* Please kill Megicula!!"
'Megicula?!' Noelle recoiled upon hearing the name.
"Megicula?" Grim repeated before looking back at the teary faced queen.
"Is that the name of the devil that cursed you?"
"Yes." She nodded and tried to dry her eyes.
"One more question."
"???"
"Are the devils in the Spade kingdom strong?"
!!!
This was the question on everyone's mind. If even stage 0s couldn't beat devils, then just how strong were they?
"I-I believe they're stronger than the devil you fought in your kingdom."
'Oh?' Grim's eyes flashed.
'If they're stronger than the devil that I needed my elf form to beat... Then I need to be 10 times- No! 100 times stronger in order to secure a victory.'
"The scar on Gaja's face was also left by the devil that cursed me."
'They even managed to injure someone who I couldn't even touch. Megicula, Megicula... You're becoming more and more interesting by the minute.'
"So please!" She suddenly bowed. "Please gather all the people in your kingdom capable of fighting and killing a devil, and train with the spirit guardians her-
"I refuse."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"EHHHHH!!!"