[Third Person's PoV]
After Stephen was welcomed into the Black Bulls, Nero swooped down gracefully, landing on his shoulder. She rubbed her head affectionately against his cheek as a silent congratulation.
Once Stephen's placement was settled, William stepped forward and called the next number, his voice calm and commanding. "Number 164."
Yuno confidently stepped forward, and, just like before, the captains all raised their hands.
The room buzzed with murmurs of shock and awe.
"Another one!?"
"Well, this one makes sense—he holds the four-leaf clover grimoire."
"Yeah, but he's a commoner too!"
"This one's kinda cute though…" someone whispered.
Yami, grinning, leaned forward with a mischievous gleam in his eye. "Let's make it two for two! Come on, kid!"
Yuno's eyes locked onto William with unwavering determination. "I choose the Golden Dawn," he declared, his serious expression leaving no room for doubt.
A ripple of disappointment passed through the other captains, their faces reflecting mild frustration. Even Yami grumbled in annoyance.
William couldn't help but smile smugly at Yami, almost as if to say, You might have taken the special one with the mysterious grimoire and artifacts, but I've got the four-leaf clover by my side.
With Yuno's selection confirmed, William called out again, "Number 165."
Asta strutted forward, his chest puffed out, fully expecting the same reaction as Stephen and Yuno. However, the silence was deafening. No hands were raised.
Yami leaned back toward Stephen. "You seem close to the kid. Tell me, is he worth it? I'm already inclined to agree, but I want to hear your opinion."
Stephen's expression turned serious. "You'd be a fool not to choose Asta. You can see it, right? He's special. And I'm not saying that just because we grew up together."
Yami gave a thoughtful nod, processing Stephen's words.
Meanwhile, Asta's heart sank as he clenched his fists, realizing no one was stepping forward. That is, until he heard a familiar voice.
"Alright, alright, I'll take the little runt," Yami said with a grin, raising his hand.
"Eh!? Really!?" Asta shouted in pure joy. He didn't care that Yami had threatened to kill him earlier—he was chosen to be a Magic Knight!
Yami's bluntness didn't waver as he continued, "The reason no one else picked you is because you're creepy and weird. No one's heard of a sword that can cut through magic, not to mention you're freakishly strong with that freakish-looking grimoire to boot. No surprise nobody wanted you…"
Each word felt like a dagger in Asta's chest. He crumpled to the ground, visibly hurt by Yami's brutally honest assessment.
"But lucky for you," Yami added, crossing his arms, "the Black Bulls are all about being freaky and weird. You'll fit right in."
"Captain Yami," Finral sighed, "please, this is your squad you're talking about…"
Yami ignored him. "So, you say you're aiming to be the Wizard King, huh? Well, you better be ready to surpass your limits!"
"YES, SIR!" Asta saluted with a massive grin, his enthusiasm undimmed.
Just then, a golden circle appeared beneath Asta's feet. "Ahh!" he yelped as the ground opened beneath him, dropping him through a portal. He landed gracefully beside Stephen and behind Yami.
"Nice to have you aboard, runt," Yami teased.
Asta rubbed the back of his head, grinning sheepishly.
With the Magic Knight exams concluded, Yami turned to Finral. "Take us back to the base."
As Finral activated his spatial magic, Asta and Yuno exchanged one last look, their eyes filled with determination. They smirked before turning forward—each ready to face their future. Their journey had just begun.
The portal opened, and in a blink, they found themselves standing in front of the Black Bulls' base.
BOOM!
The front door exploded open, revealing pure chaos inside.
"YOU READY TO GET YOUR BUTT KICKED!?"
"NOT IF I KICK YOURS FIRST! Hahaha!"
Yami grinned at the madness. "Welcome to the worst Magic Knight squad—The Black Bulls."
Both Stephen and Asta stared wide-eyed at the bedlam before them.
"…"
Stephen muttered, blinking slowly, "You know," he sighed, watching a woman in her underwear stumble out while rubbing her messy hair, "maybe there is such a thing as too much freedom."
"Ughhh," she groaned, "I drank too much… Head's killing me."
Asta gulped, taking a hesitant step forward. "HELLO! I'M ASTA! IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE A PART OF YOUR SQUAD!" he announced at the top of his lungs.
No one was paying attention, as they were all lost in their own worlds. One person was launching fireballs at another, who was dodging them effortlessly, explosions erupting around them.
Stephen, turning to leave, sighed and said, "I've made a grave mistake coming here. I'm heading home. Later, Asta. You'll fit right in."
Before he could make his exit, he felt a firm grip on the back of his cloak and shirt. Yami had grabbed him, preventing his escape. Stephen let out another sigh, slouching slightly as he resigned to his fate.
Seeing another explosion, Yami punched a hole in the side of the base. "HEY! STOP DESTROYING MY BASE!"
Instantly, everyone froze and rushed over, shouting, "CAPTAIN YAMI! WELCOME BACK, SIR!"
"I see you all love me so much, but enough already. You're annoying," Yami grumbled. "Anyway, I picked up a couple of recruits. Say hello."
Stephen straightened up, blowing the white patch of his hair out of his eyes. Before he could say anything, a woman approached him, swaying her hips slightly. She was dressed in little more than underwear, her red hair cascading behind her as she tucked a strand behind her ear.
"Oh wow, Captain, you've caught someone handsome for us," she said, leaning in. "The name's Vanessa. What's yours, cutie?"
Stephen started, "The name's—"
Before he could finish, Vanessa abruptly turned to the side and vomited. Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, she flashed a crooked smile at Stephen. "You were saying?"
Stephen turned to Yami, his expression deadpan. "What kind of establishment are you running here where you can't even afford proper clothes for your members?"
Meanwhile, Asta cheerfully introduced himself again, "I'm Asta, from Hage Village! I'm a new member of the Black Bulls!"
"A newcomer, huh?" A man with sharp eyes and a threatening air stepped forward. "The name's Magna. But you don't get to call yourself a member of the Black Bulls without passing our little baptism. Only then do you earn your robe."
Another voice, filled with enthusiasm, interrupted. "I call dibs on him! I'm Luck. What's yours?" Luck's grin stretched wide, almost unnervingly.
"Stephen. Same village as Asta."
Luck's grin widened further. "Well, Stephen, you look strong. Let's try and kill each other!"
"Okay..." Stephen shrugged, sensing no malice in Luck's words.
---
Later, in the courtyard, Stephen and Asta stood on one side, while Magna and Luck stood opposite them. The rest of the Black Bulls gathered around to watch, eager for the upcoming clash.
Stephen and Luck locked eyes, neither flinching nor moving, both waiting for the other to make the first strike.
"Alright then..." Stephen muttered. He levitated off the ground, summoning a shimmering shield of Eldritch magic over his fist, before shooting toward Luck at incredible speed.
Luck's grimoire materialized beside him, pages glowing and flipping rapidly. Lightning crackled around him, forming a gauntlet of electricity with sharp claws over his hands. With a streak of lightning, Luck charged, a wild grin on his face.
He thrust his lightning-clad hand forward, aiming straight for Stephen, but Stephen's form dissolved into a flock of dark, shadowy birds, reforming behind Luck. With a swift motion, Stephen fired a bolt of energy from a magic circle at Luck, who dodged it just in time.
Stephen, unfazed, flicked his wrist, summoning a magical whip that coiled around Luck's legs. With a sharp tug, he swung Luck around and hurled him toward a tree.
Luck twisted in midair, landing on his feet against the tree trunk and launching himself back toward Stephen, claws extended. Stephen turned his magic circle into shields, blocking Luck's assault before driving his knee into Luck's chin, sending him flying backward.
Luck grimaced but quickly recovered. He caught a glint of gold—a glowing dagger flying toward him. Reacting instinctively, he grabbed it midair, only for it to explode, sending him crashing hard to the ground with a thud.
Groaning, Luck rolled and rose to his feet, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. He smirked, wiping it away. "Let's keep going!" He clapped his hands together, forming a ball of crackling lightning between them.
Stephen, sensing the surge of power, made a circular motion with his hands, gathering his own energy. The lightning ball in Luck's hands transformed into a massive beam of raw electricity, surging toward Stephen.
A large magic circle appeared in front of Stephen, flames swirling within. "Flames of Faltine," he whispered, thrusting the circle forward. A torrent of fiery energy blasted out, meeting Luck's lightning head-on.
The clash of fire and lightning created a powerful explosion, sending shockwaves across the courtyard. Stephen conjured a shield to protect himself from the blast, while the others shielded their eyes from the dust and debris.
As the smoke cleared, Luck lay groaning on the ground, surrounded by the remnants of fire. He pushed himself up on one elbow, squinting through the haze to see a dark figure approaching. Stephen emerged from the flames, his cape billowing behind him. He extended a hand toward Luck.
"I guess that's my win?"
Luck laughed, wiping the blood from his lip. "Hahaha! You sure are fun! Let's try to kill each other again sometime."
Stephen grinned, helping him to his feet. "Sure."
Meanwhile, a girl with long, silver hair stood atop the wall of the base, watching their exchange with narrowed eyes. "He's strong... strong for a commoner," she muttered, though her fists unconsciously clenched.
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