The night was quiet, save for the occasional rustling of leaves as the wind passed through the trees. Escanor sat motionless, his golden eyes reflecting the pale light of the moon. The stars above shimmered, a reminder of the vastness of this world—one still foreign to him, yet one he was beginning to understand.
Beside him, Asta stretched his arms and let out a satisfied sigh. "Man, I'm still pumped from today's mission! We took down those monsters like it was nothing!"
Escanor chuckled. "You call that nothing? You threw yourself at them with reckless abandon. A lesser man would have been torn apart."
Asta smirked. "Well, I'm not a lesser man. I'm gonna be the Wizard King, remember?"
Escanor regarded him for a moment. Asta's confidence wasn't arrogance—it was conviction. That kind of determination, that unwavering belief in himself, reminded Escanor of someone… himself, at the height of his power. The power of the sun had once made him invincible, but even then, it had been the bonds he shared with others that had truly defined his strength.
And now? He was no longer the invincible Lion Sin of Pride. But that didn't mean he couldn't become something even greater.
He placed a hand over his grimoire, feeling the warmth emanating from it. Since obtaining it, he had only scratched the surface of its potential. The magic within him was different from what he once wielded—it was tied to this world, shaped by its laws. If he was to grow stronger, he would need to fully understand it.
Asta noticed his expression and grinned. "Thinking about training?"
Escanor smirked. "Something like that."
Asta shot up to his feet. "Then let's do it! Come on, I still got energy left, and I wanna see what that sunshine magic of yours can really do!"
Escanor raised an eyebrow. "Now? It's the middle of the night."
"So?" Asta said, cracking his knuckles. "You're strong, right? If we're gonna get even stronger, we can't waste time sleeping!"
Escanor let out a deep chuckle, shaking his head. "Very well. But don't expect me to go easy on you."
A short while later, the two stood in an open clearing outside the Black Bulls' hideout. Asta gripped his Demon Slayer sword tightly, his grin unwavering. Escanor, meanwhile, took a deep breath, feeling the warmth of his magic flow through him. Though the sun had set, the embers of its power still lingered within him.
Asta dashed forward without hesitation, swinging his sword down with enough force to split the earth. Escanor sidestepped gracefully, the blade barely missing him.
"Too slow," Escanor remarked.
Asta grinned. "Then let's speed things up!"
He spun, swinging again, but Escanor caught the flat of the blade with his palm. Asta's eyes widened.
"Your strength is remarkable," Escanor admitted, pushing the sword aside effortlessly. "But your movements are too direct."
Asta growled in frustration but didn't relent. He came at Escanor again, this time feinting before launching a sudden upward slash. Escanor barely dodged in time, the wind from the swing rustling his hair.
"Better," he said, "but predictable."
Asta huffed. "Alright, enough holding back. I'm coming at you full force!"
His muscles tensed as he activated Black Asta. Dark energy surged around him, his speed increasing exponentially. He vanished from sight, reappearing behind Escanor in an instant.
Escanor smirked. Interesting.
Asta slashed at him, but before the blade could make contact, Escanor raised his arm.
A radiant golden aura burst forth, forming a shimmering barrier around him. Asta's sword clashed against it, sparks flying as the impact sent a shockwave through the air.
Asta was pushed back, landing a few feet away. His eyes widened in surprise. "What was that?!"
Escanor looked at his glowing hand. "A new ability, it seems," he mused. "The remnants of my power manifesting in defense rather than destruction."
He clenched his fist, and the golden light intensified, forming a gauntlet around his hand. A smirk crossed his lips. "Now, allow me to counter."
Before Asta could react, Escanor disappeared.
A moment later, he reappeared in front of Asta, driving his glowing fist into the ground. A fiery shockwave erupted outward, shaking the entire clearing. Asta was flung backward, crashing into a tree.
He groaned, rubbing his head. "Okay… that was awesome."
Escanor approached, offering a hand. "You are formidable, Asta. But you rely too much on brute force. Strength alone is not enough."
Asta sighed, taking his hand. "Yeah, yeah. I get that a lot."
Escanor chuckled. "Then train with me. Let us push each other beyond our limits."
Asta grinned. "Now you're talking!"
As the sun began to rise, their training continued, both warriors pushing themselves further. By the time they returned to the hideout, they were exhausted but fulfilled.
As Escanor stepped inside, Yami stood in the doorway, watching them.
"Looks like you two had fun," the captain remarked, exhaling smoke from his cigarette.
Asta grinned. "We sure did! Escanor's magic is crazy strong!"
Yami glanced at Escanor, eyes sharp. "Yeah… I can tell. You've got potential, kid."
Escanor met his gaze, standing tall. "I intend to prove it."
Yami smirked. "Good. 'Cause if you're gonna be a Black Bull, you better be ready for even crazier fights."
Escanor chuckled. "I wouldn't have it any other way."
As Asta and Yami walked ahead, Escanor lingered for a moment, looking down at his grimoire. The symbol of his magic—his new destiny in this world.
He had once been the Lion Sin of Pride. A warrior of unmatched strength feared and revered.
But that was the past.
Now, he was Escanor of the Black Bulls.
And his journey had only just begun.