__Location Change - Banquet Hall__
The magic knights and Asta's group were now at a banquet hall, each group from different squads occupied a table each.
"Something came up, and I have to excuse myself. Have fun!" - Julius.
Saying this he left.
And so, without his presence, the earlier, hidden stares at Asta's group, suddenly became full-on glares.
Ray, leaning against the wall, right beside a window, snickered at the sight. Everyone at the table was visibly nervous, especially Noelle. Of course, by everyone he meant everyone except one.
Asta can't be defined by normal means. This guy, even under such a tense mood, was gulping down food at an incredible rate. Completely oblivious.
"Whhoooaaaa!! What the heck is this?!!" Asta exclaimed, stars in his eyes as he took another bite of the pudding in his hand. "I've never had anything like it!!!"
*Whoooaa!*
*Yuuuuum!*
Klaus pushed up his glasses. "Just look at the confidence!! I'd expect no less of Asta!"
"No, he's just being a bumpkin." Yuno muttered, with his deadpan face, like always.
"Umm... Umm... Asta...!" Mimosa approached, nervous and blushing. "May i join you?"
"Hey Mimosa! Are you after the meat too?" - Asta
"Pardon?! Oh. Yes, it looks quite delicious... Yes." - Mimosa.
Ray chuckled and walked over, slinging an arm over Yuno's shoulders and pushing a glass into his hands.
"Eat up Yuno. We're gonna be having a loooong daay~!" Ray said tipsily, draining the other glass in his hands.
"..." Yuno stared at the semi transparent yellow coloured liquid in his hands and then at Ray's demeanour and drained glass. "Ray. We're still 15. We shouldn't drink."
Ray froze. "Dude what? It's Apple juice, dumbass!"
"..." - Yuno.
Alecdora Sandler, Observing them from a distance suddenly spoke up, unable to stop himself.
"Vulgar peasants!" He said.
Suddenly everyone started talking, their voices echoing with the room.
"Why would the wizard king invite such lowborn scum?"
"I can't sense any mana from those two... No doubt that dungeon capture was sheer luck."
"Just look at the way they eat. Disgusting. (Oh ho ho ho!)"
"It's Unnatural for that little rat to be here. What a misfit."
Klaus and Mimosa exchanged a troubled look. "...!"
However,
"Hmmm... they're sure tearing into me, huh? Well, I'm used to that." Asta said, still eating.
'H...How Magnanimous...!' Klaus and Mimosa thought at the same time, one shocked, the other blushing even more.
"..." Yuno and Ray exchanged a look.
"Your Group has its own peasant though, doesn't it?" Leopold suddenly spoke up. "A peasant celebrated for having a four-leaf clover grimoire... Who doesn't realize his proper place!" Leopolds grin grew wilder. "I would have handled that Dungeon-capture mission better."
"Impressive self-confidence, crimson brat." Sandler said, standing up. "It isn't as if we're expecting much from a peasant like him. We are the ones who embody master Vangeance's... No, the Golden Dawn's ideal!"
"..." - Ray.
"?" - Asta.
"...!" - Yuno.
Klaus quickly spoke up for them. "It I could say on-"
However, he was cut off by Sandler.
"You too, Klaus!" he said glaring at Klaus. "With your skills, aren't you ashamed to be here?"
"... Uh..."
"Mimosa!" He continued. "I hear you were wounded early on in the dungeon and left the front line."
"!"
"You, A vermillion royal. Ridiculous...!"
"I'm terribly sorry...!"
"!!!" - Asta.
"Now Hang on. The most useless misfit of the lot is..." A voice broke the silence. "You isn't it?? Right, Noelle?!" Solid smirked with that punch able face of his. "A record-breaking embarrasment who can't even control her magic properly!"
"Big brother solid..."
"You were practically exiled from the Silvas" Another smug voice cut in. "I'm surprised you had the nerve to return to the noble realm!"
Noelle's face dipped further into despair. "Big sister Nebra..."
"Grrr..." Asta's glare intensified from the side. Ray held him back though, with a soft, 'Not now' glance in his direction.
"Getting excited over a single success..." Yet another voice cut in. "Did you specifically come to bring shame to the Silva name?" This time it was the final boss. Nozel Silva. "You do not belong here. Leave this place, you failure."
*Snap!* Asta's rage boiled over. At this point, Ray couldn't hold him back anymore.
"Big brother Nozel..." Noelle said, with a fearful and shaky voice. She quickly turned around and tried to walk away, hiding her tears. But alas, Asta stopped her, grabbing her hand.
"You don't have to run from these jerks!!" He said, glaring in the Silva siblings' direction.
"A-Asta?" Noelle muttered in a small voice.
Ray smirked at Nero, sitting on his shoulder, with a knowing look.
'Here it comes...'
Sure enough...
*BAM!*
Asta jumped onto the table towering over the gathering and yelled.
"Since the wizard king called you people here... I figured you must be pretty awesome. Guess I was wrong."
"0o0" - Klaus
"o.o" - Mimosa
"You're all no different from everybody else!!" He yelled, voice somehow still on the rise. "Who cares whether we belong or not?! Just you watch! I'm gonna..."
*Bam!*
*WHOOSH!!*
Before he could finish. A huge amount of Sand suddenly appeared, engulfing him completely.
Sand binding Magic: Sand Box!
"That's enough, Scoundrel." Sandler said, his grimoire open in front of him. "A gnat like you shouldn't even be permitted to tal-"
*TWANG!*
*WHOOSH!*
*THUD!*
An arrow embedded itself behind him.
Then, More followed, each embedding itself behind him in perfect formation, outlining his body shape. The speed at which they appeared left him no room to react.
His eyes widened, locking onto Ray's figure at the back of the group, Kojaku out and a murderous glare on his face.
At the same time, the sand box exploded from inside, Asta reappeared, sword in hand and continued.
"I'm not shutting up!!!!" He yelled, eyes filled anger. "Listen up, Dirtbags! I'm gonna pile up the results... To become the wizard king and silence every last one of you!!!" He finished pointing his sword at them.
*SILENCE*
*Heavy SILENCE*
*Deathly SILENCE*
"(⊙_◎)" - Klaus
"Knew it..." - Yuno
"Interesting..." Fuegoleon
"Om nom nom..." Sol
"..." - Sandler, Shiren, Hamon.
"Captain Yami would be proud Asta... Amazing work." - Ray (Patting Asta's leg.)
"Keh... heheh... hehehe... hahahaha!!!" - Nebra and Solid.
"Don't be RIDICULOUS!!" Nebra, solid and Sandler said at the same time, opening their grimoires and attacking.
Water Binding Magic: Sea serpent's coils!
Mist Binding Magic: Mist Spider's Threads!
However, even under the pressure of two different powerful binding type attacks, Asta didn't flinch. He raised his sword and slashed them apart.
'I knew it... He's erasing the magic!!' Sandlers though. 'However... With an attack range like that... He's nothing to fear!'
Sand Creation Magic: Sand Armoured Guard!
A massive Sand golem appeared behind Asta, capturing him in its arms, restricting his sword.
However, the giant didn't last even a second before being blown apart, as a rain of arrows befell it.
Heilig Pfeil: Volley!
"Expected." Sandlers muttered to himself. "Behaving like that at such a festive occasion... You're sure to be given some kind of penalty!" He said.
"(sweating bullets)" - Klaus
"..." - Yuno
"Behaving like that on such a festive occaision, Blah blah blah!" Ray snorted, Mimicking Sandlers. "Says the one who pulls out his magic at the first sign of losing a verbal fight. Weren't you the one who started with that sand binding magic? I'm sorry. I didn't know Golden Dawn taught it's members this." Ray said, tauting and defaming him in a go.
Sandler's face twisted. "You..." But he didn't move.
"Hey, Now... Why so soft, Golden dawn?" Solid said, stepping up, and forming a water missile. "Any guy who's that high on himself needs to be taught a physical lesson... So that he never makes another mess on the rug!"
Water Creation Magic: Holy Water Bullet!
The bullet launched forward, heading straight for Ray/ But Asta stepped in, and swung the flat of his blade against it, deflecting it back the way it came, at Solid.
At the same time, Ray launched another Pfeil, right behind the bullet, exploding it, and speeding the water bullet up even more.
"Apologize! To Noelle!!" Asta Yelled, As the bullet hit Solid square on the chest, sending his haughty ass skidding on the floor.
"!!" His face twisted. "Did you just... Make me KNEEL?!" He exploded with anger. " You ratty little peasant!!"
Asta glared back, Now holding both of his swords in his hands.
A calm voice cut through the chaos.
"Solid..." Nozel said walking between them.
"Big brother Nozel...!"
"Don't use your magic so willingly against mere Peasants!" He said, releasing his magic pressure.
Asta's eyes widened, recalling Yami's pressure that morning, against Ray.
'What's this chill...? It's a cold pressure... Like captain Yami's but different!!' he thought.
Ray's face twisted into an exhilarated, maniacal grin at the pressure.
'Ahhh... how nostalgic! This is as strong as Ravana-sensei's reishi pressure!! I wanna fight him so bad!!! AAAARGHHH!!!'
Ray took a step forward, seele schneider already in hand, his grin getting even more deranged. Then, he shot forward using Hirenkyaku, figure blurring as he sped towards Nozel.
*Whoosh!*
*Slash!*
*Clang!*
*BOOOM!!!*
Ray appeared infront of Nozel, and swung his sword. However, it was intercepted by a wall of mercury that appeared out of nowhere.
Only Nozel, Charolette and Fuegoleon were looking at him. Two of them looking geniunely surprised at his speed, and the other, annoyed that He was forced to defend.
The clash sent a loud *BOOM!* Travelling through the room. Immediately all eyes locked onto Ray.
"HAHAHA!!! MORE! FIGHT ME DAMN IT!" Ray yelled, stepping back before blurring and rushing at Nozel again.
But this time, he felt his hairs stand on an end. A mercury blade homed in on him, heading for his undefended back.
*VMMM....!*
*Whoosh!*
*Clang!*
Ray stepped on Air, and twisted his body, slash blocking the projectile.
Nozel took that turn as an opening to send another Projectile at Ray again. Now faced with two attacks, it looked like he was about to get impaled.
Suddenly a flame emerged, melting both projectiles.
Fuegoleon, grabbed Ray by the collar, letting him flail in the air while he raised his flaming palm at Nozel.
"Enough. All this for a lone boy... Aren't you embarrassed?! Silva Clan!" Fuegoleon said.
Nozel let his hand drop, and dispelled the shield. Fuegoleon, defused his flames and let Ray drop.
"Hey!" - Ray.
"Mister Fuegoleon..." Mimosa Muttered.
Leopold Appeared beside Ray, extending his hand to help him up.
"It's just like Mimosa told me." Leopold said, lifting Ray up and slinging an arm around him, then pointing at Asta. "You're both pretty interesting guys!"
Then, he grinned letting go of Ray and pushing him Asta's direction, then declared.
"Alright! Rejoice! I, Leopold Vermillion, declare you my rival!!"
"Huh...?" - Asta.
"*twitch*" - Yuno.
'I'm not supposed to be part of this...' - Ray.
Meanwhile, Fuegoleon and Charolette quickly exchanged a glance.
In that earlier instance, when the second projectile was heading towards Ray, both of them felt it instinctively. Nozel had emitted a bloodlust towards Ray. And the second projectile? It had intentions to kill Ray, which, if occurred may have had a catastrophic result. They definitely didn't want to get on Yami's bad side. Especially not Charolette.
"Vermillion...?" Yuno muttered to Mimosa beside him.
"Yes, Fuegoleon and Leopold are my cousins." She confirmed.
"(Haw! Haw! Haw!) Guys really are dumb, huh, Sis!" Sol said, still eating.
"Manners, Sol." Charolette said, breaking eye contact with the other captain and closing her eyes in annoyance.
"Sorry sis!"
"Call me captain, Sol"
"Sowwy! (Hi hi hi!)"
"My my, We're all so very noise here... (Oh ho ho ho ho!)" Hamon said amiably.
Fuegoleon and Nozel resumed their staring contest.
"Lord julius allowed him to be here. He may be a peasant, but couldn't you give him a little credit?"
"I never thought i'd hear such words from a royal... The house of vermillion has gone soft. What sort of credit is an eagle who soars the skies supposed to give to an insect who crawls on the ground?"
Both narrowed their eyes, And suddenly all present in the room saw a flaming tiger behind Fuegoleon and a silver Eagle behind Nozel.
'Wh-what a tremendous clash of mana!!' Klaus thought, shuddering from the immense amount of mana.
Suddenly, the Door to the room burst open and a messenger ran in, Shouting.
"Emergency!!"
"The... The... Capital!"
"The capital is under attack!!!"