The choice between Body magic and Acceleration magic was a tough one for Asta. Body magic gave even more physical strength but needed a lot of mana. The other gave a more versatile moveset which maximized his fast reflexes.
In the end the scales tipped in acceleration's favor. Not just because it suited him better for his current strength but also because he was disgusted with idea of becoming a living pile of flesh to fight.
"Take Dante's Grimoire." He ordered the panel.
The next moment a tangible shadow rose from Asta's own shadow. It gulped down the Grimoire with jaws like a angler fish's, devouring it in one bite before receding back into the shadows.
A message appeared on the panel, showing a newer and different grey screen.
[Item submission accepted. Decoding will take five hours... Proceed?]
"Is that even a question? Jus– huh what's that?"
There was a side message attached in the corner with a star. It was a warning attached with the decoding process.
[*The system will be inaccessible for the duration, taking away host's ability to gain any new traits even if he fulfills the condition*]
"... So basically...its telling me to not waste effort try getting other traits in meantime or training?...Sigh Just proceed. "
The system panel abruptly shut down, probably going into decoding mode as far as Asta knew. He was now free for the next five hours, meaning he was practically just gonna lazy around... Or will he?
Five hours without doing anything just felt like a waste for a training fanatic like Asta. If he was not gonna train his mana, then he would just train his body. However first thing above others– he needed a sword.
"This body got no muscle memory. It's a blank slate. If I try swinging a sword like this–" Asta envisions himself slipping and impaling himself with his own sword. "No-Nope-Nada. I better go buy a training sword or something..some weights while I am at it too."
Luckily for Asta, he had katar with a gem in it and the village just happened to be filled with visitors coming because the uproar of vendors was coming all the way to him in the forest.
It was early morning and a winter one too, nobody will say a thing if he wore a full body cloak in such harsh weather.
With the thought of blending into the crowd and just exchanging the katar with some training swords and maybe a spear. Asta left for the village, hoping for a quick trip without anyone recognizing him under the hood.
At least that what he hopped for. However–
"You gotta be kidding me. This looks more like gathering for mourning the dead."
There wasn't a single stall in the distance, only a bunch of vendors selling flowers for people to submit on other Asta's grave.
Even the people of church including father orza and sister lily were there, crying tears of sadness at the grave while Asta himself watched the scene from the distance.
It was at this moment Asta began hearing the details from the talks of the crowd. His heart aching at each sentence they spoke.
'I was–... He was killed in court for disobeying the law? Nero was put on house arrest in blackbull's base? Captain Yami and Jack were sent on a mission to the south?'
The sudden trail of events began making sense. The reason why the black horns were being used as accessories, the hatred between the king and commoners and the split of nobles between those who protected the kingdom selflessly and the corrupted reign of the kira household.
"The kingdom is heading for a revolt." Asta said to himself in a low whisper. His gaze shivering at the imagination of the wide bloodshed that will be happen if the revolt occurs.
His death was a trap. A trap set by the king to suppress commoners while the wizard king was at his weakest. It was not a revolt that was coming but rather a political move to give the king a justification to cut every commoner's path to a magic knight.
However above everything else, Asta could smell a disgusting stench, the stench of a well fabricated game of chess for a certain group to weaken the kingdom. The stench of the dark traid and the Lucius's manipulation from the shadows.
Also, the scene of his family weeping at a grave with his name was greatly disturbing to Asta. So he moved, going to the outskirts instead where he bought a saber tooth mask from a wandering merchant with a coin he found on the ground.
Next he went to the village's runesmith, hopping to get enough for the katar's imbued gem to pay for his food and training equipment.
The smithy wasn't very big, it was mediocre in both size and appearance however it was enough for a small village. It was run by a old man named Bes who was reaching his seventies.
"Anyone here?" Asta asked from outside, receiving no answer in return despite the clear echoing sound of hammers and the visible smoke rising from the chimney
He thought it was wierd. The old man who always yelled at him since childhood wasn't one to ignore a customer. This raised a curious spark in Asta's heart.
"I am coming in! "
He opened the gate and stepped inside, looking around calmly as he walked over to the counter where no one stood. The backdoor was also barely open, giving Asta just enough space to peek inside.
... Thinking for a moment, Asta wondered if it was really fine for him to enter the workplace mid smithing session.
"A little peek won't hurt...It's not like I am interrupting or anything. *walks closer* Let's seeeeeeeee–"
On the other side was old man Bes, his beard covered in a hue of Grey flames as he pounded the metal again and again to add the finishing touches to his work.
It was a sword, a sword with T-shaped pummel and giant broad blade enough to work as a shield. The whole sword was also made of a single piece of metal, no joints no extra meterial for grip. Nevertheless just the sight made Asta swear buckets.
It was the Demon slayer sword. It's blade reforged with real manaless flames and it's edges repaired by adding a alloy of molten onyx powder, steel and tungsten. The rusty appearance that it once held was gone, replaced by black obsidian like shine and a dark gem like transparent edge.
The sword was now both sharp and heavy, just a perfect blend to cut something if you can swing it, that is.
It looked like a perfect sword for Heavy hitter and Asta wanted it. He wanted his sword in his hand, wanted to swing it around and take it for a run to test its sharpness.
There was greed in his eyes but he soon realised it and pulled his mind out of its daze. The sword could wait, it's not like there is anybody else who is able to wield it anyway.
He slowly walked back to the entrance, opening the door and closing it to get Bes's attention. The door bell did just that and soon the old man walked out in his blacksmithing clothes.
"What can I help you with, lad? You wanna order a blade or something?"
"I do... But can you tell me how much this will fetch?"
Asta placed the gem onto the counter. Ges picked it up and began inspecting from every angle.
"Did you find it or steal it? It's a fine gem that shouldn't be away from its weapon."
"How much?"
"3 silver. 10 if you can bring the weapon too."
"... 50"
Bes's ears perk up a little. His gaze silently drifting to Asta.
"You want 50 silver for this? Stop dreaming!!"
Slam!
Bes slams his counter in front of Asta, half-heartly expecting him to yield. This was a negotiation technique he came up with– the insulting technique.
However as someone who used to visit every now and then to help with work, Asta knew each trick the old foggy had in his bag from the moment he stepped into the shop.
Slowly Asta raises his hand, slamming it onto the table as well with a insignia in his palm. It was a coin, a bloody coin with name carved into it.
"I killed a guy on my way here. Took his dagger as compensation after I took his life. But doesn't having your own named token make him a big bounty in the back alleys?"
Intimidation with hostility while also changing the subject. Asta learned this trick from Vanessa during the dozens of times he had gone with her to the black market.
The old runesmith had no idea of what Asta was talking about but his instincts told him that the boy in front of him was not talking any crap.
"What's his name?"
"Alsey Orinate. A man with over a hundred victims and has been leading a bandit group for over 2 years."( the victims number is real but Asta lied about the second point)
" Hmm. Lemme check."
Bes brought a entire book from underneath the table, his hands flipping through it like crazy as pair of glasses appeared without even Asta noticing.
The book was widder than a encyclopedia, it's pages thicker than a fingernail. Each page was filled with names and sketches but Bes only stopped after flipping more than half of the book.
"Alsey Orinate. Age: 29. Crimes- Arson, banditry, murder, bribery, so on. Bounty- 1 0 gold."
Asta listened in shock as the old man brought out the entire history of the bandit within just a minute.
Honestly Asta thought Bes was just a normal runesmith who would have heard of the bandit's name but even he himself didn't knew a single percent about the guy and neither did he expect a full book ready to confirm his words.
"I will give you five gold. No contract and no–"
"-DEAL!!" Asta interrupts in a loud voice, startling the shop keeper without even a single expectation of haggling for more.
The exchange happened in a blink of an eye, the gem and the katar replaced with five shiny gold coins which Asta grabbed in a instant.
However as he began walking away silently, Asta stopped and looked back for a second with a grand smile hidden beneath his mask.
_______
-2 hours later-
After a successful exchange with the runesmith, Asta returns to his training spot with a full sack full of rations and spices alongside a cooking guide, three iron made training Weapons and four gold coins in his pocket.
Today he has learned a bitter truth about the world awaiting him as well as a imaginable identity of someone he once saw as a normal runesmith.
Truthfully speaking he was just going to raise the price of the katar to 1 gold but the moment he heard five gold his brain just shut down for a second. Nevertheless he got more than he wanted, so food wasn't gonna be a problem for a long time now.
It was time to grind his body to hell and back. Time to push his body to it's limits and surpass them.
"It is training time! "