With a sharp gaze fixed on the sky, Asta swung his sword.
"Demon-Dweller Sword: Black Slash!"
Eleven Anti-Magic slashes were released in rapid succession.
Pitch-black waves shot into the air, each one tearing cracks into the atmosphere itself. The moment the wind crescents and the Anti-Magic slashes collided—
BOOOOM—!! BOOOOM—!! BOOOOM—!!
A chain of explosions shook the heavens.
Green wind and black energy devoured one another, giving birth to a storm of destruction that swallowed the clouds, tore into the land far below, and made the horizon tremble—as if the world itself could barely withstand the clash of those two powers.
Elsewhere, in an area that could be called relatively safe—though the word safe was rapidly losing its meaning—several figures watched the battle from afar.
Noelle Silva stood at the forefront, her silver hair whipping violently as the residual pressure of mana reached their position.
Her eyes were wide open, a clear mix of awe and tension reflected within them.
"They're… really not holding back at all," she murmured, hardly able to believe what she was seeing. "That idiot, Bakka Asta!"
On her shoulder, Nero—in her Anti-Magic bird form—fluttered her black wings uneasily.
The small, dark feathers trembled each time Asta's Anti-Magic waves resonated through the air. Her sharp little eyes never left Asta's movements in the sky, as if calculating the worst possible outcome.
"Ku…," Nero let out a low sound—clearly a warning, even without words.
Not far behind them, Mimosa Vermillion clutched her grimoire tightly to her chest. Her blonde hair was lifted by the lingering gusts, her face pale, brows drawn together in sincere worry.
"They're being too reckless… If even one of those attacks were to stray just a little…" she said, her words breaking off as a violent gust of wind cut through the air.
Meanwhile, Klaus Lunettes stood rigid with his back straight, his Golden Dawn mantle whipping violently in the wind. His rectangular glasses glinted as he pushed them up with two fingers, his jaw tightening as he struggled to rein in his emotions.
"This is no longer just a rivalry duel," he said firmly, his voice trembling between awe and concern. "This is already approaching the level of a high-class strategic battle… no—surpassing it."
All of their gazes returned to the sky, torn apart by the raging storm of wind and Anti-Magic.
Those two figures—Asta and Yuno—continued to clash at the heart of the destruction, fighting as if the world around them were nothing more than a mere backdrop.
***
One hour later.
The battlefield that had once been utterly devastated now lay silent. The ground was riddled with cracks, and the air still carried faint ripples of lingering mana.
At the center of the field, Asta and Yuno lay flat on their backs, staring up at the sky as it slowly returned to calm.
Asta's breathing was heavy and ragged, his body feeling like lead. Every muscle screamed in exhaustion after a battle that had demanded everything he had.
Not far from them, Mimosa knelt with her grimoire open.
A gentle green light flowed from her palms, alternately enveloping Asta and Yuno. Minor wounds closed, and the crushing fatigue gradually eased.
"Honestly…" Mimosa said, her tone a mix of relief and irritation, "you two are… completely ridiculous."
"Sorry for going overboard—and thank you, Mimosa…" Asta replied with a faint smile, despite the exhaustion etched across his face. "Your healing really is amazing."
Mimosa blushed and lowered her head, embarrassed. "I-it's fine… as long as you're okay… Asta," she murmured softly, her voice nearly fading away.
Noelle stared at him intensely, as if she were about to unleash a barrage of sharp words.
Asta was a little confused, but he didn't think much of it. After all, Noelle was always like that. He closed his eyes for a moment and took a long breath.
"But… haah… damn…" he muttered weakly. "I'm completely exhausted…"
Beside him, Yuno's breathing was calmer, but his face was pale. The flow of mana around him was barely perceptible anymore—a clear sign that his reserves had been completely drained.
"My mana… is gone," he said briefly, his eyes still fixed on the sky. "If this were a real fight… the result might've been different."
Asta chuckled weakly. "Heh… yeah. Good thing it was just sparring. But, Yuno—this is still my win. You went down after I did."
"Don't joke around," Yuno replied casually. "I just held back. If I'd forced it, you would've passed out first."
Asta grinned, even though his body was still sprawled on the ground. "Hah? Excuses, Yuno. You bastard."
Yuno opened one eye and glanced at Asta. "I don't want to hear that from someone who can barely stand. Don't act like you won."
"Heheh~," Asta laughed softly. "That's just because I'm too strong. My body just isn't used to it yet."
"Nonsense," Yuno said flatly. "That logic doesn't make sense."
Asta grew even more irritated. "You trying to pick another fight, huh? Damn you, Yuno."
Suddenly—
"BAKAAA ASTA!!"
Noelle stood with her hands on her hips, her face flushed with emotion. Her silver hair was still slightly disheveled, ruffled by the lingering wind.
"Do you have no brain at all!?" she shouted. "Do you realize how dangerous a fight like that was!? And after all that, you still want to argue?!"
Asta winced, then put on an awkward grin. "Eh? Hehe… but I'm still alive, right?"
"THAT'S NOT THE POINT!!"
On a nearby rock, Nero—still in her bird form—perched silently. Her small eyes observed Asta and Yuno without expression, her black wings folded neatly at her sides.
She said nothing, yet the silence itself felt like a sharp judgment.
Meanwhile, Klaus stood a short distance away with his arms crossed. His cloak was still stained with dust, but his posture remained upright and composed.
"Hmph," he cleared his throat softly. "As Magic Knights… the two of you are truly reckless."
He adjusted his glasses, then glanced toward Asta and Yuno.
"But…" he continued, his voice softening slightly, "it's undeniable. You've both surpassed your respective limits. That much is a fact."
Yuno closed his eyes and replied, "It's still not enough."
Asta flashed a wide grin despite lying there completely exhausted.
"Next time…" he said between heavy breaths, his eyes blazing with determination. "We'll do it again. I'll definitely surpass my limits and become the Wizard King!"
Hearing that, Yuno slowly opened his eyes and glanced at Asta from the corner of his vision. A faint—almost imperceptible—smile appeared on his face.
"Keep dreaming, Asta," he said calmly. "The one who will become Wizard King… is me."
Asta let out a soft chuckle and turned his head toward Yuno. "Then in that case," he said firmly, "you go ahead and dream. Because I'm the one who's going to take the title of Wizard King."
Yuno let out a slow breath, gazing at the sky as it gradually returned to clarity.
"I'm not dreaming," he said flatly, yet the conviction in his voice was unshakable. "I'm simply walking the path that was always meant for me."
Asta let out a small chuckle, even though his chest felt heavy with every breath.
"Then in that case…" he replied, "I'll just run faster on that same path. And I'll overtake you, Yuno."
"Hmph." Yuno turned his face away, but the corner of his lips lifted ever so slightly. "If you can't keep up with me, don't blame anyone else."
Asta raised his fist with what little strength he had left, clenching at the empty air. "I won't lose. To anyone. Including you."
And so it was—two rivals, utterly exhausted, yet still arguing about the same future, the same crown, even as their eyes were on the verge of closing.
***
Two months and ten days had passed since Gabriel began his training to obtain the Skill Total Concentration Breathing Technique.
Every morning, noon, and night, he focused his entire body—diving deep into the flow of blood, the rhythm of his lungs, and his internal energy—while meticulously constructing a plan to confront one of the Dark Triad.
However, instead of mastering Total Concentration Breathing exactly as he had envisioned, Gabriel obtained a different Skill altogether—one that, while distinct, carried a similar effect.
Now, Gabriel sat atop the skull of Licht in his giant demon form, near Hage Village, accompanied by a dark sky on the brink of dawn and a cold, drifting wind.
Before him, a system notification screen hovered in the air, displaying the status of the new skill he had acquired earlier.
__________________
Special Ability:
> All-Seeing Eyes of the Gods (Kamigami no Gigan)
Passive Abilities:
> Puppeteer (Lvl. 1)
> Slayer (Lvl. 1)
> Compression Energy (Lvl. 1)
> Circulation Energy (Lvl. 1)
Description:
The user gains control over the circulation of their internal energy, allowing free manipulation of its flow, density, and operational patterns within the body and internal field.
This ability enables the user to alter the operating system of energy itself—one of the most fundamental quantitative properties of any system—whether to enhance bodily functions, stabilize abnormal conditions, or adapt to external pressure.
Control: 100%
Recovery: 50%
{Note: this skill can level up}
Active Abilities:
> Dark Matter Magic (Lvl, 1)
> Mana Skin (Lvl, 1)
> Mana Zone (Lvl, 1)
__________________
No matter how many times he reviewed it, Gabriel's expression remained calm—yet his thoughts were tangled in quiet confusion.
More than once, he suspected that the reason he had acquired the Skill "Circulation Energy" was closely tied to his extreme manner of manipulating Mana.
And that assumption… seemed not to be wrong.
The primary effect of "Circulation Energy" grants a one-hundred-percent increase in control, meaning it extends to everything governed beneath it—most notably, Mana.
With that, Gabriel's total Mana control now reached four hundred and fifty percent.
He could feel it.
Every flow of Mana now felt like an extension of his own nervous system—obedient, precise, and almost completely free of delay.
On the other hand, the additional effect—a fifty-percent increase in recovery efficiency—caused his energy regeneration speed to rise dramatically.
Mana that previously required two full days to recover could now be fully restored in just one day and twelve hours.
Gabriel closed the Ability status screen, then slowly raised his right hand and placed it against the left side of his chest—directly over his heart.
"This control enhancement…" he murmured softly, the corner of his lips curling into a faint smile, "…allows me to do things like this."