Yami asked with a dry smile.
“Although I didn’t buy anything, it was still a pleasant shopping trip overall,” Noelle pouted, looking away with a faint blush.
“Commander, we’re back too!
We even brought you some snacks this time!” Charmy proudly held up a quarter of a pastry in her hand, her mouth already stuffed.
“Damn it…
when did so many experts show up at the casino?!” Magna slouched through the door, looking utterly dejected.
“I’m back as well.
My angel absolutely adored the clothes I bought her,” Gauche declared with a rare, satisfied glint in his eye as he walked into the living room.
In an instant, the once quiet Black Bulls headquarters burst into its usual chaotic life.
At times like these, Yami always felt a subtle sense of fulfillment—a warmth that only those who had survived the loneliness and cruelty of war could truly appreciate.
However, that good mood always came with one strict condition: don’t destroy public property right under his nose!
CRASH!
“You bastards!
How many times have I told you not to vandalize public property?!” Yami bellowed in rage, obliterating half the wall behind him with a single, magic-infused punch.
Magna, who had just accidentally punched a hole in the plaster during his rant, shrank back in absolute shame.
“It’s so messy here…” Noelle mumbled, shaking her head.
She turned toward Asta, her posture suddenly becoming stiff and dramatic.
“Asta…
do you want to go have dinner together in the cafeteria?”
“Sure!” Asta’s eyes lit up with genuine interest.
Leaving the noisy living room behind, the two walked down the corridor toward the quiet dining hall.
Pushing open the heavy wooden doors, they found the cafeteria completely empty, dimly lit by flickering candles.
With no one else around to cause a scene, the quiet atmosphere felt unmistakably like a private date.
They sat down across from each other at a small table near the window.
Noelle’s heart beat rapidly in her chest; This was her first time having a quiet meal alone with Asta, and she had no idea where to start.
“Here, let me get this for you,” Asta smiled softly, setting a freshly cooked meal before her and pulling out her chair like a proper gentleman.
Noelle’s face flushed bright red under the candlelight.
There’s a saying that a person looks even more attractive under soft light…
Watching Asta’s composed demeanor and handsome features, Noelle fidgeted with her hair, her pink eyes filled with shy delight.
“Is the food to your liking, princess?” Asta teased gently, resting his chin on his hand with a mischievous smirk.
“H-Hmph!
Don’t call me that!
It’s just an ordinary meal!” Noelle stammered, taking a small bite to hide her blushing face, though a soft smile betrayed her true feelings.
Seeing her cute and shy reaction, Asta couldn’t help but laugh softly.
The two spent a peaceful, pleasant evening together, enjoying each other’s company far away from the squad’s usual chaos.
Nothing else happened that night.
However, early the next morning, Yami gathered the squad in the main hall with a surprisingly serious look on his face.
“Listen up,” Yami exhaled a thick cloud of smoke.
“Golden Dawn gained another star yesterday, bringing the gap between us to 29 stars…”
“That four-leaf clover kid is really capable,” Yami sighed, although he didn’t seem too bothered.
“On his very first mission, he secured the target and earned a star for his squad.”
“Yuno really didn’t let me down,” Asta smiled genuinely.
He wanted a rival who would push him to his absolute limits.
“It seems we were right not to interfere yesterday,” Vanessa added thoughtfully.
“Many times, what amazes me isn’t just Asta’s physical mastery, but his mindset.
He possesses a maturity far beyond his age…
I’m really curious who trained a monster like him.”
“Why do you two look so depressed?” Noelle asked, looking between Yami and Magna.
When they were at negative thirty stars, they acted like they had nothing to lose, but now that the gap was at 29 stars, they looked completely crushed.
The logic of commoners and squad captains was truly beyond her!
Meanwhile, in a desolate valley along the border between the Clover Kingdom and the Diamond Kingdom, the earth suddenly began to tremble violently.
With a deafening roar, a colossal, ancient structure burst forth from the bedrock, rising into the sky like a jagged stone mountain.
The ancient ruins hummed with immense, volatile magic.
The sudden emergence of the structure was immediately flagged by border scouts from both nations.
“Wizard King!
Something terrible has occurred at the border!” Marx burst into Julius’s office, clutching an urgent report.
“An unusual event?” Julius looked up from his papers, a brilliant, fascinated smile spreading across his face.
“Send those two interesting kids.
I wonder what kind of sparks they’ll create when they meet there…”
“Two kids…?” Marx blinked in shock, but quickly swallowed his doubts, trusting the Wizard King’s foresight.
Back at the Black Bulls hideout, Yami received the official directive and slammed his hand onto the table.
“A Dungeon has appeared on the border, and the Wizard King has personally requested our squad to clear it.”
“WHAT?!
To Dungeon?!” Magna clenched his fists in absolute excitement.
“That’s a massive site filled with ancient magic treasures!”
“Does that mean we’re getting rich?” Asta’s eyes glinted with interest.
A place filled with ancient artifacts and hostile mages sounded like the perfect training ground—and a lucrative one at that.
“Don’t get too reckless,” Luck warned with a bloodthirsty grin.
“Dungeons are packed with lethal ancient traps and defense mechanisms that obliterate ordinary mages.”
“Keep your heads on,” Yami instructed sternly.
“Dungeons contain ancient magical artifacts that can alter the military balance of a nation.
We cannot let the people of the Diamond Kingdom claim those treasures first.
You set off immediately.”
“My Crimson Diamond Majesty, the Disruptor, is ready to deploy, Captain Yami!” Magna yelled, burning with motivation.
“The Wizard King specifically assigned personnel for this mission, Magna.
You’re staying behind,” Yami exhaled another smoke ring.
“Personally appointed by the Wizard King?!” The squad spent in disbelief.
“Asta, I don’t know how the Wizard King knows about you, but he explicitly ordered you onto this team, so you’re the main choice,” Yami assigned smoothly.
“Noelle, you’re a rookie too, so go along and gain some real-field experience.
As for the team leader…
Luck, you’re leading them.”
“Captain!
Can’t we take a break?!” Finral whined.
“I miss my sister terribly!
Can I go see my angel instead?!” Gauche demanded, holding up a picture of Marie.
Yami slowly turned his head toward them, his dark mana flaring ominously.
“Sure…
if you’re already prepared to die.”
Both Finral and Gauche instantly shut their mouths, standing at rigid attention.
“Good,” Yami smirked.
“Asta, Noelle, Luck—get moving.
Don’t embarrass the Black Bulls!”
“Hey, don’t just stand there looking scary!” Finral broke out in a cold sweat, his hands shaking slightly.
“Commanding officer’s dark face is terrifying…”
Gauche broke into a cold sweat right beside him, wiping his brow.
Yami’s oppressive mana flared for another second before settling back into his usual lazy demeanor.
“By the way, besides you guys, the Wizard King has also assigned newcomers from the Golden Dawn,” Yami reminded them, exhaling a slow trail of smoke.
“While you’re trying to avoid being overtaken by the Diamond Kingdom, you also need to make sure those golden rookies don’t steal your thunder.”
“I didn’t expect to meet Yuno so soon,” Asta murmured, a faint smirk playing on his lips.
“You brat…
when did you get involved with the Wizard King anyway?” Magna leaned in close, glaring with a mix of jealousy and confusion.
Could it be…?
Asta recalled the friar old woman he had encountered at the black market—the one whose brief touch had triggered every survival instinct in his body.
If the Wizard King doesn’t have the power to foresee the future, then the most suspicious person I’ve met in this entire kingdom was that old lady.
That ocean-like mana was way too absurd…
“What are you daydreaming about, Asta?
Finral’s already opened the portal!” Noelle nudged him gently, snapping him back to reality.
“If you don’t go through now, I’m going to surpass my limits right here holding this open!” Finral whined, his spatial aperture humming in mid-air.
“You’ve really been around, Finral,” Asta said as he and Noelle stepped through the shimmering spatial doorway, instantly stepping out onto a scenic hillside filled with birdsong and blooming flowers.
“Oh, it’s nothing!
I’ve just visited every romantic spot in the kingdom,” Finral gave Asta a knowing wink before closing the portal behind them.
“The sunsets here are gorgeous—it’s a top-tier date spot!”
“They’re totally in cahoots…” Noelle rolled her eyes at the purely male banter, though as she took in the lush surroundings, she had to admit it was remarkably beautiful.
“Let me lead,” Luck said, stepping forward.
Although Luck usually seemed completely unhinged, he was surprisingly reliable when it came to navigation.
His lightning magic doubled as an exceptional detection array, and as long as he wasn’t actively locked in combat, he stayed relatively calm.
“We must be the first ones to arrive, right?” Noelle felt her tension ease as her boots sank into the soft soil.
“Finral isn’t the only spatial mage in the kingdom,” Luck noted casually.
“Other squads or foreign units might have arrived even earlier.”
“Is that the Dungeon?” Asta leaped over a fallen log, pointing toward a massive, ancient architectural complex rising out of the earth in the distance.
“It’s huge…” Noelle’s pink eyes widened in awe; it was her first time seeing ancient ruins in person.
“Let me in first!” Luck grinned, his eyes glaming with excitement.
Traps, ancient defense systems, and potential enemy mages—it was an absolute buffet of adrenaline.
The trio quickly made their way into the outer entrance of the Dungeon.
The interior passageway was pitch-black and freezing cold, prompting Noelle to subconsciously move closer to Asta’s side.
“It’s so dark…” She cast a nervous glance back into the shadow-drenched corridor behind them.
“Remember what I said?” Asta teased with a smooth smile.
“If you’re scared, you can jump into my arms anytime.”
“Who’s scared?!
I’m just checking our rear!” Noelle huffed, crossing her arms stubbornly.
“This tunnel is just unnecessarily long!”
“Found it,” Luck murmured at the front, his eyes half-closed as he scanned the ambient magic.
He stopped beside a fluorescent, glowing stone carved into the wall.
“What’s that?” Noelle asked.
“The light switch!” Luck pressed the stone, and instantly, a wave of magic emerged through the walls, illuminating the entire interior structure.
As their eyes adjusted, a breathtaking sight opened up before them.
Streams of water flowed freely through the air without regard for gravity, snaking between floating stone bridges and chaotic, maze-like corridors.
“Distorted spatial magic…
ancient humans really had insane techniques,” Luck marveled.
“The magic density here is off the charts,” Noelle murmured, her fear fading now that the area was well-lit.
“Noelle, watch your step.
The stone slab on your left,” Asta warned, eyeing a faint, carved rune on the floor.
“Is there a trap?” Noelle froze, looking closely at the carved pattern on the stone slab.
Before she could step back, Luck casually stomped his boot directly onto the rune.
BANG!
The trap spell immediately triggered, sending a massive, jagged rock thrusting outward toward Noelle.
In a fraction of a second, Asta’s left foot kicked off the ground—the Demon-Slayer Sword cleared its sheath with a crisp chime, shattering the stone pillar into dust before it could touch her!
“Amazing!
Amazing!” Luck clapped his hands cheerfully, completely unbothered by the fact that he had almost flattened his squadmate.
“What are you doing?!
Did the Captain send you to protect us or sabotage us?!” Noelle yelled, still shaking off the surprise.
But before she could finish, Luck gleefully stepped on another rune, triggering a pillar of flame.
“…Never mind.
Let’s just keep moving,” Asta sighed, grabbing Noelle’s hand and pulling her past the chaotic battle maniac.
“Hey!
Without my detection magic, you two will get lost in seconds!” Luck called out, leaping ahead of them with a grin.
“Then stop playing around and give us directions!” Asta grunted.
He was starting to think Magna would have been a much more sensible choice for this team.
“Alright, alright!
Back to business!” Luck closed his eyes, extending his lightning mana outward.
He originally intended to scan the central vault, but his expression suddenly changed.
“Oho?
There’s a third party here!”
His bright green eyes sparkled with pure delight.
“Thunder Creation Magic: Thor’s Boots!”
“Wait!
Where are you going?!” Noelle shouted as Luck shot up into the air like a bolt of lightning.
“Sorry!
I just found a really strong opponent!
Conquer the rest of the Dungeon without me!” Luck’s voice echoed back before he vanished down a side corridor at full speed.
“He…he just ditched us?!” Noelle stared in total disbelief.
“You’ll get used to it,” Asta shrugged.
“In this squad, everyone has a unique quirk—for Luck, it’s fighting.”
“Though…
now that he’s gone, it’s just the two of us again,” Noelle muttered under her breath, glancing at Asta’s broad back.
“Did you say something?” Asta turned around.
“N-Nothing!
Let me lead!” Noelle rushed forward, but as she stepped onto a raised stone plate, a plant-type trap spell triggered instantly!
Thick, thorny green vines erupted from the floor and walls, binding Noelle’s wrists and ankles before yanking her upward into a wide spread-eagle position against the wall.
“That posture…” Asta paused for a second, his eyes lingering on her form.
She’s definitely got great proportions…
looks straight out of a cultured anime.
“Don’t just stare!
Save me, Asta!” Noelle cried out, blushing furiously.
“On it!” Asta lunged forward, swinging the Demon-Slayer Sword to sever the main vines.
However, the trap spell reacted to the intrusion—a giant, carnivorous plant erupted from the airborne stream of water behind them!
WOOSH!
WOOSH!
WOOSH!
Dozens of thorny tendrils shot out like whipcord, binding Noelle once again while the massive plant opened its maw, dripping with corrosive acid and revealing jagged, bone-like teeth!
“It’s got some kick to it…” Asta’s eyes narrowed.
“Second Gate: Gate of Healing—OPEN!”
Chakra emerged violently through his network.
His physical speed and reaction time skyrocketed to absolute apex levels.
To Asta, the fast-moving vines suddenly seemed to move in slow motion.
BOOM!
Asta launched himself off the stone floor like a cannonball, creating a small shockwave behind him.
The Demon-Slayer Sword cleaved through the wall of vines like paper—the tough plant fibers were completely meaningless against his sheer physical momentum and heavy blade!
SLASH!
With a single downward strike, the ancient carnivorous plant was sliced cleanly into two, collapsing into harmless mana specks.
Asta landed gracefully, bringing his sword back into a low guard.
Noelle, falling from the severed vines, landed softly on her feet.
Her pink eyes stared at him in complete awe.
For a second, the image of Asta leaping through the air with glowing amber eyes seemed to burn itself into his mind.
I wish I could use chakra like in my previous life—sticking to walls, walking on water, and stuff like that, Asta thought with an inward sigh as he looked at the suspended liquid floating nearby.
For some reason, I can’t do that here properly because there is no chakra in this world, so I have to rely entirely on my own physical energy.
Suddenly, his ears twitched.
“Someone’s coming!”
Asta immediately shifted into a combat stance, while Noelle pulled out her grimoire and moved close behind him.
Above them, a floating wooden vessel made of plant magic glided down from an upper passage.
“It seems they’ve handled the trap on their own,” Klaus Lunette adjusted his glasses, standing atop the wooden ark.
“Let us continue toward the vault.”
“Since we’re here, why don’t we say hello first?” Mimosa Vermillion suggested gently.
She knew how important these people were to Yuno.
Before Klaus could object, Yuno leapt off the ark, dropping smoothly down to the stone platform right beside Asta.
“Yuno!” Asta smiled brightened.
It really had been a while.
Wearing the polished, golden-trimmed cloak of the Golden Dawn, Yuno looked even more like a noble knight than before.
“ASTA!” Yuno greeted him with a cool nod, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.