The sun dawned above the Clover Kingdom with a deceptive warmth, hiding the storm that brewed beneath the kingdom's foundations. In the far reaches of the Akatsuki dimension, hidden behind layers of spatial barriers and cloaked by ancient magic, Avi stood at the edge of a floating cliff that overlooked the entire paradise-like realm.
He had been silent for hours.
Avi (thought): "The signs are becoming more obvious. Lucius has begun shifting pieces. Zagred's after-echo stirs. The elves... their souls tremble."
The branches of the World Tree he had cultivated near the palace gently rustled despite the absence of wind. It reacted to his internal unease. The dimension was alive, attuned to Avi's state.
---
Inside the central war room of the Akatsuki base, Asta, Yuno, and several of Avi's wood clones gathered around a glowing table — an enchanted map showing multiple zones across the Clover Kingdom. Red symbols marked regions of devilish mana disturbances, while golden stars represented safe havens.
Avi (clone): "Asta. Yuno. The Magic Knight Gathering is scheduled for next week. All captains, elites, and several royals will be present. This will be our next move."
Asta: "You mean we'll show up again?"
Yuno: "We've been laying low since the Royal Exam. Making too much noise now…"
Avi (clone): "Not as participants. As observers. Protecting key figures. Fuegoleon Vermillion is marked by fate. We can't let history repeat itself."
The name struck a chord. Yuno narrowed his eyes.
Yuno: "He was ambushed during the original gathering... critically injured."
Asta: "Wait, we're going to stop that?"
Avi (clone): "We won't interfere directly. The timeline must flow close to canon. But if the scales tip too far, we restore balance."
---
Days passed. The trio split up temporarily. Avi sent Yuno to monitor nobles' gatherings. Asta was tasked with secretly guarding select captains' entourages. Meanwhile, Avi himself — under his cloaked identity — infiltrated the very shadows of the royal castle.
In secret passageways only ancient mages knew, Avi found devil runes freshly inscribed. Curse anchors. Traps.
Avi (thought): "Lucius is preparing to use the gathering to test Light and Time fusion magic through a puppet. That puppet… will target Fuegoleon."
With a flick of his fingers, he embedded divine script into the walls, countering the runes subtly — so no one would know they had ever been tampered with.
---
The Magic Knight Gathering arrived. The atmosphere was celebratory, nobles and peasants alike flocked to the coliseum. High above in special stands sat Julius Novachrono, smiling in false calm. Beside him, captains chatted, including Fuegoleon, Nozel, Charlotte, and even Yami.
Avi, concealed in the form of a traveling mage, stood among the crowd.
Avi (thought): "All actors in place. Let's see what you attempt, Lucius."
Midway through the gathering, just as Fuegoleon stepped forward to deliver a speech — a portal tore open behind him.
Asta (from shadows): "Now?!"
Yuno (cloaked on rooftop): "It's him. Licht… or something posing as him."
From the portal emerged a pale figure — Licht's image but corrupted, filled with devilish mana. The crowd panicked. Captains rose.
Fuegoleon barely had time to react before a cursed lance made of compressed light and time magic was hurled at his heart.
But it never reached him.
A barrier, golden and ancient, shimmered into existence for just half a second, redirecting the lance upward into the sky. No one saw the origin.
Avi (thought): "That's enough involvement. Stay hidden. Let the story unfold."
Fuegoleon looked surprised but stood tall.
The captains engaged the corrupted attacker. Yami slashed through a barrage of spells. Nozel formed silver shields around civilians. It was chaos — and the perfect cover.
---
After the event, back in Akatsuki's real base, the trio gathered again.
Asta: "Did you do that? That shield?"
Avi: "What do you think?"
Yuno: "Even if he did… that was a calculated intervention."
Avi: "We do not rewrite history. Only mend it when it tears too early."
Asta looked conflicted, but nodded.
Asta: "Fuegoleon lives. That's enough."
---
Elsewhere, Lucius Zogratis stood before a crystal mirror, frowning. He'd felt his spell's trajectory shift. Someone had diverted fate.
Lucius: "You're watching me, aren't you? Whoever you are… you're clever. But I see all futures. I will find yours."
Back in his sanctum, Avi placed a new piece on his magical board. It bore the sigil of a devil with Word Magic.
Avi (thought): "Zagred's echo will soon return. And when it does, I'll be ready. One move at a time."
[To be continued...]