In the blink of an eye, Charles had lost track of Asta!
After all, they were fifteen-year-old boys—failing to receive a grimoire was certainly a heavy blow. Especially for Asta, whose dream was to become the Wizard King, not even being able to take the first step meant he was stuck at the starting line.
But knowing Asta's personality, this shouldn't be a crushing defeat for him. He didn't care about others' ridicule in the slightest.
No matter what others said, it never made him waver in the pursuit of his dream.
What really affected Asta so much this time was Yuno's attitude, which could easily be misunderstood. But even that tsundere Yuno had been lingering nearby out of concern, unwilling to leave.
After sending everyone from the church off, Charles turned to look for the two of them.
From what he remembered, Yuno would encounter Revchi, a former member of the Purple Orca Magic Knights who used Chain Magic.
Revchi's Chain Magic was a type of Creation Magic that allowed him to generate and control chains that could bind and suppress a target's physical and magical power.
Revchi had been exiled after a failed mission in the Magic Knights and had since fallen into disgrace, becoming a thief who would do anything for money.
This time, his target was Yuno—and even Charles's four-leaf clover grimoire.
Grimoires, once granted, became bound to the mage and were useless to anyone else. But some collectors with unusual tastes, especially among the kingdom's nobility, were willing to pay high prices for four-leaf clover grimoires.
Charles could guess the nobles' true reason for their obsession with four-leaf clover grimoires.
The real difference between a three-leaf and a four-leaf clover grimoire wasn't merely in the power of their magic or the amount of mana. The fourth leaf was said to house luck, a mysterious force that transcended mana and was intertwined with fate itself.
Obtaining a four-leaf clover grimoire required not only magical ability and talent but also something more mysterious—a blessing from destiny.
Thus, these grimoires were regarded as treasures imbued with luck. It was no surprise that nobles wanted them.
Though Charles knew Revchi wouldn't succeed and that Asta would eventually receive the five-leaf clover grimoire and take his first step toward his dream, that didn't mean Charles wasn't worried.
He never assumed the story in his memory was absolute. The last thing he wanted was to regret not acting sooner if something unexpected happened.
Just as he was about to go find the two, two people blocked his path.
"Hey, you're in the way. I've got something urgent. Mind stepping aside?"
Charles immediately sensed their hostility, so his tone was equally blunt.
They had clearly come with bad intentions, and Charles's attitude only provoked them further.
"How arrogant! Just a filthy commoner—don't think you can look down on us just because you got a four-leaf clover grimoire."
"Oh, I get it now."
Charles rubbed his chin, finally remembering who these small fries were.
These two were minor nobles from a nearby city—the same ones who had been laughing at Asta earlier.
In the original story, they had become jealous of Yuno for receiving a four-leaf clover grimoire and tried to destroy it. But this time, they had set their sights on Charles instead.
What baffled Charles was how they could possibly think they were a match for him. Did they seriously believe that just because they also received grimoires—and his just happened to be a four-leaf clover too—that they now had the strength to defeat him?
Jealousy really was terrifying. It didn't just twist your face; it also seemed to melt your brain.
"Such disgusting faces," Charles muttered in disdain.
The blond noble lost all reason. As he raised his arm, his grimoire floated in front of him and opened.
"It's too late to beg for mercy now. I'll burn you and that damn grimoire of yours to ashes!"
Ignoring his companion's attempts to stop him, he cast a spell. A wave of flame surged toward Charles.
"Fire magic? Really? You should pick your opponents more carefully."
Charles opened his mouth—and the flames flew straight into it. He swallowed every bit of fire!
"What?!"
The noble's jaw dropped, and the twisted expression on his face turned to pure shock.
"He… ate the flames?!"
Within a few breaths, all the fire was gone. Charles wiped his mouth and said disdainfully, "That was some awful-tasting fire. Still, now I feel recharged.
Since you came to cause trouble, that means you've already accepted the consequences, right?"
Suddenly, a wave of magic power erupted from Charles—blazing hot like fire, and heavy like a mountain.
The nobleman began hallucinating. From within Charles's magic, he heard a fearsome roar, as if some terrifying beast was hidden inside!
His legs gave out. He collapsed on the ground, trembling all over, his eyes wide with terror.
Charles clicked his tongue and turned away, no longer even interested in dealing with them. His Dragon Slayer Magic wasn't meant for scum like this.
More importantly, he sensed magic fluctuations nearby—Yuno's magic, and another unfamiliar one.
It seemed Revchi had stuck to the original script after all, attacking Yuno first.
Withdrawing his magic, Charles turned and walked away. Behind him, the noble gasped for air like he'd escaped a nightmare. He would probably never forget this moment for the rest of his life.
Charles quickly arrived at their location—but he didn't intervene. What was happening now was the beginning of a legend.
Asta was slumped against a wall, with Revchi's foot pressing down on his shoulder. Revchi was telling him a cruel truth:
Asta had no magic at all—not a single drop. He couldn't use even basic magic, let alone become the Wizard King.
This wasn't ridicule from others—it was a cold, undeniable fact. And so, Asta couldn't help but fall into despair, realizing his dream might be unattainable.
Charles sighed. Revchi's magic was decent, but among all the foes Asta would one day face—reincarnated elves, demon-possessed mages, actual devils—he was nothing.
Yet Revchi alone had done what none of them could:
He made Asta feel true despair.
This was Asta's first—and last—moment of despair. After this, no matter what he faced, Asta would never again think of giving up.
And the one who pulled him out of that despair was—
From where he was bound tightly by Revchi's chains, Yuno shouted, "He can't become the Wizard King—because I will!
But he's not some pathetic loser either… That guy—Asta—is my rival!"
Though there were no words of encouragement, that single declaration instantly rekindled Asta's spirit!
Revchi hadn't noticed the shift yet and said mockingly, "Huh? That guy is your rival?"
He wasn't sure if he had misheard or if Yuno had gone insane. But before he could say anything more, a hand grabbed his leg.
"It's not over yet!" Asta looked up, his face no longer filled with despair.
"Sorry, Yuno! For showing you that pathetic side of me. Just wait—I'll beat him now!"
Sensing something, Revchi instinctively stepped back.
A tattered black grimoire descended from the sky, floating silently in front of Asta.
The three leaves of a clover represent honesty, hope, and love. The fourth symbolizes luck. And the fifth…
The fifth leaf houses a devil!
The five-leaf clover grimoire radiated a dark, ominous energy. From his vantage point, Charles clearly saw the shadow of the grimoire merge with Asta's own, forming the outline of a demonic figure behind him.
The black grimoire opened—and from its pages, a massive greatsword burst forth and landed in front of Asta.
Asta reached out and grabbed the sword, as if seizing hold of his future (certain ice wolf clan: (/ω＼)).
"This is my magic!" Asta shouted, pointing the Demon-Slayer Sword at Revchi.
Charles muttered to himself nearby, "No… not giving up—that's your strongest magic."