The grand courtyard of the Magic Knights' headquarters buzzed with anticipation. Dozens of new recruits stood in line, hearts pounding, while captains from every squad sat above them on a raised platform. Their eyes, sharp and calculating, scanned the crowd for potential.
Kael stood silently beside Asta and Yuno, hands behind his back, white hair catching the sunlight like silver fire. His crimson eyes never left the captains' table.
He could feel them watching him.
Especially the one in black.
Yami Sukehiro's grin widened the moment their gazes locked.
> So, you're the wild card, huh?
---
The Squad Selection Begins
"Yuno!" the announcer shouted. "You may now display your grimoire and abilities."
Yuno stepped forward. Calm. Confident.
In a flash, wind spiraled around him, rising in a towering column as his four-leaf clover glimmered in the sunlight. Gasps echoed through the courtyard.
Every captain raised their hand.
Kael smiled faintly. As expected.
"Yuno," the announcer continued. "Choose your squad."
"Golden Dawn," Yuno said, his voice unwavering.
---
Then came Asta.
"Name: Asta!"
He stepped forward, bursting with energy.
"I'll become the Wizard King!"
Nothing happened.
No mana. No wind. Just… silence.
Until—
CRASH.
Asta drew his massive Demon-Slayer Sword and swung it overhead with a shout, breaking the air with raw force. The sheer pressure knocked dust across the stage.
Most captains flinched.
But one laughed.
Yami.
"I like this one. Join the Black Bulls."
Asta's jaw dropped. "YES, SIR!"
The crowd was stunned. A peasant with no magic had been chosen?
Asta walked back, beaming. "Your turn, Kael."
---
Kael's Name Was Called
Kael stepped forward slowly. The moment his foot touched the center ring, a subtle tension rippled across the captains.
"No grimoire rank is recorded," one captain muttered.
"He doesn't feel like a noble…"
Kael calmly raised his hand. "I will demonstrate now."
He took a slow breath. The world fell quiet.
Then—his mana pulsed.
Not explosively, but deep. Like pressure underwater. Wind twisted unnaturally around him, flickering with fire, ice, lightning. And at its core, a silent storm of crimson energy danced across his body.
He raised his hand and conjured an elemental blade—forged from raw imagination and will.
> This was not mere magic. This was mastery.
He moved. One strike.
A stone pillar nearby was cut perfectly into paper-thin slices.
The pieces didn't fall until he turned away.
---
Silence. Then—
"Fascinating," Fuegoleon murmured.
Nozel narrowed his eyes. "He's hiding something."
Yami stood up.
"I want him."
Jack the Ripper grinned. "Too slow. I want to cut him."
Dorothy giggled in her sleep. "Mmm… mysterious boy…"
Rill clapped like a child. "Ooooh! He paints the air when he moves!"
Then—seven captains raised their hands.
Gasps again.
Yuno watched with a slight smirk. "Guess you caused a bigger storm than me."
Asta beamed. "Kael's AMAZING!"
Kael looked up, eyes scanning the captains.
> Black Bulls, Golden Dawn, Coral Peacock, Azure Deer…
Then his gaze locked with Yami's.
And he remembered—
The wild strength. The unpredictability. The chaos.
> That's where I'll grow fastest.
"I choose… the Black Bulls," Kael said quietly.
Yami grinned.
"Welcome to the madness, kid."
---
Later – Black Bulls Hideout
Kael stood outside the Black Bulls' base, a chaotic mansion that looked like it defied gravity and common sense. The door burst open.
"WELCOME TO THE SQUAD!" Magna shouted, throwing fireworks.
"Food?! Where's the food?!?!" Charmy yelled, appearing from nowhere.
Vanessa stumbled out with a drink. "Oh~? We've got a pretty new boy?"
Luck raced past. "FIGHT ME!"
Asta was already laughing. "Told you this place was crazy!"
Kael smiled faintly. But it feels… like home.
Suddenly, Luck jumped at him.
Kael dodged, countering with a palm strike that sent Luck spinning backward—but laughing.
"YOU'RE GOOD! I LIKE YOU!"
Kael raised an eyebrow. "That was your hello?"
Vanessa sipped her drink. "You'll get used to it."
---
That Evening – Rooftop Quiet
Kael sat on the Black Bulls' roof, staring at the stars.
Asta climbed up and flopped beside him, holding a rice ball.
"You think we'll be ready?" Asta asked. "For the missions… the dangers?"
Kael stared up at the moon.
"I don't know. But we'll fight anyway."
Asta nodded. "Yeah… even if we lose, we'll keep standing."
He offered half the rice ball. Kael took it.
The two sat in silence—crimson resolve beside unwavering determination.
> Different paths. Same fire.
---
System Notification
> [Checkpoint Synced – Squad Selected]
– Stat Boost: +2 Body, +2 Skill
– New Passive Unlocked: "Squad Synergy – Black Bulls"
Effect: 10% boost to combat efficiency when fighting alongside Black Bulls members.
– Emotional Bond Update: Asta (Brotherhood Tier), Vanessa (+1 Interest), Luck (+1 Rivalry), Charmy (+1 Curiosity)