Before continuing I thought I should clarify how I will integrate the trust system into black clover for Kenji better.
When Kenji gains trust, he gains more mana which in term helps him use his powers more freely. The more trust he has the more mana he will have, and will be able to manipulate more with his power and a greater area.
Before he gets his grimoire he will be limited in what he can do even with more mana, but after he will have more freedom with his abilities.
Thanks for reading and enjoy the chapter!
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Timeskip: 1 week
The morning sun cast long shadows across the courtyard as I stepped outside, already mentally preparing for the day's chores. It was hard to believe that only a week had passed since my dramatic entrance into this world. In some ways, it felt like I'd been here forever; in others, like I was still adjusting to the reality of being six years old again.
A week, I mused as I walked toward the well where I knew Asta would probably be attempting to haul water with more enthusiasm than technique. Seven days of living in an anime world, and I'm already falling into a routine.
The past week had been a whirlwind of adjustment. Living with Asta and Yuno had been both exactly what I'd expected and completely different from watching them on screen. Asta's boundless energy wasn't just loud—it was infectious, pulling everyone around him into his orbit of enthusiasm. From the moment he woke up (usually by falling out of bed), he was ready for adventure, and just about anything that sounded remotely exciting.
"Kenji! Kenji! Let's go explore the forest!" had become his morning greeting.
Yuno, on the other hand, had been more reserved. For the first few days, he'd watched me with those sharp golden eyes, clearly trying to figure out where I fit into his and Asta's dynamic. But gradually, he'd begun including me in conversations, asking quiet questions about where I thought I might be from, or simply sitting nearby while we did chores together.
The sleeping arrangements had been... interesting. The three of us shared a small room with simple beds, and I'd quickly learned that Asta was an active sleeper. More than once, I'd woken up to find him somehow upside down or sprawled across multiple beds. Yuno, predictably, slept peacefully and quietly, though I'd caught him more than once staying awake to make sure Asta didn't accidentally roll off the bed entirely.
But perhaps the most frustrating aspect of this new life was the complete absence of my supposed powers. I had no mana. Zero. Nothing. When I focused inward, searching for that spark of magical energy that should have been there, I found only empty space. It was like trying to flex a muscle that didn't exist.
This had naturally worried both Father Orsi and Sister Lily. In a world where magic was as fundamental as breathing, a child showing no signs of mana was concerning. It reminded everyone uncomfortably of Asta's situation.
"Don't worry about it too much, Kenji," Father Orsi had said just yesterday, his voice gentle but tinged with concern. "Some children develop their magic later than others. And even if you don't have magic, that doesn't make you any less valuable."
I'd smiled and nodded, assuring him that I wasn't worried. "I have a feeling my magic will come soon," I'd said, which was technically true. According to the ROB, I needed trust to generate mana, and trust took time to build. Still, the waiting was agonizing.
At least I know why I don't have powers yet, I thought, kicking at a small stone. No trust means no which mana means no reality manipulation. But how exactly do I get people to trust me? Just being helpful and friendly? There has to be more to it than—
"KENJI!"
My musings were interrupted by the familiar sound of Asta's voice, pitched at approximately the volume of a war horn. I looked up to see him racing toward me, his ash-blonde hair bouncing with each step, a grin stretched across his face that could have powered the entire village.
"There you are!" he shouted, skidding to a stop in front of me and kicking up a small cloud of dust. "I've been looking everywhere! Well, not everywhere, but I checked the kitchen and you weren't there, and then I checked the storage room and you weren't there either, but Sister Lily said you might be outside and—"
"Breathe, Asta," I said with a laugh, holding up my hands. "I'm here. What's the plan for today?"
His eyes lit up even brighter, if that was possible. "We gotta find Yuno! I have this awesome idea for a new training exercise where we see who can carry the most water buckets at once, and then maybe we could practice climbing trees, and oh! We could see who can jump the farthest from the—"
"Kenji?" Sister Lily's voice interrupted Asta's enthusiastic planning. I turned to see her approaching with a basket of laundry in her arms and baby Recca balanced on her hip. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but would you mind helping me for a moment? Recca's been fussy this morning, and I could use an extra pair of hands while I fold this laundry."
I glanced at Asta, who immediately deflated like a punctured balloon. "Aww, but we were gonna—"
"It'll just be for a little while," I said, giving him an apologetic smile. "We can find Yuno and do your training after Sister Lily's finished with the laundry, okay?"
Asta's disappointment lasted all of three seconds before he perked up again. "Oh! I can help too! I'm really good at folding!" This was, I knew from experience, a generous interpretation of his laundry skills.
"That's very sweet of you, Asta," Sister Lily said with the patient smile of someone who had learned to appreciate enthusiasm over efficiency. "Why don't you both come help me?"
I walked over and carefully took Recca from Sister Lily's arms. The baby gurgled contentedly, her tiny fingers immediately reaching for my hair. At six months old, she was all chubby cheeks and bright eyes, and holding her filled me with a protectiveness I hadn't expected.
"There we go," I murmured softly, adjusting my grip to make sure she was secure. "You're getting big, aren't you, Recca?"
Sister Lily began spreading the laundry out on the grass, while Asta bounced around nearby, trying to help but mostly just moving things from one pile to another with questionable organization. I sat down cross-legged on the ground, keeping Recca safely in my lap while she played with my fingers.
"Kenji, look! I folded this one really—WHOA!"
I looked up just in time to see Asta trip spectacularly over a water bucket that had been left near the well. The bucket went flying, arcing through the air in what seemed like slow motion, and I realized with growing horror that its trajectory was aimed directly at me and Recca.
No mana. No powers. Just a six-year-old body and reflexes.
Time seemed to slow as panic flooded my system. The bucket was heavy, full of water, and moving fast enough to seriously hurt a baby. Asta was scrambling to his feet, his face pale with horror. Sister Lily was turning toward us, her eyes widening as she processed what was happening.
Without thinking, I twisted my body to shield Recca completely, hunching over her protectively as the bucket struck me squarely in the back. The impact sent pain shooting through my small frame, and the cold water soaked through my clothes instantly, but Recca remained completely dry and safe in my arms.
"KENJI!" Sister Lily's voice was sharp with panic as she dropped the laundry and rushed over. "Are you hurt? Oh no, Recca—"
"I'm okay," I managed, though my back throbbed where the bucket had hit. "Recca's fine. She's completely fine."
Sister Lily's hands were shaking as she gently took Recca from my arms, her eyes frantically checking the baby for any sign of injury. When she found none, she let out a shuddering breath of relief.
"Oh, thank goodness," she whispered, pressing a soft kiss to Recca's forehead. Then she looked at me, her silver eyes bright with unshed tears. "Kenji, that was... you were so brave. You protected her without even thinking about yourself." Her voice was thick with emotion as she continued, "You're a hero. A real hero."
I felt my cheeks warm at the praise, but something else was happening too. Deep in my chest, I felt a strange sensation—like a warm current flowing through my body. It was subtle but unmistakable, a feeling of fullness where before there had been nothing.
Mana.
My eyes widened as I realized what had just happened. Sister Lily's words, her genuine gratitude and admiration, had triggered something. Trust. Real, honest trust from someone who truly meant it.
The first trust points, I thought with growing excitement. It actually worked.
I could feel the mana now, a small but definite presence inside me. It wasn't much—probably enough for only the most basic reality alterations—but it was there. After a week of emptiness, I finally had access to my powers, even if just a tiny fraction of them.
"I... I'm really okay, Sister Lily," I said, trying to keep the excitement out of my voice. "Just a little bruised. Nothing serious."
"You should still let me check—" she began, but I was already scrambling to my feet.
"Actually, I think I need to... um, I need to go for a walk. Clear my head a bit. The adrenaline, you know?" It was a weak excuse, but I desperately wanted to test this new mana, to see what I could actually do with it.
Sister Lily looked concerned, but before she could protest, I was already backing away. "I'll be careful! Just going to walk around the fields for a bit!"
I turned and practically jogged toward the open fields behind the church, my heart racing with anticipation. Finally, finally, I would get to test my powers. Even if it was just a small amount of mana, it was a start.
The field was empty and peaceful, with tall grass swaying gently in the breeze. I found a spot far enough from the church to avoid unwanted attention and sat down, closing my eyes to focus on the warm sensation of mana flowing through my body.
Okay, I thought, let's see what Hero X's powers actually feel like.
I tried to reach for that familiar snap gesture I'd seen Hero X use countless times, but stopped myself. I had no idea how much mana this would require, and I didn't want to waste my first opportunity. Instead, I focused on the smallest possible alteration I could imagine—maybe changing the color of a single blade of grass.
But before I could attempt anything, I heard familiar voices approaching fast.
"KENJI! There you are!" Asta's voice carried across the field as he came running toward me, with Yuno following at a more measured pace behind him. "Sister Lily said you came out here! That was so cool how you saved Recca! You were like WHOOSH and the bucket was like CRASH and—"
"Are you actually okay?" Yuno interrupted, his golden eyes studying me carefully.
Any experimentation would have to wait. I sighed internally but smiled at my approaching friends. "I'm fine, really. Just needed some fresh air."
"Great!" Asta grabbed my arm and started pulling me to my feet. "Because Yuno and I came up with an even better training idea! We're gonna see who can climb the highest tree without using magic!"
As I let myself be dragged back toward the village, I couldn't help but smile. My first taste of mana would have to wait, but that was okay. I had taken the first real step toward unlocking Hero X's powers.
And surprisingly, I found I didn't mind the interruption as much as I thought I would. Spending time with Asta and Yuno, being part of their small family—that felt pretty good too.