The Core Area of the Floating Demon Palace.
At the very center of the vast space, a massive magic circle pulsed with light. Inside it, a figure identical to Licht lay fast asleep.
"The tide surges!"
Kill him while he's down.
Xiaoshui didn't hesitate for a second. With no sense of restraint or morality, he unleashed a surge of terrifying magic power.
Water roared and gathered at his fingertips before he blasted it straight toward the magic circle.
"Apologies—our boss is still asleep. Please don't disturb him."
A calm, almost mocking voice echoed as Rhya stepped out from a spatial rift. The third eye on his forehead glowed blue as he faced the massive wall of water head-on. Flipping open his grimoire, he chanted:
"Imitation Magic: Four Days of Ice Block!"
A colossal ice barrier materialized, colliding with the torrent. The impact cracked and shattered it instantly.
"Imitation Magic: Water Dragon!"
Rhya's grimoire flared once again. A huge water dragon surged upward, devouring the oncoming flood before gracefully turning midair—and then diving toward the two small water spirits.
Xiaoshui grinned wickedly and shouted, "Rat! Is that all you've got?"
"Wrath of the Sea God!"
The ocean itself seemed to awaken. Towering waves crashed through Rhya's water dragon and hurtled toward both him and Richter, who still slept within the glowing circle.
"What kind of monster is this!?"
Rhya was horrified. The raw magical energy radiating from Xiaoshui was stronger than that of any elf he'd faced. He could barely keep up.
"Imitation Magic: Sandstone Castle!"
A fortress of sand rose up around the sleeping elf. When the waves slammed into it, the entire structure quaked and cracked apart.
"I can… still hold out for a while…" Rhya panted.
He was desperate—but determined to buy time. Licht, the one slumbering within the seal, was their true leader.
The Licht that everyone knew—his real name was actually Patolli.
He was the first elf to awaken, burdened by memories of how his kin had been deceived and slaughtered by humans. His hatred had consumed him, driving him to impersonate Licht and lead the Elf Reincarnation Plan.
BOOM!
The sandstone fortress exploded as the waves crashed through, slamming directly into Licht's chamber.
Rhya's third eye blazed as he leapt in front of the attack.
"Then let's go to hell together!"
The sea swallowed him whole as a blinding black light erupted—an explosion powerful enough to tear through the entire palace.
Moments later, the Floating Demon Palace was flooded. Both the Royal Knights and the Eye of Midnight Sun members were swept away by the raging current, tumbling helplessly out of the floating citadel and into the lake below.
"Those two damn brats went too far!" roared Mereoleona. She could only watch, fuming, as the battle she came for was completely stolen away.
"Unbelievable…" muttered Nozel Silva, his patience with Adam reaching its limit. He'd prepared so long to avenge his fallen friend—only for two lunatics to ruin everything.
The others could only gape at the collapsing palace, leaking water from every direction.
"So freaking awesome…" someone whispered.
"Damn it! Adam beat us here again!" Asta yelled, thrashing in the water like a drowned rat. "Yuno, we can't lose to him!"
"…Yeah." Yuno's voice was calm, but his gaze was firm. Even without saying it aloud, he shared Asta's frustration.
Adam… the one who once had no magic power. Unlike Asta, who never gave up, Adam had once fallen into despair, spending his days quietly reading in the orphanage.
"Yuno, fate will push me forward."
Those words echoed in Yuno's mind.
An orphan who had been abandoned by fate—yet somehow, he was still moving forward.
Weirdly inspiring.
Even though Adam never joined in their rivalry, both Asta and Yuno couldn't help but see him as a rival nonetheless.
"I won't lose either…"
Meanwhile — Outside World.
Near the ruins where the Demon's Remains were sealed stood the ancient Stone Tablet of the Tree of Life.
Patolli sat pale and trembling, his entire body soaked. Healing magic could dull the pain, but his condition didn't improve. His soul—torn and tortured—was beyond recovery.
"Lord Licht, please… treat yourself first," said Rades anxiously.
Patolli said nothing. He simply pulled out the last two Magic Stones and prepared to embed them into the tablet.
The three foolish humans beside him still believed that Licht planned to grant them power—to build a new nation together.
"As the leader of the Eye of Midnight Sun, I sincerely thank you all for your help," Patolli said softly.
Rades blinked. "W-What do you mean, Lord Licht?"
"Yeah, what are you talking about!?" Sally and Valtos shouted, panic in their voices.
But it was too late.
Click.
The final Magic Stone locked into place. Patolli smiled—coldly.
"I'm saying goodbye to you here."
A white pillar of light shot into the sky, turning night into day. All around the Clover Kingdom, those who carried traces of elf lineage were bathed in the glow—transformed into radiant golden beings.
"Yuno! What's wrong with you!?" Asta shouted.
Yuno's face twisted in pain. A red mark blazed across his cheek, and his ears sharpened into elven points.
"Stay away from them!" Mereoleona shouted.
Half the Royal Knights were consumed by the light. Luck, Klaus, even Rill captain of the Aqua Deer, had transformed into elves.
At the Black Bulls' base, Gauche, Marie, Charlotte, Sol, and Owen all glowed gold—their bodies taken over.
One by one, the elves were reborn.
"Lord Licht, aren't we your most important companions!?" Rades screamed as black veins spread across his body, his life being drained away.
"Of course you are," Patolli said calmly, his voice filled with serene cruelty. "That's why you're my most important sacrifice."
With a flash, their bodies collapsed.
The Elf Reincarnation Plan had officially begun.
In the Royal Capital…
"What the hell is this!?"
Marx, who had gone to find a doctor, was suddenly taken over by an elf. Alongside the possessed Doctor Owen, he marched toward Yami and Adam with murderous intent.
"Mushroom Head!? Uncle Owen!? What the hell's going on!?" Adam shouted.
Owen smirked, raising his hand. "I'm no longer the person you knew."
A massive Jellyfish Construct appeared, thrashing its tentacles toward Adam and Yami.
"Adam, take the Wizard King's body and get out of here. I'll handle them!" Yami barked.
"Got it."
Using his telekinesis, Adam lifted the Julious's body and retreated.
"These lunatics," he muttered, glaring back at the chaos, "are playing way too big a game."
...
Author's Note:
The full completed version of Black Clover: I Awakened the Power of the Twelve Zodiac Talismans is now on Patreon!
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