Long ago, before the kingdoms of the continent were united under peace, the world was threatened by a disaster unlike anything humanity had ever faced.
A demon.
It appeared without warning.
Towering above cities and mountains alike, the monstrous creature spread destruction with every step. Entire regions fell into panic as the demon advanced, its presence darkening the sky itself.
Magic from countless mages struck the beast.
None of it mattered.
The creature's power was overwhelming.
Cities burned. Villages vanished. People fled in terror as despair spread across the land.
Then—
One man appeared.
A young mage stepped forward to face the demon alone.
His magic illuminated the battlefield like a rising sun.
The clash that followed shook the heavens.
Mana surged violently as the mage confronted the monstrous creature. Wind howled, light burst through the clouds, and the ground trembled under the force of their battle.
For hours, they fought.
Until finally—
The mage defeated the demon.
With the monster's fall, dawn returned to the world.
The people who witnessed the battle gave the hero a new title.
The Wizard King.
From that moment forward, the Clover Kingdom vowed that a Wizard King would always stand at the pinnacle of its magical forces.
Generations passed.
And the Wizard King became the kingdom's greatest protector.
Under the Wizard King served the Magic Knights—nine powerful squads of elite mages who dedicated their lives to defending the kingdom and its citizens.
Together, they formed the kingdom's greatest shield.
And for many young mages across the land, joining their ranks became the greatest dream imaginable.
The morning sun rose slowly over the fields surrounding Hage Village.
The quiet countryside looked unchanged from the outside, but within the small church atop the hill, excitement filled the air.
The Magic Knights Entrance Exam was approaching.
And three children of the church were preparing to leave.
Outside in the courtyard, Asta swung his enormous sword repeatedly.
"HAH!"
"HYAH!"
"YAAA!"
Each swing cut through the air with surprising force.
Dust scattered beneath his feet as he continued his relentless training.
Nearby, Nash and several younger children watched from the church steps.
Nash crossed his arms.
"You've been doing that for hours."
Asta didn't stop.
"Of course I have!"
He swung again.
"If I'm going to become the Wizard King, I can't afford to slack off!"
Nash rolled his eyes.
"You say that every day."
Asta grinned.
"And I'll keep saying it until it happens!"
Meanwhile, in the open field behind the church, a quiet breeze stirred the tall grass.
Yuno stood alone.
His grimoire floated open beside him.
Mana gathered around his body like invisible currents.
"Wind Magic."
The air suddenly moved.
Leaves lifted from the ground as a powerful gust spiralled outward.
The wind obeyed his commands effortlessly.
Yuno exhaled slowly.
His control had improved again.
A short distance away, another form of training was taking place.
Lyra knelt in a small garden behind the church.
Rows of vegetables grew neatly in the soil.
She carefully brushed dirt from a cluster of tato plants before lifting one gently from the ground.
The vegetable was large and perfectly grown.
Lyra smiled.
"Looks like they're ready."
Mana shimmered faintly around her fingers as she worked.
Unlike Yuno's powerful wind magic, Lyra's mana moved softly—almost like starlight flowing through the air.
It responded naturally to her touch.
The plants seemed to grow healthier wherever she worked.
One of the younger children peeked over the fence.
"Lyra!"
She looked up.
"Hmm?"
"Are you helping the plants grow again?"
Lyra giggled softly.
"Only a little."
Later that afternoon, Sister Lily and Father Orsi made their way into the nearby town.
They entered a small but well-kept shop.
Behind the counter stood a man with a thick moustache and an easygoing smile.
Drouot.
"Ah! Father Orsi!"
Drouot greeted them warmly.
"What brings you here today?"
Orsi scratched the back of his head.
"We wanted to talk about the Magic Knights Entrance Exam."
Drouot nodded knowingly.
"The kids from the church?"
"Yes."
Orsi sighed.
"Yuno and Lyra will probably be fine."
"But Asta…"
He hesitated.
"He doesn't have any magic."
Drouot leaned against the counter.
"He'll manage."
Orsi crossed his arms.
"I still worry."
Then he added quietly,
"And the church will feel awfully empty without them."
Lily smiled gently beside him.
"They have to follow their own paths someday."
Drouot nodded.
"That's true."
He paused before continuing.
"Oh, by the way…"
"The noble kids who caused trouble for Yuno recently?"
"They dropped out of the exam."
Orsi blinked.
"They did?"
"Apparently, their encounter with that chain magic user scared them off."
Orsi frowned slightly.
"That man again…"
Drouot nodded slowly.
Then his gaze turned thoughtful.
"And Asta's grimoire…"
He remembered the strange black book.
The five-leaf clover.
Drouot said nothing further.
But deep inside, he felt uneasy.
That evening, the fields outside Hage Village filled with laughter.
"Race you!"
Asta shouted as he sprinted down the dirt path.
Yuno immediately ran beside him.
The two boys dashed toward the church hill.
Wind rushed past them as they ran.
From the fence, Nash watched closely.
"They're almost here!"
The two boys crossed the path at nearly the same moment.
Nash squinted.
"Yuno wins!"
Asta collapsed onto the grass dramatically.
"No way!"
"I totally had that!"
Yuno simply smirked.
Meanwhile, Lyra returned from the garden carrying a basket filled with freshly harvested vegetables.
She watched the two boys arguing and laughed softly.
"You two haven't changed at all."
The next morning, Asta resumed his intense training.
"HYAH!"
His sword slammed into the ground.
Nash approached slowly.
"You're still doing that?"
Asta wiped sweat from his face.
"Of course!"
"Training never stops!"
Nash frowned.
"It's pointless."
Asta blinked.
"What?"
"You don't have magic."
Nash kicked a small rock.
"Orphans like us… We're poor."
"We don't have talent."
"We don't have connections."
His voice tightened.
"We can't become Magic Knights."
For a moment, the courtyard fell silent.
Then Asta grabbed Nash's shoulders.
"Don't say that!"
Nash looked startled.
Asta's eyes burned with determination.
"I'll prove you wrong!"
His voice echoed across the courtyard.
"Anyone can achieve their dreams!"
"I'll become the Wizard King and prove it to the whole kingdom!"
Nash stared at him.
Lyra watched quietly from the church doorway.
A small smile appeared on her face.
That night, the church held a small celebration.
Father Orsi prepared a massive meal.
The table was covered in every type of tato dish imaginable.
Tato stew.
Roasted tato.
Mashed tato.
Fried tato.
Asta's eyes sparkled.
"THIS IS AMAZING!"
Orsi crossed his arms proudly.
"You kids better eat plenty before your journey tomorrow."
Lyra laughed.
"You made enough food for an army."
"Of course I did!"
The younger children cheered as everyone gathered around the table.
For one evening, the small church was filled with warmth and laughter.
The following morning arrived too quickly.
The sun rose over Hage Village.
Three travellers stood at the church gate.
Asta.
Yuno.
Lyra.
Their journey to the Royal Capital was about to begin.
Nash approached Asta quietly.
"If you pass the exam…"
Asta looked down at him.
"…then maybe I can believe in my dream too."
Asta grinned.
"Of course I will!"
He raised a fist confidently.
"Just wait!"
"I'll become the Wizard King!"
Nearby, Sister Lily watched them with a soft expression.
As the three of them walked down the hill, a memory resurfaced in her mind.
The night they had first arrived.
Three baskets beneath the stars.
And another memory—
The night Yuno returned carrying an injured Asta after the necklace incident.
Even then, their bond had been unbreakable.
Now they were leaving.
Not as children.
But as young mages stepping toward their futures.
The road to the Royal Capital was long.
Yet the three of them never stopped training.
Asta swung his sword as they walked.
Yuno practised controlling the wind.
Lyra focused quietly on refining her mana control.
Days passed.
Until finally—
The towering walls of the Royal Capital appeared on the horizon.
Asta's eyes widened.
"Whoa…"
Yuno looked ahead calmly.
Lyra gazed up at the enormous city.
Beyond those walls awaited the Magic Knights Entrance Exam.
And the first true step toward their dreams.