Black Clover: Starting from the Sign-in

"All of it?"

Noelle panicked, her eyes red as she pleaded, "C-Can I at least have ten copper coins? I haven't eaten anything all day..."

"Ten copper coins?" O'Neill's expression darkened. With a cold snort, he barked, "You piece of trash! Didn't I just tell you—"

"O'Neill," the elder behind the bar interrupted with a furrowed brow, glancing briefly at Noelle. "It seems you haven't reached an agreement yet. Why not give her ten copper coins? It's just a tenth of her original reward. It's not much for you, is it?"

"Shut up, old man!" O'Neill roared. "This useless wench, who can't even use magic, should consider herself lucky if I let her warm my bed! Otherwise, get lost!"

He raised his hand, aiming to slap Noelle.

The sudden burst of violence caught everyone off guard.

Noelle, seeing the hand rushing toward her face, instinctively shut her eyes. She knew she wouldn't escape this blow and braced herself to be knocked away.

"Ice Creation Magic: Frozen Fountain!"

Boom!

A cold wind surged, biting into the skin of everyone present.

Snow-white ice crystals erupted like a fountain, blossoming on the ground and enveloping O'Neill in an instant.

The abrupt scene plunged the lively tavern into silence, followed by the sound of sharp gasps.

"He... he's insane! Attacking someone in the Adventurer's Tavern?"

"Doesn't he know the Magic Knights stationed here will intervene?"

"Freezing O'Neill like that—such ruthlessness! Doesn't he fear retaliation from O'Thor?"

The tavern broke into an uproar.

Standing near the ice sculpture, O'Thor's face turned grim. He looked toward the entrance, tracing the magical energy's source.

Spotting Kuroha's slender figure, he tensed, preparing to act, only for the elder at the bar to interrupt him.

"You seem unfamiliar, traveler. Are you from out of town? What brings you here?"

The elder's gaze shifted to the frozen O'Neill. "Young man, that was a rather brutal move..."

"Brutal?" Kuroha casually shut his grimoire, a warm smile on his face. "This is merely a world of survival of the fittest. Besides, he just tried to bully and assault my companion."

"And by the way," Kuroha added, tossing a token crafted from rare minerals onto the bar, "I'd like to take the Steel-tier mission to resist magical beasts."

The token landed with a clink, resembling a black, hammer-shaped medallion.

Gasps echoed throughout the tavern as everyone's eyes widened in shock.

"That's... a Steel-tier adventurer token! Higher than Iron and Bronze!"

"Steel-tier adventurers are strong enough to join the Magic Knights, maybe even excel among them!"

Whispers filled the room as the gravity of Kuroha's status sank in.

The token was a reward Kuroha earned after defeating the Chain Mage and collecting the bounty. Although the Chain Mage had been expelled from the Magic Knights, his strength was undeniable.

The guild leader who processed Kuroha's reward had been so impressed by his ability to slay the mage mere days after obtaining his grimoire that he awarded him the Steel-tier medallion, along with a hefty sack of gold coins.

The elder behind the bar, startled by Kuroha's credentials, recovered quickly and asked, "A Steel-tier adventurer, I see. But earlier, you mentioned they attacked your companion..."

"My companion?" Kuroha echoed, turning to the stunned Noelle. "She's the one."

"Me?" Noelle blinked, disbelief etched across her face.

To everyone else, she was less than a failure—a powerless individual incapable of even basic magic. Yet Kuroha not only saved her but also declared her his companion.

"What's your angle?" Noelle stammered, her face flushing. "You... you're not planning to do those kinds of things to me, are you? I won't submit!"

"Those kinds of things?" Kuroha rolled his eyes and brushed past her. Placing his hand firmly on the ice-encased O'Neill, he spoke with a calm yet chilling smile.

"Other than adding a decorative vase to my team, I'm mostly looking for a valid excuse to kill someone. After all, he did tell me to get lost outside."

His words, spoken softly, carried the weight of a death knell.

Before anyone could react, Kuroha clenched his fingers into a fist.

Crash!

A deafening crack echoed as spiderweb-like fissures spread across the ice.

Moments later, the frozen forms of O'Neill and his companions shattered like glass, their remains scattering across the floor in icy fragments.

The sight of bloodless, frozen viscera and shattered bones sent waves of nausea rippling through the onlookers.

Some adventurers gagged, their meals forgotten. Others simply stared, wide-eyed, at the carnage before them.

None had expected such ruthless decisiveness from the seemingly unassuming youth.