Black Clover : Starting with Two Clovers

"Scales Magic – Core Enhancement!"

As the declaration rang out, the balance in Kira's hand tilted sharply to one side. The magic beams fired from the court magi instantly swelled in strength—faster, sharper, deadlier.

Seeing this, a gleam flickered in Ethan Hayes's eyes.

"Scales magic, huh? That's… interesting."

The ability to amplify or suppress magic? This so-called "Scales" magic was indeed a rare and peculiar attribute. It could even directly alter the magic coursing through a person's body.

But...

"Even if you take away one from ten, there's still nine. Some things just can't be measured."

Boom—!

The incoming magical blasts shattered like brittle glass on stone—completely ineffective. Then came the wind.

A ferocious gust tore through the hall, flinging nobles and mages off their feet like autumn leaves.

"S-So strong…"

Gasps filled the air as several people instinctively swallowed hard.

Kira's expression darkened. His proud Scales Magic… had barely left a mark. Could it be... was Ethan already beyond the conventional limits?

Ethan calmly scanned the shaken room and turned his gaze back to Kira.

"Lord Speaker," he said, voice unhurried, "how exactly do you plan to pass judgment on a supposed 'ally of a devil' like me?"

Kira's fists clenched. His face twitched uncontrollably—rage simmering just beneath the surface. But then, a crooked smile spread across his lips.

"Hmph. So what if you're powerful?" Kira sneered. "Go ahead, take the devil and leave if you must. But as the Speaker of the Magic Council, I hereby pronounce you and Asta guilty of high treason. From this moment forward… you are exiled. Permanently!"

"Oh?"

Ethan tilted his head slightly, his eyes obscured by his hair. His tone was quiet—too quiet.

Exile?

This guy still didn't get it, did he?

"Hey," Ethan murmured, lifting his eyes, "before I'm exiled... am I allowed to kill you first?"

The courtroom froze.

Ethan's expression was utterly calm. But the way he looked at Kira? Icy. Unshaken.

Kira instinctively stumbled back a step.

Then another.

And another.

He didn't know why he was retreating. His body simply reacted.

"Ethan, don't! Calm down!" Asta called from the side.

Killing Kira wasn't the answer. If Ethan struck here, everything would fall apart. The accusation of being a devil's accomplice would be set in stone, and Ethan would lose his place in the Clover Kingdom—cut off from the Black Bulls, from Hage Village, from everything.

"Heh. Do I look like a brute to you?"

Ethan stopped, sneering at Kira.

"Kill you? Please. You're not even worth dirtying my hands."

Then his tone shifted, sharp and cold.

"Let's not waste more time. I'll give you two choices."

"One: You clear Asta and Secre of all charges. We walk away, and I pretend none of this happened."

"Two: You insist they're guilty, and I'm a devil's lackey. In that case… I'll act the part. First step? Kill every single one of you in this room."

His words chilled the room to the bone.

It was spring, yet it felt like winter had swallowed the entire hall.

"H-He's bluffing. Right?"

"He's just trying to scare us."

"He wouldn't dare touch a royal like me—"

A gesture.

Ethan raised one hand. Magic gathered instantly.

A portly noble seated on the upper dais suddenly lifted off the ground like a rag doll and was hurled before Ethan.

Shing—!

The man opened his mouth to protest—but no sound came out.

A blade of wind sliced clean through his throat.

Blood sprayed across the floor.

"Still think I'm bluffing?"

The courtroom erupted.

"A demon—he's really a demon!"

"Gods, he actually killed someone!"

"Run! Get out of here!"

The once proud hall of governance transformed into a madhouse. Nobles, royals, and ministers tripped over themselves to flee—pride forgotten, dignity abandoned. In the face of death, all were equal.

But escape?

Impossible.

"Wind-Form Magic: Dome of Storms."

Without even opening his grimoire, Ethan summoned countless wind elements. In moments, the entire building was sealed off by layer upon layer of howling, impenetrable wind.

Far away, on the palace balcony, Captain Yami watched the dome form with unease.

"Julius… are we really just going to let this happen?"

The Wizard King—Julius Novachrono—watched in silence, then slowly shook his head.

"This was inevitable."

He had always dreamed of a kingdom without discrimination. A land where people were judged by merit, not by birth or power. But prejudice still festered. Maybe his methods had been too soft.

Now, the times had chosen someone else to carry that dream forward.

Back inside the storm-sealed hall, panic continued to spread.

Run? Impossible.

Fight? Futile.

Everyone present now realized how hopeless their situation was.

Ethan's voice echoed through the chamber, measured and calm:

"Time is a precious thing. Starting now… every minute that passes, I'll randomly kill one of you."

"Let's see… over three hundred of you here. That's… five hours or so."

"Of course, whenever your dear Speaker Kira decides to do the right thing, this ends."

Kira's face turned ashen.

He wasn't afraid of dying. But if Ethan killed him now, the label of "devil's accomplice" would be etched into truth—whether real or not.

Yet this… this method of terrorizing everyone into submission… he had no answer for it.

Most of the kingdom's top elite were in this hall—even the king himself. If they all died here… Clover Kingdom would be finished.

"Ethan… this might be too much…"

Even after being smeared and almost executed, Asta's kind heart surfaced again. He couldn't bear to see innocent people die.

Ethan looked at him sideways.

"Too much?"

He gave a cold chuckle.

"Let me teach you something today: those who act crazy scare the cowards. And cowards scare the ones who fake bravery."

"When someone threatens you, you hit back even harder. Otherwise, they'll just keep stepping on you."

He gestured around the hall.

"You think I could actually kill all of them? Please."

These nobles valued their lives above all else. Under threat of death, they would say anything to survive.

Sure enough—

"Speaker Kira, maybe this was all a misunderstanding…"

"Captain Hayes just risked his life for the kingdom, didn't he? How could he be a traitor?"

"I agree! If he were really with devils, we'd all be dead already!"

Ethan smirked.

Finally, some sense.

Why did they always need to be scared half to death before they used their brains?

The same ones who acted so noble and righteous moments ago were now groveling in fear.

"So, Lord Speaker," Ethan said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes, "what's your final verdict?"

Kira's fists trembled.

But he couldn't argue anymore. Couldn't fight. Couldn't lie.

After a long breath, he finally gritted his teeth and said:

"Fine… you win."

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