Black Clover: The Chaos Legacy

Soon, we caught up with Asta and Noelle, who were now surrounded by green, goo-like monsters made entirely of mana. Seeing this, I turned to Leopold and Erwin and said, "It's your turn."

Leopold grinned excitedly. "Finally!" Without hesitation, he rushed forward, ready to fight. Erwin followed suit, his grimoire already floating beside him.

"Hey, Asta! Looks like you could use a hand!" I called out.

"Ryo?!" Asta looked genuinely surprised but quickly recovered.

With Leopold and Erwin joining the fray, Asta made quick work of the monsters. As the last one dissolved, Asta turned to me. "Ryo, why are you here? Aren't you guys supposed to be exploring the dungeon too?"

I shook my head. "No, our mission is different. We're here to clear out the Diamond Kingdom mages lurking around. Since our paths align, we figured we might as well tag along. Besides, you two could use someone with tracking magic to guide you."

Asta teared up comically. "Will you help us, Ryo? Thank you!!"

I turned to Noelle. "What about you, Princess? You okay with us tagging along?"

Noelle crossed her arms, looking away. "Hmph! I'll allow you to guide us."

Ignoring her usual tsundere attitude, I smirked. "Alright then, follow me. I already sensed where your third member is."

With that, we rushed toward Luck's location.

After traveling for a while, we entered an area where the gravity was distorted. As soon as we stepped in, the sensation of weight vanished, and we all started floating midair.

"Woah, this is weird!" Asta flailed around helplessly.

I, on the other hand, was having a blast, casually swimming through the zero-gravity environment. "This is fun."

Leopold, struggling to move properly, shouted, "How the hell are you doing that, Ryo?!"

I grinned and explained the trick to maneuvering through the air using controlled movements. Everyone listened and, after a few attempts, got the hang of it. Soon, they were all floating around like they had been doing this for years.

As we adjusted to the strange environment, Asta's eyes landed on something. "Hey! A treasure!"

Looking over, we saw a treasure chest floating around aimlessly.

"Asta, wait—" I started, but he was already speeding toward it.

Asta grabbed the chest and pulled it toward him. "Jackpot!" Without hesitation, he threw open the lid.

Seeing that, I sighed and instantly covered Noelle's eyes with one hand and Luna's with the other.

Leopold and Erwin, confused by my actions, looked into the chest. Their expressions immediately turned pale.

Inside wasn't gold or artifacts—it was filled with still-beating organs.

Turns out, I was right. It wasn't a treasure chest at all. It was alive.

Asta quickly slammed the chest shut, his face pale. If I had to guess, those three, were now scarred for life.

I removed my hands from Luna's and Noelle's eyes. Luna tilted her head curiously. "Why did you do that, Master?"

Noelle also glanced at me, confused. I simply pointed at the three traumatized guys and said, "So that you both won't end up like them."

Noelle looked at their ghostly pale faces and frowned. "What could be inside that made them look like that?"

Instead of answering outright, I stepped closer to her, closing the distance between us. Her face turned red in an instant, but before she could react, I leaned in and whispered the answer into her ear.

Noelle froze with a pale face. "...Oh."

I pulled away and straightened up. "Alright, it's time to head deeper. We're close."

Hearing my call, the three forced themselves to snap out of their daze and followed behind me. But just as we were making our way forward, I suddenly sensed something off.

"...That's not good," I muttered. "Guess we'll have to part ways here."

They all stopped in their tracks. Asta looked at me, confused. "What do you mean, Ryo?"

I sighed. "In simple terms, Yuno's team is in trouble. They ran into the only captain-level Diamond mage in this dungeon. When we met earlier, I quietly placed a spell on Mimosa that would protect her from deadly attacks. Right now, it just got triggered."

Leopold clenched his fists. "Tch… so they're in danger?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I'm heading there now." Then, I turned to Asta, Leopold, and Erwin. "You four, go help Luck. He's fighting another mage, and he's not doing great. Once you're done, meet us at the treasure hall."

Asta grinned and cracked his knuckles. "Alright! Leave it to us!"

Then Noelle hesitated for a moment before stepping forward. "Ryo… can I come with you? I'm worried about Mimosa."

I glanced at her and nodded. "Alright."

Then, looking back at Asta's group, I added, "With Luck's guidance, you guys won't get lost. Just go straight and take the second right. After that, follow the trail of destruction."

With that, I grabbed Noelle by the waist, ignoring her startled squeak, and took off, soaring toward Yuno's location.

Flying at full speed, I reached them in a few minutes. Seeing Noelle hugging me tightly, I muttered, "She looks so cute like this." Then I landed and said, "Hey, Princess, we are here." Hearing this, Noelle opened her eyes and looked toward Mimosa's direction. The entire place was a mess with broken crystals and steel fragments on the ground. At the treasure house's door, Yuno, Klaus, and Mimosa were panting with injuries over their bodies and damaged clothes, showing how fierce the battle was.

Soon, the Diamond Kingdom Mage attacked once again. As the trio was about to counterattack, Noelle released her hands from me, summoned her grimoire, and patted the ground.

[Water Creation Magic: Sea Dragon's Nest]

A large vortex of water appeared around the trio and soon condensed into a dome that managed to block the attack. Using this moment, I grabbed her by the waist again and teleported inside the dome. Then I said to Yuno, "You look like you guys went through hell."

Yuno smirked despite his injuries, "Wouldn't be the first time."

Klaus, adjusting his glasses, added, "Tch, that bastard's relentless."

The Diamond Mage sneered, saying, "Two more pebbles. It won't matter how many of you come."

[Mineral Creation Magic: Laevateinn]

As soon as he cast the spell with his grimoire, a massive wide-bladed sword appeared behind him. He swung it toward us. Seeing this, Noelle said, "I don't think my spell can defend that."

Seeing the incoming attack, I summoned my grimoire and touched the dome from inside.

[Chaos Magic: Elemental Enhancement]

Soon, colorful mana appeared from my palm and spread through the entire dome. The next moment, a loud dragon roar echoed, and a dragon phantom appeared, swirling around the dome.

As soon as the sword hit the dome, a loud boom echoed, and the sword shattered into crystals while the dome stood intact.

Klaus, who had been observing, raised an eyebrow and looked at the colorful mana swirling around the dome. His voice was serious as he asked, "Wait… that shield protecting Mimosa from the Diamond Mage's sneak attack earlier… was that your doing?"

I gave a slight nod, my gaze unwavering. "It was."

Seeing the blade shatter, the Diamond Kingdom mage was stunned. "What...?"

Even Noelle, who had been bracing for impact, stared in disbelief. "It... held?"

I smirked. "Of course, my enhancement magic is no joke."

Yuno wiped some blood from his lips and exhaled. "Thanks for the assist, Ryo. Guess I owe you one."

Grinning, I replied, "I'll make sure to cash that in later."

Klaus, still panting, adjusted his glasses. "Thank you for protecting Mimosa and for your support. We were about to reach our limit against this guy."

That actually surprised me, and I turned to look at Klaus. Even Yuno and Mimosa seemed caught off guard by his straightforward admission.

Before we could dwell on it, another loud boom echoed as the mage struck the barrier again with his sword. He wasted no time—another weapon formed, and he swung down once more. But this time, before the sword could even reach us, a sudden change occurred.

*clang*

The massive blade was sliced clean in half. One part flew off and crashed into the ceiling, while the other slammed into the ground with a heavy thud.

Standing at the source of the cut was none other than Asta. "You pale-faced bastard, hands off my friends!"

Then he turned and noticed Yuno's worn-out state. "Hey, Yuno! I finally caught up, and look at you—getting your ass kicked."

Yuno, ever the rival, smirked. "Tch. You ruined our plan, Asta. We were totally going to strike when he got exhausted."

Asta frowned. "Yeah, right! You look like you're about to drop dead. If Ryo and Noelle didn't show up, you'd be even worse off!"

Their bickering continued, and I shook my head in amusement. But as I observed the Diamond Kingdom mage, I noticed something strange—he had a hand to his head, as if recalling something buried in his memory.

Meanwhile, Asta finally turned serious. "Alright then, let's finish this guy off, grab the treasure, and go home together!"

Klaus, however, was staring at Asta in stunned silence—not out of frustration, but disbelief. He had always prided the Golden Dawn as the strongest squad, yet here they were, saved from desperation by Black Bulls and Crimson Lions.

Then Luck appeared beside us, his grin widening at the sight of the enemy. "Oh, he looks strong."

Leopold and Erwin soon arrived as well.

"Ryo? Looks like you made it in time," Leopold said, catching his breath.

I nodded. "What took you so long? Don't tell me that guy was actually hard to beat even with four of you?"

Leopold frowned in frustration. "He was. That bastard's smoke magic is completely unpredictable. The moment he vanished into the smoke, we lost sight of him, but he could still sense our mana and fight back. It was a pain to deal with. We managed to take him down with teamwork, but... he still escaped."

I chuckled. "You lost him? Well, can't blame you. If he thinks that chaotically, catching him would be a pain."

With that, we all shifted our attention back to the Diamond Kingdom mage.

Asta pointed his sword at him. "So, you're the one who beat the Golden Dawn?"

The mage said coldly. "And what if I am? The weak will perish, and the strong will thrive."

A massive number of crystal clones materialized behind him.

[Mineral Creation Magic: Talos Doll Swarm]

Then his body became encased in a thick crystalline armor.

[Mineral Magic: Nemean Armor]

Klaus' eyes widened. "What… in the world…?"

Luck's grin stretched even wider. "Ohhh, he summoned that many at once? This is gonna be fun."

As the clones charged forward, the mage continued, "On the battlefield, the weak have no purpose. I was born to break people like you."

Asta gripped his sword tighter and dashed forward. "Oh yeah? Then go ahead and try breaking me!" He swung at the mage from behind, but the mage substituted himself with a clone, narrowly dodging the strike.

I cracked my knuckles. "Well, we can't let Asta hog all the fun now, can we?"

With that, we all surged forward, cutting down the clones. They were durable, tougher than they looked. It took considerable effort for everyone to break through them.

But for me? One well-placed Chaos Bolt was enough to shatter them into nothing.

Soon, we cleared out the last of the clones, just in time to witness Asta land a final, crushing blow. The Diamond mage was sent hurtling into the floor, crashing into a large pond of water left behind from the battle. The impact sent a shockwave rippling through the room, shaking the very walls. And just like that—the fight was over.

At that moment, everyone—except for me and Yuno—stood frozen in disbelief.

"H-He's so strong!?" Leopold muttered, eyes wide with shock.

Luck grinned wildly, his excitement barely contained. "That was awesome! This guy's really fun!"

Even Erwin, who was usually calm, let out an impressed whistle. "Not bad. No magic, yet he just flattened a captain-level opponent."

But Klaus… Klaus was completely still, his fists clenched tightly, his breath uneven. His eyes, filled with disbelief and frustration, remained locked onto Asta.

"This… this is impossible…" he muttered, voice barely above a whisper. "How could a peasant without even an ounce of mana… do all this?"

Before anyone could respond, a lingering clone rushed toward him from behind. Klaus barely reacted, still too caught up in his thoughts, but before it could reach him—

BOOM!

A jet of water blasted the clone away.

Noelle stood there, arms crossed, her expression unimpressed. "All you've been doing is whining, Just shut up." she said bluntly.

Klaus flinched, turning to her in shock.

Noelle let out a small huff. "Negating Magic. That is Asta's power."

Klaus's brows furrowed. "Negating Magic!? How can a peasant have such a power? He just got lucky and ended up with it."

Lucky?

Hearing that, I walked up beside Noelle, my expression darkening. The sheer ignorance behind his words pissed me off.

"Lucky?" I repeated, my voice sharp, cutting through the air like a blade.

The room went silent. The others turned their attention toward me, sensing the shift in my tone.

I took a step forward, locking eyes with Klaus. "That power has nothing to do with luck. That power is the result of Asta's sixteen years of relentless hard work. If anyone else were in his place, they wouldn't have even made it this far."

Klaus opened his mouth, but no words came out.

I took another step forward. "Nobles like you will never understand what he went through. Born without magic, shamed and pitied by everyone around him, told over and over again to just give up on his dreams. You can't even imagine what that feels like."

A heavy silence hung in the air. Klaus clenched his fists, his breath uneven.

"When he realized he had no magic, he didn't just sit around and sulk," I continued, voice unwavering. "He threw himself into training, day and night, breaking his body over and over again just so he wouldn't be left behind. If I wasn't there, he would've ended up malnourished because he pushed himself that hard.

"You think he just got lucky? If that's what you believe, then you're blind."

Leopold looked at Asta with newfound respect. Erwin, usually cool and composed, had a thoughtful look in his eyes. Luck, while still grinning, had a spark of curiosity, as if reevaluating Asta's strength.

Noelle was quiet, but the way she nodded slightly showed she agreed with every word.

Klaus, however, was still standing there, his mind a storm of emotions. His lips parted slightly, but he couldn't find anything to say.

I exhaled sharply. "Out of everyone here, maybe only Noelle has even grazed the surface of what he's suffered."

I took one last step forward, stopping just inches from him.

"You? You're not worthy to question him, Klaus."

A thick silence filled the room. Klaus swallowed hard, his pride and beliefs shaken to the core.

And for once—he had no argument.

Asta's attention remained fixed on the spot where the Diamond mage had fallen. His grimoire still floated in the air, its pages untouched by the water—a clear sign that he wasn't finished yet.

"Hey, what gives? Don't tell me you're already done, ya jerk!" Asta shouted, gripping his sword tightly.

As if waiting for those very words, the grimoire's pages flipped on their own, glowing with intense magic. The pond beneath them trembled violently, and suddenly, an enormous crystal behemoth emerged, its body gleaming under the dim dungeon light.

[Mineral Creation Magic: Titan's Heavy Armor]

The sheer force of its emergence blasted water into the air, turning it into a dense mist that obscured everything in sight. Then, using the cover, the behemoth launched a massive fist toward Asta.

"Tch!" Asta clicked his tongue and slashed at it, his anti-magic sword slicing clean through—only for the severed crystal to suddenly regrow and shoot toward him like jagged spears.

Seeing this, I wasted no time.

[Spirit Union – Knight Form]

Luna's form merged into mine, and in an instant, my body was clad in the dark, pulsating armor of our fusion. My grimoire shifted, reshaping into the sleek black katana. Without hesitation, I dashed forward, moving like a streak of multicolored light. With a single crisscrossing slash, I shattered the growing crystal appendages into dust before they could reach Asta.

Landing beside him, I smirked. "Looks like you need a hand."

Asta grinned. "Pfft, I had it handled."

Ignoring his stubbornness, I turned my gaze toward the mage, my golden eyes gleaming. "I think it's time we put an end to this."

Without waiting for a response, I launched forward at full speed. The moment my blade met the Titan's Armor, cracks spread like wildfire across its crystalline surface. Then, with one final slash, the entire structure shattered, its massive form crumbling into sparkling dust.

But I didn't stop there. My blade moved fluidly, aiming straight for the mage's chest. Just before impact, I suppressed most of the force behind my attack, ensuring it wouldn't be fatal. Even so, the sheer power of the strike sent him flying back, severely wounded but still breathing.

As he fell, I stepped forward and whispered, "I'll let you live for the sake of our teacher. And let me give you a hand."

Reaching out, I placed my fingers against the crystal embedded in his forehead. With a simple touch, I shattered the mind control magic, freeing him from the Diamond Kingdom's brainwashing. His body went limp as his consciousness wavered, and I wasted no time binding him with my Chaos Magic before seizing his grimoire.

With the battle over, I released my Spirit Union, my armor fading as Luna reappeared, gracefully perching on my shoulder as if she had never left. At the same time, Fiora, who had been in Noelle's hands, flapped her wings and settled onto my other shoulder, chirping softly.

Asta, watching everything unfold, finally broke the silence. "What caused you to hold back there?" His eyes narrowed—he knew my usual methods all too well.

I glanced at him before answering in a low voice, "It's simple, really. He's our senior. As in, he was one of our teacher's students."

"EH!?" Asta's jaw nearly hit the floor as he whipped his head toward the unconscious mage. He stared at him, as if searching for any resemblance. Then, as if realizing something, he turned back to me.

"Wait… how did you even know that?"

I smirked. "Secret."

Asta pouted but let it go, though he still cast curious glances at the captured mage.

Leopold stepped forward, his brows furrowed. "Hey, Ryo? What made you hold back?"

I shrugged. "Well, he's a Magic Knight Captain-level mage from the Diamond Kingdom. He probably has a lot of intel. Capturing him is far more profitable than killing him. Besides, from what I've heard about the Diamond Kingdom's methods, he's just a poor sucker who spent his childhood in a lab—forced to kill his friends in a final selection just to survive, only to become an experimental subject stripped of his own will. By the time the experiments were done, he was nothing more than a tool, a mindless soldier to be used in battle. All in all, his life is pretty damn pitiful."

Leopold exhaled sharply, nodding. "That… does make sense."

Asta, who had been listening in silence, clenched his fists in realization as he looked at the unconscious mage. "Then that means…"

I gave him a subtle gesture to stay quiet. He caught on quickly, shutting his mouth before he said something he shouldn't. Right now, with tensions between the Diamond and Clover Kingdoms, it wasn't the best time to let others know that our master was a former Diamond Kingdom instructor. Still, from the way his expression hardened, I could tell he understood—understood why Fanzell had left that wretched kingdom behind.

At least my influence on him was working. He wasn't as reckless or clueless as before.

With that, the battle was officially over. Now, there was only one last thing left to do—open the door and enter the treasury.

As we stood in front of the treasury door, Leopold turned to Mimosa and asked, "Mimosa, how are things going in the Golden Dawn?"

Mimosa smiled warmly. "I'm doing quite well! How about you?"

Leopold grinned. "I'm doing great. I'm just waiting for the War Merits Conference Ceremony to be officially promoted. With the stars I've earned, I should at least make it to 2nd Class Intermediate Magic Knight."

Since both of them were from the same noble family, they seemed quite familiar with each other. Seeing their interaction, I grew curious. "Wait… are you two cousins? I mean, you both have the Vermillion family name."

Mimosa chuckled and nodded. "Yes, we are. Just like Noelle and I are cousins, but in a different way. Noelle is from my mother's side, while Leopold is from my father's side. Leopold's father was my father's elder brother."

I rubbed my temples in exasperation. "Man… your royal family relations are a mess. How do you even keep track of all this?"

Leopold let out a hearty laugh. "It's really not that complicated."

Before I could argue further, Klaus—who had finally come to terms with Asta's strength, at least a little—cleared his throat and said, "Since we were the first ones here, that means we win. However, I will allow you six to enter the treasury as well."

Asta immediately shot back, "Why do you always sound so arrogant, Four-Eyes? But fine, thank you very much, you jerk."

Klaus adjusted his glasses, his expression as smug as ever. "You're very welcome. Watch how you speak to me."

Asta narrowed his eyes at him. "Well, excuse me, Lord Four-Eyes."

As their usual bickering kicked off again, Leopold sighed and asked, "So… do we just let them cook?"

I looked at him, then at Asta and Klaus, who were already throwing more insults at each other. Then I sighed. "Yep. Just let them cook. Meanwhile, we can figure out how to get this treasury door open."

Luck walked up to the treasury door and placed his hands on it with a grin. "Well, this door is made of magic, so why don't we just cut it?"

Asta and Klaus immediately stopped their bickering and turned to look at Luck. Asta nodded in agreement. "Alright, sounds like a plan!"

I raised my hand quickly, stopping them both. "Wait, that's cheating!" I said, shaking my head. "We have plenty of time. Why don't we try to open it the normal way first—like, you know, looking for a secret code or lever or something? If we can't find it, then sure, we can use the shortcut. Isn't it more fun that way?"

Luck was the first to break into a grin and nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! Let's do it then!"

Leopold also gave a casual nod, his usual calm demeanor intact.

Klaus, on the other hand, frowned, clearly impatient. "We're wasting time like this."

I walked up to Klaus and patted him on the shoulder. "Relax, Klaus. Sometimes, you just gotta learn to let go."

He huffed but reluctantly nodded. "Fine. But this better not take long."

With that, we all began our little treasure hunt. The group scattered, each person eagerly searching every nook and cranny for clues or levers that could open the door.

With the treasure door looming before us, everyone couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement. Asta and Yuno, of course, were already at it, their competitive spirit kicking into high gear.

"I bet I'll find it first!" Asta declared, throwing himself at the door, eagerly poking around the stonework.

"You're too reckless, Asta," Yuno replied coolly, but his eyes were sharp, scanning for any hint of hidden mechanisms. "I'll beat you to it."

Their rivalry was clear as day. They always seemed to turn everything into a competition, even when there wasn't a need for one.

Mimosa, walking quietly behind, smiled fondly at the two. "It's just like when we were kids," she murmured to Noelle. "Do you remember?"

Noelle's expression softened as she looked at the two, her lips curling into a faint smile. "Yeah, I remember. We used to do this kind of thing all the time, exploring. Things were simpler then…" Her voice trailed off for a moment, as she remembered their childhood. Her smile grew, a rare soft expression that reminded her of times when the world felt less complicated.

"I never thought I'd be standing in a place like this again," Noelle said, a hint of nostalgia in her voice.

Meanwhile, Luck had already begun his usual energetic antics, kicking rocks and trying to break anything that might have a clue hidden in it. "Come on, there's got to be something here! It can't just be a dead-end!" he cheered, his enthusiasm nearly contagious.

Leopold, ever the composed one, was carefully inspecting the walls, his fingers tracing the rough stone surface, clearly looking for hidden markings or switches. Klaus, on the other hand, had his arms crossed, his eyes narrowed with impatience. "This is a waste of time," he muttered under his breath, but even he couldn't stop glancing at the door every few moments.

I, however, took a different approach, stepping back from the chaos to observe the door more carefully. It wasn't about rushing or force—it was about patience. I slowly walked around it, inspecting the intricate stone carvings, until I saw something I hadn't noticed before. A faint indentation along one side of the door, almost hidden within the patterns. My fingers brushed against it, and I realized it wasn't just a design—it was a mechanism.

"Everyone, gather up!" I called to the others. The group slowly came over, curiosity evident on their faces.

"This is it," I said with a smile, pressing my palm against the indent. As I infused it with mana, I felt the magic within the stone stir. The door responded with a low groan, gears turning inside with a deep rumble. Slowly, the massive stone door began to move, grinding open as a bright light leaked through the gap.

Asta, always quick to act, jumped forward as soon as the door opened wide enough, and his grin grew even larger as he saw what lay beyond. "See? Told you I'd get it open!" he cheered.

Yuno shot back, "Idiot, it was Ryo who opened it."

Behind the door was a room filled with piles of gold, silver, and glittering jewels. The sight took everyone's breath away for a moment. The treasure had a strange allure, but it was the journey to get here that had made the experience so memorable.

Mimosa's eyes shone, and she let out a small, delighted gasp. "It's so beautiful…" Her voice was full of wonder, the sight of such wealth almost too much to process.

Noelle's smile widened slightly as she looked over at Mimosa, seeing her cousin's excitement. She didn't say much at first, but her eyes sparkled with a quiet joy as she glanced at the treasure. "It is...," she said softly, her gaze lingering on the piles of riches.

As usual, Asta and Yuno weren't having any of that, their rivalry already reigniting. "Bet I'll get the best treasure!" Asta exclaimed competitively.

Yuno shot back, "Not a chance, Asta! I'm gonna find the best stuff, and you'll just have to watch!"

Leopold and Erwin chuckled from the side, clearly entertained by their antics. "Now that's a lot of treasure. Good thing we decided to stay even after our mission was over," Erwin remarked, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall.

Leopold nodded, his eyes moving from Asta and Yuno to the treasure. "It's not every day you get to see something like this. Even as a Royal, I feel greedy seeing this pile."

Klaus, standing off to the side, adjusted his glasses and sighed. "You were right, Ryo. It was fun to let loose sometimes."

I grinned. "See? A little bit of fun never hurt anyone."

Leopold raised an eyebrow at Klaus, his tone lighthearted. "I think we've all earned a moment to enjoy ourselves. What do you think, Klaus?"

Klaus' expression remained serious for a moment longer, but even he couldn't resist the infectious energy of the group. "Fine, guess we earned it."

Asta, Yuno, and the others eagerly dove into the treasure piles, their rivalry forgotten for the moment as they enjoyed the fruits of their labor. But it was clear that, while the treasure was nice, the memories they'd made along the way were what truly mattered.

Soon everyone was jumping and swimming around in piles of gold, picking up different objects and magical items. I also started looking for some magic items, curious if I could find anything useful. That's when I noticed Yuno following a small green orb floating above the treasure. Intrigued, I curiously followed him.

Yuno reached out and picked up a scroll, his brow furrowing as he opened it. "What are these symbols? How come I've never seen them before?" he muttered to himself.

Hearing this, Luna explained from my shoulder. "That's Spirit Writing. The language of spirits."

Yuno's eyes widened. "Spirits? Like you?"

Luna nodded softly.

Before we could say anything else, Yuno's grimoire began to glow, followed by the scroll. The entire scene was bathed in a bright green light that drew everyone's attention. Just as quickly as it had appeared, the light faded, and when it did, the writing on the scroll had vanished completely.

Everyone quickly gathered around, and Klaus, always the cautious one, asked, "What was that?"

Yuno shrugged. "No idea."

Klaus frowned. "Don't go touching random things. Just put it back."

Yuno carefully rolled the scroll and placed it back where it had been, his expression still puzzled. I noticed Asta then, being dragged around by Nero, amidst his usual protests. They made their way to a wall, and Asta looked confused.

"What about the wall?" he asked.

Nero responded by pecking his head, clearly urging him to check behind it.

I stepped forward and explained, "She's asking you to check behind the wall."

Asta blinked in confusion. "Behind the wall?"

He summoned his sword and, with a single swing, smashed the wall open, attracting everyone's attention.

"What are you doing, Asta?" Klaus asked, exasperated by Asta's impromptu destruction.

But the answer quickly became clear. Behind the wall was another secret room, though it was mostly empty, save for a lonely, old, and rusty-looking black sword lying against the far wall.

Asta was taken aback. "Wait… is this...?"

Before anyone could respond, Nero flew over to the sword and perched herself on the handle. Asta hesitated for a moment but then approached and grabbed the sword. The instant his hand touched it, his grimoire began to glow brightly, and a blank page filled up with unknown writing, much to Asta's surprise.

I couldn't help but smile, knowing exactly what had just happened. "Looks like you got yourself a new sword."

Asta, eager to test out his new sword, started swinging it around, trying to get a feel for its weight and balance. Watching him, I smirked and raised my hand, gathering a small sphere of chaotic mana before launching it toward him.

"Hey, Asta, catch."

Everyone's eyes widened in shock as the blast struck the sword—only for it to be completely absorbed. Asta blinked in surprise, staring at his weapon in confusion.

"Try slashing with it now," I suggested.

His eyes lit up with excitement as he immediately swung the sword. The moment he did, a flying slash of chaos-infused energy shot out, slamming into the wall with a loud impact.

Klaus, unable to believe what he had just witnessed, adjusted his glasses. "Did he… did he just use magic?"

Luck, always eager for new experiments, grinned and stepped forward. "Let me try!" He conjured a ball of lightning and launched it at the sword. Just like before, the sword absorbed the energy effortlessly. With another swing, Asta released a lightning-infused flying slash, crackling with raw power as it surged forward.

I crossed my arms, glancing between Asta and Yuno. "Looks like both of you gained a lot from this trip."

Then, lowering my voice, I turned to Yuno. "Only you can figure out how to use that spell properly. But once you do… I can guarantee it'll bring a qualitative change to your power."

Yuno, ever composed, nodded in understanding. He didn't need any more words—he already knew what needed to be done.

But before we could dwell on it further, the ground beneath us started trembling. Cracks spread rapidly through the walls, and the once-majestic treasury began collapsing in on itself.

"That's our cue to leave," I said casually.

Without hesitation, Yuno summoned his wind ark, but I glanced at it and shook my head. "Too slow."

Before anyone could react, I hugged Mimosa and Noelle by the waist, teleporting them out instantly. Then, without wasting a second, I repeated the process, warping in and out, evacuating everyone one by one. When I returned for the last time, I went to take Mars out, but… he was already gone.

I narrowed my eyes, scanning the area.

Not wasting time, I pocketed all the remaining treasure in the room and teleported out one final time. As I reappeared outside, I joined the others, all of us watching as the dungeon crumbled into the ground, swallowed by the earth.

Leopold, still catching his breath, suddenly stiffened. "Wait… where's the mage from the Diamond Kingdom?"

I crossed my arms and sighed. "He was already gone when I went back for him. Guess his friends managed to save him while we were focused on escaping."

"Tch," Leopold clenched his fist in frustration. "Damn it… I think I know who might have taken him."

Before he could vent any further, the grimoire in my hand—Mars' grimoire—suddenly started shaking violently. A moment later, it transformed into a streak of white light and shot off into the distance.

I watched it go, unimpressed. "Guess they finally managed to free him. Took them long enough."

Hearing what I said, Leopold furrowed his brows and asked, "What do you mean, Ryo?"

I shrugged casually. "Nothing much, I was just running an experiment to see how long it would take for someone to break through the weakest of my binding spells. I'd say it was a success, considering how long it took for them to free him."

Leopold nodded in understanding, though Erwin let out a low whistle. "You make it sound like you were just testing a new recipe or something."

As we rested, Klaus, who had been unusually quiet, finally seemed to come to a realization. He turned to Asta and Yuno, his expression serious. "You both… I owe you an apology. I refused to acknowledge you because you were peasants, and for that, I am ashamed of myself. I now understand that both of you are outstanding Magic Knights of the Clover Kingdom."

Everyone turned to stare at him in stunned silence. Even I blinked a few times, processing his sudden change in attitude.

Then Erwin broke the silence with a smirk. "So you can be nice, huh, Klaus?"

Asta grinned widely. "I knew you were a nice guy, Mister Four-Eyes!"

Klaus reeled back in shock. "What?! Even after everything I said and did? And stop calling me Four-Eyes!"

Mimosa giggled, covering her mouth. "You're just too serious, Klaus-san."

Before Klaus could protest further, Luck suddenly turned to me with an eager grin. "Hey, Ryo, let's fight sometime."

I chuckled, already expecting that. "Sure."

After a while, once we'd all caught our breath, it was time to part ways. Yuno, Klaus, and Mimosa bid us farewell and took off first. Then, I opened a portal and sent Asta, Noelle, and Luck back to the Black Bulls.

Finally, I turned to Leopold and Erwin. "Alright, let's go home." With that, I opened another portal, stepping through with them as we left behind the remnants of the now-collapsed dungeon.

After reporting to Fuegoleon about our safety and summarizing the events of the dungeon, we all separated and headed to our respective rooms. The moment I stepped inside, I let out a deep breath, the weight of the day's events finally settling in.

Without wasting time, I grabbed a fresh set of clothes and headed straight to the bathroom. Luna, as always, followed me in. The warm water washed away the exhaustion clinging to my body, and I let myself relax for a moment. Luna, of course, took the opportunity to give me a blowjob and get rid of the stress down there as well.

Once we finished washing up, we dried off and got dressed before heading to the cafeteria for dinner. The place wasn't too crowded at this hour, and the smell of freshly prepared food was comforting. Sitting down, Luna and I enjoyed a quiet meal together, the events of the day replaying in my mind. Between the dungeon's treasure, Asta's new sword, and Yuno's mysterious scroll, a lot had happened.

After dinner, we made our way back to my room. The moment I lay down on the bed, Luna naturally curled up beside me. I turned to her, brushing a few strands of silver hair away from her face before leaning in to press a soft goodnight kiss to her lips.

"Good night, Master," she murmured, her golden eyes gleaming with warmth.

I wrapped my arms around her, feeling the gentle rise and fall of her breath as she nestled into me. The warmth of her soft body, the familiar comfort of her presence—it all made it easy to let go of the lingering thoughts in my mind.

With that, my eyes grew heavy, and I drifted off into a peaceful sleep, holding Luna close in my embrace.

(A/N: That took some time, but it was definitely worth it! I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. I also tried my best to keep the MC's strength consistent in the fights, but if you still felt he was nerfed, let me know, so that I can avoid doing it in future chapters. Thanks for reading, and see you all in the next chapter!)