Reborn as Asta

The morning at the Black Bulls' hideout began, as it often did, in utter chaos. Vanessa sat cross-legged on the worn couch, nursing a cup of steaming coffee while her thoughts wandered to the strange events of the previous day. Across the room, Magma and Noelle were locked in their usual heated argument about breakfast duties.

"You can't even toast bread properly, Noelle!" Magma barked.

"Maybe if you didn't burn everything you touched, you wouldn't have to depend on me!" Noelle shot back, her arms crossed as she glared.

Meanwhile, Asta stood in the corner, animatedly discussing team strategies with Gordon and Gray. He waved his arms, explaining how their magic could combine to create new, devastating techniques. Gordon nodded quietly, while Gray was shyly in agreement.

The cacophony came to an abrupt halt when Captain Yami strolled into the room, his towering presence enough to silence the squad. He threw a crumpled piece of parchment onto the table, smirking as everyone instinctively straightened up.

He tossed a crumpled piece of paper onto the table. "Alright, slackers. New mission. Someone's gotta deal with a herd of wild boars messing up the farmlands near Cliffside Village. They're tearing up the fields and scaring the locals. Go fix it."

"Boars?" Magma groaned. "Come on, Captain, that's barely a mission!"

Yami shot him a glare. "You wanna pick up a broom instead?"

Magma grumbled but didn't push further.

Yami smirked. "You, Asta, and Noelle are on this. Don't mess it up."

As the trio prepared to leave, Asta's mind was tempered with a thought. "Hey, before we deal with the boars, can we check in with the village? You know, just to make sure everything's okay?"

"Why?" Magma asked, raising an eyebrow. "Boars aren't exactly masterminds. They're not attacking the village."

"I've got a gut feeling," Asta said, his voice firm.

Noelle crossed her arms. "A gut feeling?

"Look, it won't take long," Asta pressed. "We just check in, see if everyone's okay. If it's fine, we go deal with the boars."

Magma scratched his head, clearly annoyed, but he gave in with a sigh. "Fine, but if this is a waste of time, you owe me."

The three of them set off, the wind whipping through their hair as they soared over the sprawling countryside. The serene landscape below seemed untouched by conflict, a peaceful contrast to their usual battles.

But as they approached Cliffside Village, the tranquil scene shattered. Smoke billowed into the sky, and faint cries for help reached their ears.

"Damn it!" Magma cursed, his knuckles whitening as he gripped the broom's handle.

"They're under attack!" Asta shouted, his sharp eyes scanning the scene below. Without hesitation, he hoped off his sword, landing with a heavy thud on the outskirts of the village.

"What's the plan?" Magma asked, sprinting to keep up with Asta.

Asta's voice was steady despite the chaos around them. "You and Noelle focus on evacuating the civilians. Get them to safety. I'll hold off the attackers."

"What? Are you insane?" Noelle snapped. "You can't take on a whole group by yourself!"

"I can handle it," Asta insisted. "Trust me. The villagers need you two more right now."

Magma hesitated, then nodded reluctantly.

With that, they split up. Magma and Noelle charged into the village, guiding terrified civilians to safety, while Asta stormed toward the attackers.

Asta, now in the heart of the village, his anti-magic sword already drawn, his eyes scanning for threats. The air was thick with the shouts of villagers and the crackle of magic.

The attackers moved like a well-oiled machine. Infantry with gleaming blades guarded mages, who unleashed destructive spells from the rear. As Asta charged, the nearest soldier sneered and stepped forward.

"What's this? A lone kid with a sword?" one soldier sneered. He raised his hand, conjuring a swirling ball of wind magic.

Asta didn't give him the chance to finish. He lunged forward, swinging his sword in a wide arc. The anti-magic blade redirecting the spell midair, sending the caster stumbling back with a look of shock.

"Who the hell is this guy?" another soldier shouted, gripping a spear crackling with electricity. He thrust it forward, aiming for Asta's chest.

Asta sidestepped, feeling the sharp crackle of the spear's magic as it grazed his side. He retaliated with a swift upward slash, knocking the spear from the soldier's hand and sending him sprawling to the ground.

But the moment of triumph was short-lived. Three more attackers rushed him simultaneously. Asta managed to parry a sword aimed at his neck, only to feel a sharp impact against his ribs as another soldier landed a kick. He stumbled back, but kept his grip on his weapon.

"Not bad, kid," one of the soldiers said, spinning a dagger between his fingers.

"But you're outnumbered. You can't keep this up for long.

"Wanna bet?"

The soldiers began to circle him, their coordination sharp and deliberate. Asta could feel the pressure mounting. One mage fired a burst of fire magic, forcing Asta to dodge to the side, only for another attacker to swing a mace at his legs. He jumped just in time, but the landing left him open to a strike from behind.

A heavy blow landed on his back, sending him sprawling to the dirt. He rolled quickly to avoid a follow-up attack, his sword raised defensively as he got back to his feet.

Blood trickled down his forehead from a shallow cut, stinging his eyes. His muscles ached, even through the regeneration.

"Still standing?" one of the soldiers mocked.

Asta wiped the blood from his face with the back of his hand, his grin defiant.

As the battle was about to rage on, Asta got Magma's signal, saying.

Civilians are clear Asta

Asta grined. "Finally."

"Time to end this."Asta roared, his voice echoing through the battlefield. He planted his feet firmly and raised his sword high, channeling all his energy.

The blade began to grow, its size expanding far beyond its usual form.

The soldiers hesitated, their confidence faltering as they watched the weapon transform.

"What the hell is that?!" one of them shouted.

Asta didn't give them time to react. He swung the massive sword with all his might, the sheer force of the attack creating a shockwave that knocked several soldiers off their feet. One unlucky mage was caught directly in the path, his shield spell shattering before he was sent sprawling into a wall.

The remaining attackers regrouped, their movements more cautious now. But Asta was done playing defense. He dashed forward, his speed blinding as he closed the distance between him and the nearest soldier.

Before the man could raise his weapon, Asta, switched to his Dragon Slayer and struck with a powerful horizontal slash, sending him crashing into the ground. He pivoted, dodging an incoming blast of wind magic, and switched to his bow and shot the spell mid-air, neutralizing the magic and striking the caster with enough force to knock him unconscious.

In a flash, Asta switched his weapon, his movements a blur. He leapt into the air, descending with a devastating overhead strike that cracked the ground beneath his target.

Before they could recover, Asta vanished, reappearing behind one of the attackers and knocking him out in a single strike. He moved like a whirlwind, his attacks precise and overwhelming.

By the time the dust settled, the battlefield was silent. The remaining soldiers lay unconscious or dead, their morale shattered.

Asta stood in the center of the chaos, his chest and his body battered. His clothes disheveled and stained with his own blood

But the village was safe. Smoke still hung in the air, and the ground was littered with debris, but the worst was over.

Secre fluttered down from her perch, her wings carrying her gracefully toward him. She shifted back into her human form in a swirl of light, her sharp crimson eyes scanning the scene. Her gaze softened slightly when they landed on him, though her voice remained matter-of-fact.

"Well done," she said, reverting to her human form. She handed Asta a small, glowing stone. "They were after this. It's enchanted, but I've already sealed its magic. We'll give it to Yami."

Asta nodded, pocketing the stone as they prepared to return to the base.

The flight back to the Black Bulls' hideout was quiet. Magma and Noelle, relieved to see Asta alive and relatively intact, had already recounted the mission's events to Captain Yami by the time Asta and Secre arrived. The others cheered as he entered, praising Asta for his bravery.

"Way to go, Asta!" Magma bellowed, slapping him on the back.

"You were amazing out there," Noelle said, her voice unusually soft before she quickly added, "But don't think this means you can go charging into danger like that all the time!"

Asta grinned, rubbing the back of his neck. "Thanks, guys. But , I'm a bit tired I'm going to, head in early!"

The celebration carried on, as Asta found himself slipping away as the adrenaline wore off. His body protested every movement, and he knew he needed rest if he was going to bounce back quickly.

Back in his room, Asta let out a groan as he collapsed onto his bed. The mattress felt like heaven against his battered body. His eyes fluttered shut, but before he could drift off, he heard the door creak open.

He turned his head to see Secre standing in the doorway. Her usual sharp demeanor was softened, her expression unreadable as she stepped inside.

"You should've rested hours ago," she said, crossing her arms but not meeting his gaze directly.

"I'm fine," Asta said with a grin, though the wince that followed betrayed him.

Secre rolled her eyes, walking over to sit on the edge of the bed. "Fine? You could barely stand when we got back. Let me see."

"See what?"

"Your injuries, idiot. You took a lot of hits out there, and even with your regeneration, you're not invincible."

Asta hesitated but eventually sat up, wincing as he took off his shirt. Fading bruises bloomed across his torso, and faint scars from shallow cuts traced his arms. Secre's eyes narrowed as she took in the sight.

"You're reckless," she muttered, her fingers lightly brushing one of the bruises. "You know that, right?"

He laughed, though it came out more like a huff. "Yeah," he admitted,"But I kinda have to be, you know? If I'm not, who's gonna protect everyone?"

Her hand froze for a moment before retreating. She looked away, her usual mask slipping just enough to reveal a hint of worry. "You don't have to do it all alone."

"I know, but… it's who I am, Secre. I can't stand by when people need help. Even if it means taking a few hits."

Her gaze softened at his words, a rare moment of vulnerability passing between them, before grabbing his blanket to lay down beside him

"What are you doing?" Asta asked, confused but too tired to stop her.

"Making sure you stay put," she said matter-of-factly. "You need the rest."

" Whatcha gonna do, watch me sleep?"

Secre's face turned faintly pink,"No. I'm To make sure you don't do something stupid, like get up in the middle of the night to train."

Asta blinked

"Don't make this weird."

He chuckled softly, his body relaxing as exhaustion began to pull him under. "Thanks, Secre. For… everything."

Secre stayed silent for a moment, her gaze fixed on the ceiling. Finally, she murmured, "You did good today, Asta. Really good."

As his breathing evened out, she shifted slightly, allowing herself to relax and get closer to Asta. Though she would never admit it, she felt safer beside him, and as sleep claimed them both, a quiet peace settled in the room—a rare moment of calm after the chaos of the day.