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90.21% Strange use of Magic (Black Clover AU) / Chapter 82: Chapter 82: Strange Beach Episode (2)

Chapter 82: Chapter 82: Strange Beach Episode (2)

[Third Person's PoV] 

As Stephen walked away with his hands in the pockets of his swimming trunks, Nero came flying in and landed on top of his head.

Since they hadn't disconnected their telepathic link, Stephen and Nero were still able to communicate mentally.

*"So, what the hell was that about?"* Nero asked, leaning over his head to look at him with her trademark deadpan expression.

Stephen's cheeks turned a light shade of red as he muttered, "It was payback. No one likes being teased that much, and I'm not the type to just sit there and take it. So, I got my revenge."

*"Uh-huh… So, sexually assaulting her was your idea of payback?"*

*"I didn't sexually assault her! I applied sunscreen, just like she asked me to. I just happened to be really good at it… though I do feel like I went a bit too far,"* Stephen admitted, scratching his cheek.

Nero scoffed. *"Lucky for you, from where I was sitting, she seemed to enjoy it a lot… maybe a bit too much."*

Stephen tilted his head upwards to glance at Nero, causing her to fly slightly above him, looking down.

Smirking, Stephen replied, *"Don't worry, when you get your body back, I'll give you a massage too. I'll help take away those 500 years of stress."*

If Nero had been in her physical form, she would have turned beet red at the implications of Stephen's words. Embarrassed, she began pecking him on the head while he laughed, dodging her attacks.

Nero suddenly stopped as something ahead caught her attention. *"Up ahead,"* she said, alerting Stephen.

Stephen looked ahead as Nero perched on his head. His eyes narrowed when he saw Noelle and Wanda being cornered by two guys hitting on them—one with black hair and the other blond.

Wanda grabbed Noelle's hand and tried to walk away, but the blond guy extended his arm to block their path.

"Whoa, whoa, come on. We're just having a conversation~ Trying to get to know each other," the blond said with a confident grin.

Stephen started walking toward them but froze when Wanda punched the blond in the nose without hesitation. He stared in surprise, as did Noelle, both shocked by Wanda's action.

"Ugh! You bitch! You broke my nose!" the blond screamed, clutching his bleeding nose.

Wanda glared at the other guy and raised her fist. "Are you going to let us pass, or do you want some too?"

The black-haired guy shook his head rapidly, grabbed his friend, and ran off. Wanda scoffed. "Cowards."

"Pfft—hahaha!"

Hearing laughter, Wanda and Noelle turned to see Stephen doubled over, holding his stomach. Wanda's cheeks turned slightly red, realizing he had witnessed everything.

Both women approached Stephen, who wiped his eyes, still smiling. "And here I was, thinking I might need to rescue you," he teased.

As he looked at Noelle and Wanda, he finally noticed why they had attracted attention. Noelle wore a light blue two-piece bikini with a scale-like design that accentuated her curves. Wanda wore a dark red bikini with a black floral pattern, paired with a red silk cloth tied around her waist, emphasizing her long legs.

"It's not funny…" Wanda pouted, trying to hide her embarrassment.

"Sorry, sorry. It just caught me off guard. I wasn't expecting that," Stephen chuckled.

"Oh yeah? What were you expecting?" Noelle asked, crossing her arms.

Stephen grinned teasingly. "That I'd play the white knight and come to rescue two beautiful ladies."

Noelle scoffed, though she blushed slightly. "Then you'd be no better than those two idiots."

'He called me beautiful!' Noelle thought, her chest fluttering with excitement.

Stephen rolled his eyes, while Wanda chuckled. "How's your hand?" he asked, raising a brow.

Wanda glanced at her hand, noticing blood and slight scrapes from not using her magic to protect herself. "It's alright, I suppose," she replied with a small smile, appreciating his concern.

Stephen shook his head, taking her hand in his and clasping his other over it to cast a healing spell.

Noelle watched quietly but froze at Stephen's next words.

"Be careful next time. The nose is the easiest to break, but they can recover quickly and counterattack. Aim for the jaw or temple instead—it's more likely to knock them out or disorient them."

"What kind of advice is that!?" Noelle exclaimed, glaring at him. She turned to Wanda, who was nodding seriously. "And why are you taking it!?"

"It's good advice," Wanda shrugged.

"You should be discouraging her from getting into unnecessary danger!" Noelle sighed, exasperated.

"Trouble is common for us Magic Knights. Since it's unavoidable, I'd rather teach her something useful to keep her safe," Stephen replied with a shrug.

"…I hate how much sense that makes," Noelle muttered.

Stephen turned to Wanda. "About your stance earlier—spread your legs slightly for balance and keep your center grounded. When you punch, rotate your hips into it. It'll add more weight to the punch and make it stronger."

Noelle watched in disbelief as Stephen demonstrated, and Wanda mimicked his movements with a focused expression. "You guys are unbelievable," she muttered, shaking her head in exasperation.

However, before Noelle could comment any further, Yami appeared, demanding everyone's attention.

"Alright, listen up, you brats! We're not here to laze around. We're here on a mission from the Wizard King," Yami declared, his tone authoritative.

"Oh, that's right... I completely forgot about that," Asta said, rubbing the back of his head with a sheepish grin.

"We're here to find a Mana Stone deep in an Underwater Temple," Yami continued, informing them of their objective.

Stephen raised an eyebrow. I literally just learned about the true nature of Mana Stones, and now we're off to find one. Talk about convenient, he thought to himself.

"And while you brats were busy messing around, I went ahead and gathered some intel. This temple is at the very bottom of the ocean, but the Mana in the area kicks up ocean currents so strong that even first-class mages can't normally get near it. However, on the night of a full moon, the Mana weakens, and we might be able to get through."

Everyone looked at Yami with surprise and disbelief.

"Is anybody else shocked that the captain is actually doing his job? I think I just got the shivers," Magna muttered, earning nods of agreement from the others.

"I'll murder every single one of you," Yami said, irritated by their reactions. "As the name suggests, the Underwater Temple is on the ocean floor, so we can't just stroll in. We'll be relying on Noelle's water magic to get us through."

"Eh?" Noelle pointed to herself in disbelief. "Me!? You expect me to transport everyone using Sea Dragon's Lair?! That requires incredible magic control! Why not get someone else to do it? Stephen has all kinds of weird spells—surely he has something better for this, right?"

"Sorry, but I don't have any water-related spells," Stephen said, shaking his head.

"But… if it fails…" Noelle muttered, her apprehension growing.

"If you fail, you'll be pulled away by the ocean currents and drown," Yami said bluntly, his cigarette hanging loosely from his mouth. "This is a top-secret mission entrusted to the Black Bulls. There's nobody else. You will do it."

Noelle hesitated, doubt written across her face.

Wanda stepped forward and placed a reassuring hand on Noelle's shoulder. "We've been training together, right? We'll keep working until you're ready," she said with a comforting smile.

"Wanda..." Noelle whispered, her expression softening.

Meanwhile, Stephen playfully bonked Noelle on the head. When she looked up at him, he was smiling confidently. "Haven't we been training for moments like this? Don't forget all the progress you've made. You won't even need the whole week to get it down."

Noelle's eyes widened as she remembered their training. Specifically, she recalled Stephen helping her refine her magic control and him mentioning a water bubble spell she might be able to do. She looked down briefly before lifting her head, her resolve strengthening. "I'll do it," she said firmly.

Yami smirked slightly and gave her an approving nod. "Then you'd better get to work."

*******************************************

+31 advance Chapters on: patreon.com/Shadow_D_Monarch3


next chapter

Chapter 83: Chapter 83: Strange Beach Episode (3)

[Third Person's PoV] 

After Yami finished giving everyone the rundown of their next mission, Stephen stayed behind. He wanted to talk to Yami.

"So, I'm curious, how did the conference with the other Magic Knight Captains go? Is there, like, a search warrant for the Golden Dawn Captain?" Stephen asked, raising an eyebrow.

Yami took a drag from his cigarette, exhaling from the corner of his mouth. "Well, for starters, he didn't show up to the meeting. The Wizard King wants to keep things under wraps for now. If the public found out that not one but two Magic Knight Captains betrayed the kingdom, it'd cause too much unrest—especially if one of those captains is the Golden Goose," Yami said.

"Wait, there was another Magic Knight Captain?" Stephen asked, his brow furrowing.

"Yup. The Captain of the Purple Orcas. He tried to escape, but Asta caught him before he got far," Yami replied with a smirk. "Thanks to the runt and his Anti-Magic—which dispelled the spells keeping our captives quiet—we found out the Eye of the Midnight Sun is after the Magic Stones. So, the Wizard King sent us on a mission to get them before they do."

"Is that all you know?" Stephen pressed.

Yami narrowed his eyes. "You've found something out, haven't you?" he asked, already guessing based on Stephen's behavior.

Stephen nodded. "Quite a few things, actually. For example… what their true goals are and why they're really doing this."

Stephen went on to explain what Nero had told him about the Eye of the Midnight Sun, their true identity as elves, their plan to use the Magic Stones, and how a devil had manipulated events to bring everything to this point.

As Stephen spoke, Yami's expression shifted from surprise to disbelief, then settled into seriousness.

"How reliable are your sources?" Yami asked, staring Stephen straight in the eye.

"They witnessed it all and were part of it," Stephen said, causing Yami to take a step back.

Yami focused on Stephen's Ki and confirmed he wasn't lying. "But didn't you say this happened 500 years ago? How are you in contact with this source?"

"You're looking at her," Stephen explained.

"Wanda?" Yami asked, leaning to the side to see Wanda practicing magic with Noelle.

"What? No. Her," Stephen replied, pointing to the top of his head, where Nero sat with her usual deadpan expression.

"Alright, gramps, you're losing me here. That's a bird. Don't tell me you're already starting to go senile," Yami said with a raised eyebrow.

Stephen rolled his eyes and raised two fingers, activating Nero's Astral Projection, which only Yami could see.

Yami blinked, the cigarette dangling loosely from his mouth. He put his hands on his hips and let out a tired sigh. "So you mean to tell me that bird you've been carrying around all this time was a little girl?"

"I'm not a little girl," Secre said with her trademark deadpan look.

Yami's expression grew serious. "So you're the source of this information. Who are you really?"

Secre held the hem of her dress slightly as she introduced herself. "My name is Secre Swallowtail, and I was the servant of the First Wizard King."

Yami gave Stephen a strange look. "What is it with you and finding women who are ancient history? Is it a gift, or are you just attracted to grannies?"

"Don't call me a granny," Secre snapped, glaring at him.

Ignoring her, Yami continued smoking. "Thanks for letting me know. Now we know what we're up against and can plan accordingly. But it doesn't change what we have to do. We still need to retrieve the Magic Stones."

"I wouldn't worry about that. We already have one," Stephen said.

"We do?" Yami asked, looking confused.

Stephen nodded. "During our first mission with Magna, the village gave us the Magic Stone as a thank-you for rescuing them. That's what the attackers were after."

"I see. That accounts for two out of three," Yami said with a nod.

"I can use the Magic Stone to perform a locator spell to find the last one," Stephen suggested.

Yami nodded but added, "Let's do that after we finish this mission. We can't rush. Rushing leads to mistakes, and we might miss something important."

"Anyway, welcome," Yami said with a smirk, looking at Secre.

"Welcome?" Secre asked, confused.

"Yeah. I'm welcoming you to the Black Bulls," Yami said, turning to leave. He waved a hand dismissively. "You can't decline."

"I—" Secre was at a loss for words.

"Don't thank me. You've already helped us and gone on missions with Stephen. That makes you a member," Yami said nonchalantly.

He started walking away but then began moving awkwardly. From the perfect distance, Stephen and Secre heard him mumble, "Damn it, where's the nearest cubicle? All this talking and smoking makes me wanna take a crap."

Stephen and Secre exchanged glances, shaking their heads before heading back to the others.

Once Yami saw they weren't looking, he straightened up and resumed walking with his serious demeanor. 'The work of a devil, huh? This is more serious than I thought,' he thought silently.

It soon grew dark, and Wanda was sitting on a rock a short distance away from where Noelle was training her Sea Dragon's Lair.

Stephen approached and sat beside Wanda on the rock. He noticed her gaze fixed on Noelle, deep in contemplation.

"So, what's on your mind?" Stephen asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Huh?" Wanda blinked, snapping out of her thoughts.

"I saw you lost in thought and was wondering what's on your mind," Stephen said.

Wanda gave an awkward smile. "I've been thinking about how to grow stronger… When I see Noelle working so hard to improve, I feel the same way. The problem is, Noelle has a clear path ahead of her. She knows what her magic is, she has guidance from her grimoire, and she understands what she needs to do to get stronger. I don't have any of that. I don't even know what my magic truly is…"

She created a small sphere of her magic in her palm. "How can I hope to grow stronger when I don't even know what I'm capable of?"

"Chaos Magic," Stephen said, his eyes closed as he leaned back, then opened them to look at the moon, which wasn't fully formed.

"What?" Wanda asked in surprise.

"Your magic—it's Chaos Magic," Stephen clarified.

Wanda stared at the glowing orb in her hand, a mix of curiosity and concern crossing her face. "That… doesn't sound like a good thing," she said with a wry smile. "Wait—have you known this whole time?"

"Kinda. I mean, anyone with decent magical senses could pick up on the chaotic nature of your magic," Stephen shrugged.

"And you didn't tell me because…?" Wanda pressed, her tone sharp.

"Because you didn't ask?" Stephen replied with a raised eyebrow.

"Eh?" Wanda looked at him incredulously.

"A big part of magic is self-discovery and learning. I thought that with enough practice, you'd figure out the true nature of your magic on your own. But seeing how much you're struggling, I couldn't keep quiet any longer," Stephen explained.

"I see… I still don't like the name, though. Wait… is that why I was sealed? Because I can use Chaos Magic?" Wanda asked, the realization dawning on her.

"Probably. Chaos Magic is one of the most powerful forms of magic in existence. It allows its wielder to rewrite reality according to their whims," Stephen explained.

"What?!" Wanda exclaimed in shock. "I really have that kind of power?"

Stephen nodded, and Wanda's gaze dropped as a sad smile formed on her face. "I see why I was sealed then…"

"No." Stephen's firm voice interrupted her train of thought.

"Huh?"

"There was still no reason to seal you the way they did. You didn't do anything wrong. You committed no crime to deserve such punishment."

Wanda looked down again, a small, grateful smile tugging at her lips as Stephen's words sank in. His anger on her behalf warmed her heart.

"I know what you're thinking," Stephen said, turning to her. Wanda met his gaze.

"That because of its name, you believe your magic is inherently bad or evil, right?"

Wanda chuckled weakly. "It's not that far off."

"But there's no such thing as evil or bad magic—only evil or bad people. Magic is an extension of our will and desires. Let me give you an example," Stephen said, extending his hand toward the sand below.

Using his magic, he called forth the sand, molding it into a ball that floated in his palm.

"Magic has no will of its own—it's up to us to give it purpose," Stephen said, gently taking Wanda's hand and placing the sand ball into her palm.

With his hand over hers, he said, "Now, use your imagination alongside your magic. Picture this ball slowly transforming into a flower."

"Can I really do that?" Wanda asked, her voice tinged with curiosity and doubt.

"All you have to do is will it, and reality will follow," Stephen said, looking her in the eyes.

Wanda nodded, focusing intently on the sand ball in her hand. Her eyes glowed red as her magic activated. "Turn into a flower," she willed silently.

Slowly, lines began forming on the surface of the sand ball. It started to unfurl, revealing a vibrant red center as the sand fell away. The transformation completed, leaving a beautiful red hibiscus flower in her palm.

A delighted smile spread across Wanda's face as she gazed at the fully formed flower.

"Go on, smell it," Stephen encouraged, lifting the flower to her nose.

Wanda leaned forward and sniffed it. "Whoa… it smells wonderful."

Stephen took the flower and carefully tucked it behind her ear. "Now, tell me this," he said with a confident smile.

He gestured, and fragments of the Mirror Dimension materialized, reflecting multiple images of Wanda and her new adornment.

Leaning slightly to the side to look at her reflection, Stephen said, "If this magic is so evil, how is it capable of creating something so beautiful?"

Wanda blinked in surprise, her face exploded into a blush as she realized he wasn't just talking about the flower—he was talking about her.

She silently tucked her hair behind her ear and as she couldn't look at Stephen due to the blushing mess, she had become. 

*******************************************

+31 advance Chapters on: patreon.com/Shadow_D_Monarch3


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