Meanwhile...
Perched silently on the edge of a rooftop, Nero—
In her small anti-bird form—
Watched the peaceful scene unfold below.
"____"
An elderly man sat beneath a shade tree, laughing heartily as two small children clambered over him.
His white beard bounced with every chuckle, and the children squealed with delight.
But Nero wasn't watching their joy.
Her sharp, intelligent eyes were fixed on one thing:
The pendant around the old man's neck.
A small, emerald-green stone shimmered faintly under the afternoon sun—
Its glow is almost invisible to an average observer.
But not to her.
Not to someone who had spent a lifetime studying ancient magic.
'That's it… the Third Stone.'
Her wings twitched slightly, talons tightening around the tile she perched upon.
She'd been searching restlessly, driven by a pressure she couldn't quite name.
For the past few weeks, an invisible urgency gnawed at her core—
Like something ancient and malevolent was stirring from a long slumber.
She didn't know how or why…
But she knew...
If the stones weren't gathered soon,
Something terrible would happen.
This pendant was the first real lead she'd found in days.
And now, it sat casually around the neck of an old man who had no idea he was wearing a relic tied to a war that almost ended the world.
Nero's red eyes narrowed.
'I have to wait… Just a little longer. When he's alone.'
The laughter of children rang again.
Nero didn't move.
She would wait.
As long as it took.
Because failure was not an option.
High above, Nero's feathers bristled.
The cool wind brushing against her sleek form did little to soothe the fire growing in her chest.
Her crimson eyes stayed fixed on the old man below, but her thoughts were far from calm.
'Ben...'
She missed him.
More than she'd admit aloud.
Ever since she began this silent hunt for the magic stones,
She'd distanced herself—
Keeping secrets even from him.
Not by choice, but by necessity.
'Just wait a little longer, dear… I'll return soon.'
She longed to fly back, perch on his shoulder, and whisper the truth in his ear.
Even if she couldn't speak in this form, she'd find a way—
Anything to protect him.
Because if she wasn't trapped in this bird form…
'That vexing woman Charlotte wouldn't be hovering around him. Nor that scheming peacock Nebra.'
Just the thought of them soured her mood.
"____"
She ruffled her feathers in frustration.
But before she could take off—
Five figures arrived cloaked in white.
They moved like shadows, silent but with purpose, their magic rippling through the air like a hidden tide.
They surrounded the old man and his grandchildren.
Their voices were low, menacing, and laced with an eerie calm.
"Hand over the stone."
Nero's eyes widened in alarm.
'There's another group… hunting the stones?'
The old man clutched the pendant tightly, shaking his head.
"It belonged to my wife… please… It's all I have left of her."
The cloaked figures didn't flinch.
"____"
"Then die with it. Or give it up, and your grandchildren will live."
The children clung to their grandfather's legs,
Frightened but unaware of the true danger.
Nero's heart clenched.
For a brief moment, silence fell.
"____"
Then—
With a trembling hand and a furious glare—
The old man removed the pendant and extended it with a shaky grip.
The lead figure took it without another word.
Before they left, they hissed a final warning.
"Tell a single Magic Knight, and you'll never see your grandchildren again."
And like ghosts, they disappeared.
Nero's claws dug into the rooftop tile.
She had stayed back too long.
And now she had confirmation—
A rival faction was gathering the stones.
And this one wasn't as forgiving as she was.
'Ben needs to know. Now.'
She spread her wings.
And took off.
Deep within a forgotten cavern,
Where glowing crystals pulsed with eerie green light and shadows slithered across the walls like living creatures,
The cloaked figures of the Eye of the Midnight Sun emerged through a swirling portal.
The moment their boots touched the stone floor of their hideout,
A guttural voice cut through the silence.
"Tch… pathetic."
From a jagged stone throne across the chamber, a broad, muscular figure with beast-like features stood—
His blonde hair wild, his sharp teeth bared in a sneer.
Vetto.
He stepped forward, the floor cracking under his feet, and pointed a clawed finger at the returning group.
"You let them live?"
He growled.
"The old man and those little brats?"
His eyes, glowing with fury, narrowed toward the leader in the centre—
Licht, his face half-hidden beneath his hood, was radiant and unreadable.
"Humans are insects."
Vetto snarled.
"They deserve nothing but extinction. Leaving them alive was weakness."
The other members stayed quiet.
The air grew thick.
But Licht finally raised his gaze.
His golden eyes were cold—
Sharp as blades.
"We're not ready,"
He said flatly.
"Not yet."
Vetto let out a low, growling chuckle.
Chuckle~
"Afraid of a few Magic Knights?"
Licht didn't flinch.
"____"
He stepped forward.
"If the Magic Knights catch wind of us now… if the Wizard King becomes aware of our moves this early—it will ruin everything."
He stopped just inches from Vetto, his calm words heavier than thunder.
"And have you forgotten? Clover has a new king. And unlike his predecessor, this one doesn't play by the rules."
That made Vetto pause.
"Ben…"
Licht's expression darkened slightly.
"Yes. King Ben. His reign is young, but his actions already ripple through the capital and beyond. He's unpredictable. Dangerous."
He turned back toward the shadows,
The stolen pendant now glimmered faintly on a floating pedestal surrounded by protective runes.
"We can't afford to trigger a full-scale conflict. Not yet."
"Every stone we retrieve must be done quietly—precisely. Until the final moment comes."
Vetto scowled, but said nothing.
His instincts screamed for violence, but he knew Licht wasn't wrong.
Not this time.
The group dispersed into the chamber, fading into their corners like whispers in the dark.
But as Licht stared into the stone's glow, his expression turned grim.
Meanwhile...
The midday sun bathed the road in gold, casting long shadows as Asta and Yuno made their way toward the capital—
The destination of their dreams: the Magic Knights Exam.
Their boots crunched against the dirt road as they arrived at the edge of a village in transition.
What once may have been a quiet hamlet was now bustling with energy—
Workers hauled stone blocks,
Children chased each other around the makeshift scaffolding,
And newly constructed buildings gleamed with fresh paint and ambition.
The village was transforming, growing into something new… stronger.
Yuno took a moment to observe the surroundings, eyes narrowed.
"This place wasn't like this before."
Asta grinned, hands behind his head.
"Looks like everyone's trying to level up! Just like us!"
As they stepped forward onto the main path, a sharp whistle pierced the air.
"Halt!"
A cloaked guard approached—
Armour glinting, a short spear in hand.
His stance was alert but not hostile.
His gaze studied them quickly before he asked.
"State your purpose. Outsiders aren't allowed to roam freely without clearance."
Asta puffed out his chest dramatically and grinned from ear to ear.
"We're not just outsiders! We're future Magic Knights."
"We're on our way to the capital to take the Magic Knight Entrance Exam!"
The guard blinked at the sheer volume in Asta's voice,
While Yuno stood beside him, arms crossed, offering only a polite nod.
The guard gave a short chuckle, clearly amused by Asta's enthusiasm.
He waved his hand, signalling to the other guards stationed nearby.
"Another batch of hopefuls, huh? Alright. Pass through. Just don't cause trouble—this village's got enough going on as it is."
Asta gave a quick thumbs-up.
"No problem! But if there's any trouble, I'll just punch it away!"
Yuno sighed but allowed the faintest of smiles.
As they entered deeper into the village, both of them could feel it—
A new energy is pulsing through the streets.
The land was changing, and so were they.
And ahead of them… destiny was waiting.
As they walked through the bustling streets,
Asta's eyes darted left and right, taking in the construction, the organised chaos, and the busy villagers who seemed oddly focused and disciplined.
He couldn't hold it in any longer.
"Hey! Excuse me, mister!"
Asta jogged over to a middle-aged man who was hauling a sack of grain toward a nearby stall.
The man paused, wiping sweat from his brow, and looked at Asta with a friendly smile.
"Yes, lad? Need something?"
"Yeah,"
Asta said, scratching the back of his head.
"What's going on with this village? It's so busy—and kinda different from other villages we passed."
The man chuckled softly and gestured around.
"Ah, you're not wrong. This village's been chosen for something called the Administrative Test Program. A few months ago, we were just like any other backwater. But now..."
He looked off proudly at a group of young workers laying stone tiles for a new building foundation.
"...thanks to one of the examiners assigned here, everything's changed. Order, structure, development—it's like the whole place woke up from a long sleep."
Asta's eyes widened in awe.
"Wait, you mean one person made all this happen?"
The villager nodded.
Nod~
"That's right. The examiner who was assigned here—he's something else. A true leader. Inspires people just by being around. We don't know his full story, but ever since he took charge… everything's been improving."
Yuno, listening quietly beside Asta, raised an eyebrow.
"An examiner changed an entire village...?"
The villager gave a knowing nod.
Nod~
"If young magic users could do more than just fight… if they could lead."
Asta clenched his fists with a grin.
"That's awesome!! I wanna meet this guy!"
The villager laughed and pointed further down the road.
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(Author's POV)
(A/N)Thanks for reading the chapter!
Please give a review on this Fanfic.
Don't forget to send your power stones!!!