"Draw!" Kaiba declared, his voice cutting through the arena's tension. He smirked at the card in his hand. "I call upon the Swarm of Scarabs!"
The air itself seemed to buzz as the monstrous insects started to form from light. Asta didn't wait for the summoning to complete. He charged, his Anti Magic flaring, only to be met by the unwavering defense of the Dragonic Guard. The guardian's sword descended in a savage arc, and Asta barely brought his own heavy blade up in time to block.
He was stronger, yes, but the Dragonic Guard was relentless and fast. Hampered by the massive Demon-Slayer, Asta could only defend, each block jarring his arms. An offensive move was too risky; the momentum could easily unbalance him.
His momentary stalemate was all the time the Swarm needed. The scarabs solidified into a crawling, clicking carpet of obsidian shells and glistening eyes, scuttling directly for him.
The audience erupted in a chorus of disgust and fear. Spectators recoiled, some shielding their eyes.
"By the Gods, that's disgusting!"
A terrified scream echoed from the stands.
"BUGS! Don't let them get close!"
"You can do it, kid! Destroy those things!"
In the span of a second, the horrifying summon had turned the crowd's favor, rallying them behind the struggling Asta.
Asta's eyes darted from the relentless Dragonic Guard to the skittering Swarm of Scarabs closing in from behind. He was trapped. With the Guard pressing him, he couldn't dodge the devouring insects.
Forced into a split-second decision, Asta broke off the exchange of blows, leaping backward to create space. The move was an invitation, and the Dragonic Guard took it, charging forward to capitalize on the retreat.
Just as Asta planned.
As the Guard lunged, the scarabs scuttled past its legs, surging toward their target. In that precise moment, Asta sprang into the air, bringing his Demon-Slasher down in a powerful, but deliberately shallow, downward slash.
The Dragonic Guard instinctively raised its blade to block. But Asta had put no real strength behind the blow; it was a feint. The Guard's own powerful parry rebounded against the light contact, throwing its balance off and sending Asta flying backward, exactly as he had hoped.
Using the unexpected momentum, Asta soared over both the Scarabs and the stunned Guard. He landed nimbly behind them and, without a moment's hesitation, pushed off with all his speed, rocketing directly toward Kaiba. In a flash, he had closed the distance, landing squarely in front of his opponent.
But Kaiba only stood there, a confident smirk on his face. As if on cue, his Reptilianne Servant materialized in a burst of light, coiling in the air between them.
The serpent struck the instant it appeared, fangs bared. Asta's reaction was a blur of black steel; he cut the monster in two before its strike could land. However, the momentary distraction was all Kaiba needed. By the time the serpent dissolved into pixels, Kaiba had already retreated to a safe distance, his field now clear between them.
"Draw!" Another card was drawn from the deck, and Kaiba immediately summoned it. "Show me your vision! I summon Vision HERO Vyon!"
In a burst of light, Vyon appeared directly in front of Kaiba. The hero rushed forward, intercepting Asta's charge and forcing him to a standstill. Vyon launched a powerful punch, which Asta barely managed to block with the broad side of his greatsword.
Asta's eyes widened as he assessed the trap. From his peripheral vision, he saw the scarab swarm approaching rapidly from behind. To his right, Dragonic Guard advanced, its blade poised to launch another slash.
He was surrounded: the scarabs blocked his retreat, Vyon pressed him from the front, and Dragonic Guard closed off the right. His only option was to break left.
It was a fatal error. Kaiba was already there, his fist charged with raw mana. As Asta turned, Kaiba drove a devastating vertical punch straight into his face. The impact was concussive, lifting Asta off his feet and slamming him into the ground, unconscious.
Seeing Asta was down, Kaiba let out a sharp sigh of relief. 'He's still the protagonist,' Kaiba thought, 'To think he closed that distance so quickly from so far away.'
A collective gasp rippled through the crowd. Yuno stood frozen, his mind reeling from the shock of seeing Asta fall so abruptly.
While the Magic Knights Captains were impressed with both boys, Asta and Kaiba had demonstrated remarkable battle intelligence, a shared concern lingered regarding Asta. Without a shred of magic, how far could he truly go?
A murmur of agreement passed through the other captains. While Fuegoleon and Nozel argued, it was clear where the real prize lay: in Kaiba, the recruit who had showcased the most dazzling potential.
After his match, Asta lay on a stretcher near the outer colosseum walls, being tended to by healing mages. To their surprise, his opponent, Kaiba, sat on the stone floor nearby, simply waiting.
Several matches came and went in a blur of distant cheers and spell flashes. The constant noise finally stirred Asta, who groaned as he pushed himself up, his body still aching.
"You good?" Kaiba asked.
Asta shook his head, trying to clear the lingering dizziness. "I'm a little dizzy," he admitted, surprised that Kaiba had waited for him at the side.
"Your best friend is fighting next," Kaiba said, gesturing towards the arena. "You woke up just in time."
They watched as Yuno faced a noble who had targeted him. With breathtaking power, Yuno summoned a colossal tornado that effortlessly overwhelmed his opponent's lightning magic.
"Awesome! That's Yuno for you!" Asta cheered, his fatigue momentarily forgotten.
Kaiba watched Asta's pure excitement with a critical eye. "You know you could technically beat everyone here."
Asta's eyes widened. "Me? Really? I'm not that strong…" He scratched his cheek, a flustered smile appearing. He wasn't used to such a direct compliment.
"With your sword and your physical strength, you can one-shot your opponent," Kaiba stated, his tone analytical. "But you rely too much on a direct charge. You need to be smarter."
Asta fell silent, the truth of the words sinking in. He nodded slowly, actually listening.
"If you want to grow, you need to be pushed. You should join the Black Bulls," Kaiba advised.
"The Black Bulls? But… isn't that the most problematic squad in the kingdom?" Asta asked.
"They're problematic because they don't play by the rules. The squad is full of powerful, unconventional mages. In an environment like that, you will be forced to adapt and grow stronger than you ever thought possible. Consider this advice from your opponent."
As Kaiba stood up to leave, Asta finally voiced the question that had been nagging him. "Wait! Why didn't my power work on your monster?"
Kaiba paused and glanced back. "Because it's real. You should have aimed for the monster itself, not me." With that, he walked away.
Asta watched him go, tightening his fist. Kaiba was right. He needed to get smarter, not just stronger. 'I need to grow even stronger. I should listen to his advice.'
Finally, after all the matches had concluded, the time came for the new recruits to be chosen by the squad captains. The selection would proceed in order, from the first registration number to the last.
The process continued until the proctor called, "Candidate 164, step forward."
Yuno moved gracefully to stand before the assembled Captains, his expression calm and confident.
"Any captain who wishes to make an offer, please raise your hand," the proctor announced.
In a powerful, unanimous gesture, every single Captain raised their hand. Without hesitation, Yuno chose the Golden Dawn. A pleased smile graced William Vangeance's lips.
From the crowd, Asta watched, amazed but not surprised that his rival was deemed worthy of the kingdom's most elite squad.
Then, the proctor's voice called the next number. "165, step forward."
Asta strode forward, doing his best to stand tall despite his nerves. As he faced the silent, judging Captains, he clutched the grimoire on his chest and remembered Kaiba's advice.
"All who wish to make an offer, please raise your hand," the proctor repeated.
This time, there was no forest of raised arms. Only a single hand shot up, belonging to a smirking Yami. "Oi, kid. You're coming to my squad."
From his vantage point, Kaiba observed the result. 'I'm glad Asta is still in the same squad,' he thought. This was precisely why he had given Asta that advice; he had worried another captain might see the boy's potential. 'I guess the others still can't see past their prejudice for someone without magic.'
After several more candidates were called forward, not a lot of them were accepted or giving offered by the captains it was finally Kaiba's turn.
"Candidate 222, step forth."
Kaiba strode forward as his number was announced. Just as with Yuno, every captain's hand shot into the air before the exam proctor could even speak.
Kaiba had expected as much; the Executor's training had ensured he would be a coveted recruit.
His gaze swept across the row of captains, their expressions a mix of anticipation and curiosity. He paused, his eyes locking onto the captain of the Purple Orcas, Gueldre Poizot.
'My strength is tied to my wealth,' Kaiba thought, a calculated plan forming in his mind. 'If my power weren't so dependent on money, I wouldn't even glance at the weakest squad.' A faint, knowing smirk touched his lips. "I choose the Purple Orcas."
A stunned silence fell over the courtyard. Every captain was shocked, none more so than Gueldre himself. But then the captain noticed Kaiba's smirk, and a matching, greedy smile spread across his own face.
'This brat... he understands,' Gueldre mused, his eyes glinting with avarice.
Asta, Yuno, and the other recruits erupted into bewildered whispers.
"Why the Purple Orcas? He just turned down the Golden Dawn!"
"Is he an idiot?"
"Does he have some connection there?"
Asta and Yuno exchanged a confused glance. This decision defied all logic; Kaiba didn't seem like the type to refuse the best offer available.
— X —
Since Tabata never revealed what the Purple Orca base of operations looks like, please post any pictures or ideas you have in the comments for this chapter or paragraph.