"I lack nothing!"
Adam took a single step forward — and in that instant, the flow of time and space seemed to slow.
In the blink of an eye, he appeared above the Royal Capital.
The Power of the Sheep Talisman coursed through him.
"Elves… surrender!"
A wave of divine oppression crashed from the sky. Every elf engaged in battle against the Magic Knights collapsed to their knees, crushed under the pressure.
"What's going on?!"
The massive mirror that Gauche, possessed by an elven spirit, had just conjured shattered instantly.
He was forced flat to the ground, limbs pinned as if by invisible gravity.
Across the capital, all the elves froze in place — unable to move. Adam's Golden Words combined with his Grand Mage divine power rendered even their spirit-enhanced bodies powerless.
The Magic Knights stared up, dumbfounded. For many, the battle had ended before they even realized it had begun.
"What are you all standing around for? Use your binding magic and tie them up!"
Adam's voice thundered from the sky.
"That's Adam!" Vanessa pointed up in astonishment.
"Damn, that's insane! You're awesome!" Magna Swing cheered as he used Fire Magic: Exploding Flame Chains to bind his best friend, Luck Voltia.
"That hateful man…" Noelle bit her lip, glaring at Adam's glowing figure. "Just what is he becoming…?"
"Move it!" Adam's sharp command jolted everyone into action.
Even the weakest binding spells held firm under his suppression.
"Tie up a few more!"
"Got it!"
The Magic Knights worked fast, subduing the immobilized elves.
At this moment, their awe toward Adam even exceeded that of the Wizard King himself.
Everything he says… becomes reality.
He's like a god.
Adam turned his gaze upward toward the Shadow Palace. The colossal black fortress was now completely sealed off from the outside world.
He reached out casually, scratching his fingertip across the air — and a white line cut across the dark palace wall.
The line expanded, stretching wider and wider until it became a massive entrance.
From within, a head began to emerge — the Word Devil itself.
"I'm out—"
It didn't even finish the sentence before being smashed in the face by a colossal fist.
Adam blinked in disbelief.
"What the hell is that thing? Gray skin, red eyes, black horns… what is this, a vampire on stilts?"
It was so gangly and ugly that Adam didn't even think of it as a demon — more like a cursed bamboo pole.
Asta, Yuno, and the others froze, stunned by the sight of the Word Devil being physically punched back through the portal.
Moments earlier, the First Wizard King, Lemiel Silvamillion Clover, had joined the battle inside, fighting alongside Licht against the Devil Zagred.
But when the dimensional tunnel unexpectedly opened, the Devil tried to flee — only to be kicked straight back inside.
"Don't just stand there! Attack!"
Licht and Lemiel shouted as they unleashed a wave of Light Magic: Sword of the Demon-Dweller, enveloping everyone in radiant protection.
The otherworldly matter seeping from beyond was dangerously corrupting, and only light magic — combined with Lemiel's holy sword — could hold it at bay.
"Asta!"
"Yuno!"
Both shouted as they charged toward the Devil.
"Don't come near me!"
The Word Devil howled. His head throbbed from Adam's blow — that strange power was unlike anything he had ever encountered.
He unleashed a violent storm of dark energy, combining the might of Word Magic and the Five-Leaf Clover Grimoire. The shockwave sent Asta and Yuno flying back once more.
Determined, the Devil turned toward the exit again — only to be met with a massive footprint slamming into his chest.
"Ugh—!"
The kick launched him backward, pain ripping through his body.
"Who… who are you?!"
The Devil's words trembled as he stared at Adam.
Adam simply raised a hand and erased the words themselves from the air.
For the first time, the Devil — a being who could command reality with speech — felt fear.
"Adam!"
Asta and Yuno called out together.
"Thanks for the hard work. Leave the rest to me…"
"No! We can still fight!" Asta yelled.
"Yeah, we won't lose!" Yuno added.
The two shared a look before shouting in unison:
"Adam — I'll be the Wizard King!"
Adam blinked.
"Wait… what? Did I just trigger their inspirational speech mode again?"
He sighed.
"Fine then. Damn it, die already! Crush that word magic!"
A surge of otherworldly dark matter erupted behind him.
"Adam, watch out!" Asta and Yuno shouted in alarm.
"Disappear."
BOOM!
The explosion swallowed everything. The dark matter, the demonic energy — even the corrupted space itself — was erased.
Lemiel, Licht, and Secre stared in disbelief.
Their companions, scattered across the palace, could only gape at the blinding golden aftermath.
Was it over?
No…
A chill crept through the air again.
That evil, cold aura still lingered.
"Come here."
The Devil's command echoed through the chamber.
But his words — his greatest weapon — no longer held power.
Instead, he was the one dragged helplessly toward Adam by sheer divine force.
"Impossible! This is impossible!"
"Shatter."
"Pierce."
"Burn!"
Every Word Magic spell the Devil spoke dissolved into nothingness under Adam's Golden Words.
"Ah—! Spare me!"
Adam grabbed the Devil by the throat, lifting him effortlessly.
The once-terrifying creature now looked pitiful, like a lamb before slaughter.
"You're not even worthy of being called a devil."
With a single motion, Adam's right hand pierced the demon's chest, clutching its heart. The Devil Zagred screamed in agony.
"I curse—"
Fwoosh!
Adam hurled the body aside and scowled.
He'd always hated curses — and this one had dared to touch his fury.
"I was hoping for some fun… Fine then. Dragon Blast!"
A beam of roaring energy shot from his hand, vaporizing the demon's body to ash.
"It's your turn, Patolli."
Adam extended his hand, and the half-demon, half-spirit Patolli was dragged toward him by irresistible force.
"Adam, no!" Asta's voice cracked with panic.
He didn't understand how Adam had become so powerful, but he couldn't let him cross that line.
"Let him go!" Licht shouted, pointing the Sword of the Demon-Dweller at Adam. Even now, he sought to protect his people.
"Asta, Licht… let him kill me!" Patolli's eyes darkened. "I am a sinner — a pawn of the Devil. I should have died long ago."
"Who said I was going to kill you?" Adam's grin turned wicked. "You're far too useful for that."
He raised his hand, and crimson runes spiraled in the air.
"Master–Servant Contract!"
An ancient blood-red magic circle engraved itself into Patolli's soul — the Contract Spell of the Ancient Grand Magus.
From it, a powerful black glove began to materialize.
Adam smirked.
After all, this divine power was only temporary.
He needed to secure control of the situation while he still could.
...
Author's Note:
The full completed version of Black Clover: I Awakened the Power of the Twelve Zodiac Talismans is now on Patreon!
🔗 patreon.com/Shadow_demon_007
Thank you for your support! 💙
...
Sorry for not uploading chapters regularly. I'm currently studying for my semester exams, so chapter upload times may vary for now.
From next month onward, chapters will be uploaded on time. Thank you for your patience and support.