In an instant—
The atmosphere froze.
"The Eye of the Midnight Sun?" Asta stared at Yuuki in disbelief.
"Leader…?" Yuno's face stiffened in shock.
"What are you trying to do, Yuuki?!"
"What are you trying to do?!"
They shouted almost simultaneously, striding forward until they stood directly before him, anger and frustration blazing in their eyes.
Even after the Word Soul Devil incident, the Eye of the Midnight Sun was still officially branded a terrorist organization of the Clover Kingdom.
For Yuuki to declare himself its leader now—
Was to place himself squarely against the entire kingdom.
As boys who had grown up together, neither Asta nor Yuno wanted to see themselves standing on the opposite side of him in battle.
"We just finished fighting!" Asta shouted urgently. "We finally defeated the devil! The misunderstandings are cleared! Everyone can stand together now!"
He might not grasp every political nuance, but he understood one thing clearly—
Becoming the leader of the Eye meant becoming a target of the Magic Knights.
Yuuki looked at the agitated Asta before him and said nothing.
There were things Asta would never understand.
A hot-blooded fool often overlooked the shadows cast beneath the sun.
Even Yuno—brilliant as he was—had grown up in a remote border church. He had never received a complete noble education. Upon arriving in the capital, he joined the Golden Dawn immediately.
He had never truly seen the rot beneath the aristocracy.
Nor understood that "right" and "wrong" often meant very little.
Yuuki's gaze drifted to the ruined skyline. Buildings lay shattered. Half the royal capital had become rubble.
A cold smile formed in his heart.
After something this catastrophic—
Someone would need to take the blame.
In the original events, Asta had been made the scapegoat. The Magic Parliament had sentenced him to death, even threatening his friends and family until he nearly accepted execution himself.
If not for the Black Bulls storming the Parliament in defiance—
If not for Fuegoleon Vermillion, Captain of the Crimson Lion Kings—
If not for Nozel Silva, Captain of the Silver Eagles—
If not for the handwritten letter from the revived Wizard King Julius Novachrono—
Asta would never have escaped execution.
And even then, he was still forced to wear a magical monitoring bracelet and assigned dangerous missions investigating devils, effectively exiled from the kingdom's heart.
Now—
Yuuki, a former Eye member, not a Magic Knight, a commoner—
Was an even more convenient scapegoat than Asta ever was.
He did not believe he would receive the same mercy.
Rather than wait to be "saved"—
He would seize his fate himself.
Otherwise, all his pursuit of strength and freedom would be meaningless.
From the moment the devil fell—
Yuuki had already stepped onto the opposite side of the Clover Kingdom's nobles and royals.
Compared to Asta's emotional outburst, Yuno remained relatively composed.
"Are you really planning to become the leader of the Eye of the Midnight Sun?" Yuno asked quietly, golden eyes intense. "Do you intend to destroy the kingdom?"
He had thought he understood Yuuki.
Now he realized he probably never had.
What was the point of this?
Even if he held grievances against the Magic Knights, why announce it publicly? Why turn a salvageable situation into a dead end?
The Clover Kingdom was vast. With Yuuki's strength, he could leave the capital easily. If he chose to hide, even the Magic Knights would struggle to find him.
"Destroy the kingdom?" Yuuki chuckled softly and shook his head. "I have no interest in something so troublesome."
Before Yuno could press further, a cold voice cut in.
"So, you're the leader of the Eye of the Midnight Sun?" Flames ignited around Mereoleona Vermillion's fists as she cracked her knuckles. "Arrogant brat. Looks like I'll have to teach you your place."
Nozel released a chilling wave of mercury magic. "A mere commoner. I knew you wouldn't stay obedient. Anyone who threatens the kingdom deserves death."
Step.
Fuegoleon stepped forward, red cloak fluttering, expression solemn.
"Yuuki. I do not fully understand you. But do not let ambition cloud your judgment."
"You returned my grimoire to me. For that, I owe you gratitude. I give you the Vermillion family's word—if you retract what you just said, this matter will be treated as though it never occurred."
His body ignited in flame.
"But if you insist…"
"Ahh, there he goes again," Yami Sukehiro muttered, resting his katana on his shoulder. Then he looked at Yuuki. "Hey, brat. Don't push it. What you're saying is basically challenging all of us captains."
The remaining Magic Knight captains said nothing.
They simply watched him coldly.
The tension thickened like solid air.
"W-Wait! How did things turn into this?!" Asta flailed helplessly.
Lumiere Silvamillion Clover stepped between them with a strained smile.
"Everyone here is an outstanding mage of the Clover Kingdom. There's no need for—"
"Seems you still don't understand."
Yuuki's calm voice interrupted him.
"No matter. I'll make it clearer."
He reached into his spatial storage and retrieved the Communication Magic Box.
Then he hurled it skyward.
Magic surged violently from his body into the artifact.
"Positioning Magic — Infinite Projection!"
In an instant, thirty percent of his remaining mana vanished—
Only to be replenished by the power flowing down from the floating fortress above—powered by the Imperial Sword.
Without it, this spell would have been impossible.
The Communication Magic Box glowed—
And a massive projection screen appeared over the royal capital.
Not just there.
Across the entire Clover Kingdom—
In noble realm, common realm, and forsaken realm—
Above every town and village—
The same projection appeared.
All showing this very scene.
For over a month, under Yuuki's orders, Dominante and Fana had traveled across the kingdom, planting projection markers everywhere inhabited.
Now, combined with positioning magic—
The entire nation watched live.
Confusion erupted everywhere.
"What is that?!"
"Did another kingdom attack us?"
"That's the royal capital!"
"Look! The Magic Knights!"
"Why is it in ruins?!"
In the Forsaken Realm, Hage Village—
Children gathered, pointing excitedly.
"That's my sister!"
"That's Yuuki-niisan!"
"Asta-niisan and Yuno-niisan too!"
Sister Lily clasped her hands anxiously.
The priest forced a stiff smile.
Please don't do anything reckless, Yuuki…
Back in the capital—
Yuuki spread his arms calmly.
"This projection broadcasts the situation in real time. And just so you know—it's not limited to the capital. The entire Clover Kingdom is watching."
The captains' expressions darkened instantly.
Step. Step. Step. Step.
Mariella. Neige. Rebecca. Valtos.
They stepped forward in unison behind Yuuki.
"Mariella. Commoner!"
"Neige. Commoner!"
"Rebecca. Commoner!"
"Valtos. Commoner!"
Their mana erupted simultaneously.
Yuuki lowered his arms.
"Yuuki. Commoner."
He lifted his chin slightly.
"In the name of commoners and peasants—"
"We formally challenge the Magic Knights!"
His voice echoed through the Communication Magic Box—
And spread across the entire Clover Kingdom.
For one heartbeat—
The kingdom fell into stunned silence.
Then—
Every commoner and peasant rose to their feet, staring upward in shock.
"Yuuki—!"
Asta and Yuno lunged toward him.
They had to stop him—
Or there would be no turning back.
But in the same instant—
Mariella's group moved faster.
Bang!
Mariella and Neige blocked Asta.
"Move!" Asta roared, swinging the Demon-Slayer Sword.
"Spatial Magic — Teleport!"
Mariella touched his shoulder.
The three vanished.
On the other side, Yuno disappeared with Valtos and Rebecca.
Under normal conditions, Asta and Yuno wouldn't have fallen for such a simple teleport.
But after battling the devil, their mana and stamina were nearly depleted.
They stood no chance against opponents at full strength.
Yuuki exhaled lightly.
"Good. Now it's just us."
Across from him—
Nine Magic Knight Captains stood with grim expressions.
From above, one could see Magic Knights rushing toward the capital's center from all directions.
Yuuki—
Seemed surrounded by the entire Clover Kingdom's military power.
And yet—
He stood smiling.
(End of Chapter)
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