Under the cover of night, the Clover Kingdom's Royal Capital, usually filled with light and noise, now felt suffocatingly tense. Outside the Magic Research Institute, a red warning barrier pulsed like veins, wrapping around the towering structure. Several Magic Knights in silver armor stood guard, their expressions uneasy.
"Move aside, the Black Bulls are on a mission!" Asta shouted as he marched forward, his twin swords resting on his shoulders.
Behind him, Cedric followed in silence, his expression cold. His Rinnegan was already active, scanning every shadow around them.
The main gate of the institute was sealed shut, but a massive tear cut across it, as if something had ripped it open with overwhelming force. Cedric stepped forward, running his fingers along the edge of the damage.
It was cold.
And familiar.
"This aura matches the ones we sensed earlier," Cedric said quietly. "The same as those shadow entities. But this one is more distorted."
He pushed the gate open.
Inside, chaos filled the hall. Bookshelves were overturned, magic tools scattered across the floor, and researchers moved about in shock, trying to recover what they could.
At the center of the room, a large magic circle flickered weakly. The Stardust Barrier, which once protected the institute's most valuable secrets, had been completely destroyed.
At its center, the crystal stand was empty.
"The notebook is gone," Cedric said, walking toward it.
He crouched and examined the floor carefully. Among the shattered magic patterns, he found a fine black powder.
"This is not magic residue," he muttered. "It is chakra-based."
He picked up a small amount and studied it closely.
"Shadow Clone residue."
A technique that should not exist in this world.
Cedric's eyes narrowed. Whoever did this possessed knowledge far beyond ordinary magic.
"Hey, Cedric, check this out!" Asta called from the side.
Cedric walked over. Asta pointed to a carving on the wall.
It was not battle damage, but a symbol scratched deliberately. A distorted eye, twisted and crying, with an arrow pointing north.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Asta asked.
Cedric stared at it, his expression darkening.
He recognized it.
A mark used in forbidden experiments. A symbol of sacrifice and rebirth.
"This is the mark of the Sound," Cedric said coldly. "Our enemies are not just using chakra. They understand it."
Before anyone could respond, a sudden gust of wind blew through the broken windows.
Cedric's head snapped toward the movement.
"Show yourself!"
A Truth-Seeking Orb formed into a black staff in his hand and shot forward instantly.
The impact shattered the wall.
But the target vanished.
In its place, a figure made of shadow flickered briefly before dissolving into mist. A hoarse laugh echoed through the hall.
"Heh... the Black Bulls' twin blacks... you are more interesting than expected. But do you really think you can stop a god's descent?"
The voice echoed unnaturally.
"The notebook is only one key. If you want it back, come to the Tower of Oblivion in the north. We will be waiting."
Silence followed.
Asta clenched his fists. "I am going after him!"
Cedric raised his hand and stopped him.
"No. That was deliberate," Cedric said, his gaze fixed northward. "They want us to follow."
"Why would they do that?" Asta asked.
"To test us," Cedric replied. "Or to drag us into something bigger."
He walked over to the damaged wall and picked up a piece of black cloth left behind. The texture felt like snakeskin, carrying a faint, familiar presence.
"So they are connected," Cedric said quietly. "The ones underground and this group are working together."
He turned to the others.
"Noelle, Luck, stay here and help investigate. Asta, you are with me."
"Where are we going?" Asta asked.
Cedric's eyes sharpened.
"North. To the Tower of Oblivion."
He looked out into the dark sky, a sense of unease settling deep within him. That stolen notebook was not just a record of magic.
It was a key.
And whatever it unlocked would change everything.
"Let's move."
Asta grinned. "Finally, something interesting."
The two of them vanished into the night.
Inside the institute, Noelle Silva watched them leave, worry clear in her eyes.
"I hope they make it back safely."
Luck Voltia placed a hand on her shoulder. "Those two will be fine. They are not the type to lose."
Even so, he knew this enemy was different.
The Faceless Ones were like a hidden vortex, pulling everything toward them.
Elsewhere in the Royal Capital, deep within the shadows, several cloaked figures gathered.
"My lord, they have taken the bait."
A low chuckle echoed.
"Good. Let the Gatekeeper handle them. I want to see the true value of these so-called twin blacks."
"Understood."
Beneath their cloaks, their eyes gleamed with unnatural darkness.
Far to the north, something was waiting.
And Cedric and Asta were heading straight toward it.
No matter what stood ahead, they would not stop.
Because they were the Black Bulls.
And they always moved forward.
...
📢 Author's Note
The full completed version of Black Clover: I Awakened the Naruto System is now available on Patreon!
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✅ Complete — 149 Chapters
Join the journey of a boy from Hage Village who gains the mysterious Naruto System and rises beyond the limits of magic, changing the future of the Clover Kingdom.
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