CHAPTER 23: The Lonely Snow and The Gruesome Mud

-Outskirts of Nean -

Akira, Asta, Gauche and Sister Theresa continued flying in search for the missing children.

GAUCHE: "We're close. The mana's getting stronger." He said, standing over his broomstick.

ASTA: "Right!"

THERESA: "These enemies must possess powerful magic. Be on your guard." She reminded them.

AKIRA: "I can guarantee that there are only two wizards with the children. One has [Snow Magic] and the other has [Mud Magic]." He informed her.

THERESA: "And how do you know about this?" She asked him curiously.

AKIRA: "For obvious matter, the one who created is a [Snow Magic] user hypnotizing the children to the mountains. The other is likely [Mud Magic] since if it were to be inside a cave the damping atmosphere would be perfect for him." He explained her to at least pointing her out the possible enemies though it's the truth.

GAUCHE: "Either way we're going! Wait for me, Marie."

ASTA: "Please be safe, everyone!"

They flew for a few minutes until they reached a hill with holes, practically a cave.

GAUCHE: "I sense mana in there."

THERESA: "A cave. That must be where all the abducted children are!"

AKIRA: "Quick! We should land near the entrance and plan an attack!" He suggested.

GAUCHE: "No." He rejected. "I don't care what you're going to do! I'm going in to protect Marie!"

Gauche went alone inside the cave leaving Akira, Asta and Sister Theresa at the entrance.

AKIRA: *sigh* "That guy sure have problem..." He claimed, crossing his arms.

THERESA: "He places all other people under his little sister. I sure can't understand him at all." She agreed.

ASTA: "So Akira! What's the plan?"

AKIRA: "Right. What we're going to do is this, Sister Theresa will stay here as Asta and I enter the cave to retrieve the children."

THERESA: "Don't make me laugh. I came here to retrieve them and you two want to go alone?"

AKIRA: "It's not like that." He shook his head. Sister Theresa was confused at this. "What I meant is ones the children had regained consciousness by Asta's magic, I'll teleport them to you with [Spatial Magic]."

THERESA: "You can use [Spatial Magic]?" She asked in awe.

AKIRA: "Yeah and much more. I have an arsenal of attributes."

ASTA: "So after we recovered the children, we send them to her?"

AKIRA: "Not right now. Those kids are still under the hypnosis. You'll have to use your [Anti Magic] sword to wake them up. Think you can do it after dealing with the enemies?"

ASTA: "Yeah." He nodded.

THERESA: "Alright. I'll wait here then."

AKIRA: "Let's go." He said to Asta and they went in. "Neige and Baro will have to pay it for now."

-Inside the Cave-

Gauche continued flying inside the cave trying to locate the perpetrators and his sister.

GAUCHE: "Tche. It's like a damn maze in here. But the mana's getting stronger and stronger. Just wait a little longer, Marie."

Just near a cave, Gauche saw light. If there's light it means his sister is in there. Alas when he reached it, he saw his sweet little sister sane and safe.

GAUCHE: "MARIE!"

MARIE: "Onii-chan!"

Gauche sighed in relief.

GAUCHE: "Thank goodness! You're sa-"

But Gauche noticed the wound on her cheek. His eyes had wrath of an army. The fury that someone had kidnapped her sister but also hit her! That was the last straw for them.

GAUCHE: "WHAT DID YOU DO TO MARIE, YOU BASTARDS?!"

Gauche shot his Reflect Ray to the white haired guy. The ray grazed his shoulder not killing him but let her sister go.

NEIGE: "I-It's an enemy, Baro-nii! He has a Magic Knight robe on!" He said, trembling in fear.

BARO: "Damn it! How'd they find us so quickly? Do something! Use your magic, Neige!"

NEIGE: "R-Right." Standing on his feet, he opened his grimoire to confront their opponent. "[Snow Magic: Snow Cry]!"

He raised his palms toward Gauche and released streams of snow.

GAUCHE: "[Mirror Magic: Mirror Shift]" He summoned a mirror not far from him and appeared instantaneously in front of that mirror, dodging completely the snow steam.

BARO: "Wh-What the heck is that spell?!"

Neige continued using his Snow Cry but neither of his snow streams were able to touch nor graze Gauche as he continued dodging perfectly with his Mirror Shift.

NEIGE: "I-I can't hit him at all!"

GAUCHE: "MARIE!"

BARO: "H-Hurry up and use a different spell, you oaf!" He commanded to Neige.

NEIGE: "[S-Snow Creation Magic: Snow Friends]!" He created multiple snowmen of different sizes and builds. They ran toward Gauche with the intent of stopping or incapacitating him. "Go, my friends!"

For to say, Gauche was having a hard time against these new opponents. No matter how many time he destroyed them, it kept growing more or twice as much as the first. It was becoming a pain in the ass for him.

BARO: "Defeating one or two won't make a difference!" He laughed evilly. "Neige can keep creating an infinite number of these guys!"

Gauche clicked his tongue before he started using his next move.

GAUCHE: "Give me a break! [MIRROR MAGIC: REFLECT REFRAIN]!"

He created various mirror around the snowmen and with a single Reflect Ray, it destroyed completely Neige's snowmen.

GAUCHE: "Time for a massacre!"

Neige continued creating his snowmen but the speed of Gauche's attack neutralized completely his snow minions.

NEIGE: "Ah! A-All of my friends... That guy's too strong. And h-he's scary!"

BARO: "Damn it... This isn't what we were told about. I only accepted this job because we were told that it'd just be draining brats of their magic! What's the deal with this guy's magic?!" He trembled in fear, checking with his upgraded glasses the amount of mana Gauche had.

NEIGE: "W-What should we do, Baro-nii?"

BARO: "Shut up, you moron!" He hissed him. "Th-Think! There has to be some way! Something..."

His eyes went around to think for a way to stop Gauche's rampage. And then he got it! The little girl who's his little sister. He was going to use her to negotiate.

Baro grabbed strongly Marie's small and fragile hands, hurting her on the process. He started laughing evilly.

BARO: "Move an inch, and see what happens to her!"

Gauche stopped and the snowmen were making their way to him.

GAUCHE: "You bastard!"

BARO: "What's with that look?" He sneered, thinking that he now had the upper-hand. He grabbed Marie closer to him. "If I get annoyed and put a little too much strength into my grip?"

Gauche was now helpless. This rotten guy had used his little angel as his hostage and if he even moved an inch, he would hurt her and he would not forgive himself for that.

BARO: "Neige, beat him to a pulp-"

They were about to take this opportunity to incapacitate and defeat the intruder, Gauche, but as soon Baro was going to order Neige to finish him a roar was heard not far from them.

Asta and Akira had arrived just in time. Asta span wildly and threw his sword slicing completely the snowmen and reaching to Baro's face. Grazing his face, Baro loosen his grip on his hostage and Marie escaped from him.

Marie ran straight to the Magic Knights and Gauche thought that she was going to hug him. But that supposition went to the ground as she hugged not him but Asta.

Gauche went from normal to petrified as her sister went to Asta and not him.

MARIE: "Thank you, Asta!"

ASTA: "Are you okay, Marie?"

Gauche regained his sanity and started his killing on Asta.

ASTA: "Hey!"

GAUCHE: "You bastard! How dare you throw something so dangerous?! What if it had hit Marie?!" He had grabbed Asta's collar again in anger and envy.

AKIRA: "You know that if we hadn't shown on time or Asta had thrown his sword at that guy, you would have been beaten to a pulp, y'know."

ASTA: "That's right! More importantly, what if you had hit Marie-chan?!"

GAUCHE: "There's no way I'd ever hit her." He declared with the serious expression and the deep tone he could do.

Asta was now surrounded by Gauche's mirrors.

GAUCHE: "My love for Marie is too great."

ASTA: "HUH?!"

And Asta's savior appeared in front of him.

MARIE: "Onii-san, please stop!"

GAUCHE: "Stay away, Marie!"

MARIE: "No!"

As they continued with their confrontation, Akira stayed quiet, watching how many victims were. How young these children were to be kidnapped by these scumbags to gain and extract their mana.

His glare showed the disgust and anger he kept for himself. Never faltering of the children and the kidnappers.

It was quite different when you are a simple reader and can't understand completely. But now... now it's different... now that he had witnessed this grotesque part of what heartless people do for money with magic... he would not show mercy for these people.

AKIRA: "Poor them..." His low voice stopped the fighting and drew their attention completely. "Their mana got extracted forcefully and if they are left like this... They'll never be able to use magic ever again."

ASTA: "Th-Their magic..."

MARIE: "That man was saying how it'd be worth a lot of money."

Hearing from Marie's mouth their objective, made both Magic Knights grit their teeth and clench tightly their fists. They couldn't... no... won't forgive those despicable people and they were going to do it.

ASTA: "How could you do something so cruel?"

Asta and Akira, both glared directly at the man responsible for these atrocities, Baro.

BARO: "Crap. This is not good. Not good at all." He stepped back slowly.

NEIGE: "Baro-nii?"

BARO: "We had enough on our hands with that monster of a guy, but now that his friends have shown up, we don't stand a chance!" He started using his glassed to check on their mana power.

He trembled when he saw Akira's mana power. It was twice... no... more than Gauche had.

BARO: "What's with that guy?! This guy is definitely the most dangerous guy in this place! Even if we both joined forces, we couldn't be even a match against that monster!"

Baro changed from Akira to Asta. His fear was replaced with a chance. Apart from the monster and the sister complex freak, he was an easy target for him.

The first thing, Baro did was laugh evilly at Asta. He thought that he would be against one of the monsters but he had now in front of him the easiest guy in the world.

BARO: "What the heck? He doesn't have any magic at all!" He sneered, pointing fingers at him. "Unbelievable! I've never seen trash like you! Even if he were to be a Magic Knight, he would be the lowest of all Magic Knights! Neige, you take care of that sister complex freak and the other."

NEIGE: "Huh?"

BARO: " I guess I'll just have to take care of this weakling myself." He was showing his winning flag over but that was his mistake as others would do the same.

Asta quick stepped toward him and in an instant Asta swung his sword horizontally, sending him toward the wall with a bang.

Everyone except Akira gasped in surprise of how Akira had appeared in front of the enemy and sent him toward the wall.

ASTA: "I won't... FORGIVE YOU!"

Baro was stunned, wheezing in pain as blood flowed from his mouth.

BARO: "Neige! Don't just stand there! Do something!"

NEIGE: "[Snow Creation Magic: Snow Friends]! Go!"

GAUCHE: "You just don't give up." He was about to use Reflect Refrain again but Akira had stopped him. "What do you want?"

AKIRA: "Would you let me take them?" He asked him, smirking.

Gauche shrugged it off and lowered his hand and mirror.

AKIRA: "There is something I've been waiting to use. [Chain Magic x Steel Magic: ...]"

BARO: "HUH?! DID I HEAR IT RIGHT?!"

AKIRA: "[... Wrecking Ball]!"

He was grabbing a long chain attached to a steel ball with the size of a demolisher ball.

AKIRA: "Now..."

He started spinning the steel ball onto the air. Giving the best momentum, he threw the steel ball toward the snowmen, as since their bodies were mostly of snow (duh), were destroyed in an instant.

BARO: "I-Impossible!"

ASTA: "That's. So. Amazing!"

GAUCHE: "Leaving those snowmen aside..." He glared at Neige. "Then it seems that we are done here. So die, you wussy loser."

Gauche walked menacingly at Neige to which he stepped back frightened.

NEIGE: "No... S-Stay back! [Snow Binding Magic: Snow Lime Rock]!"

From Gauche's feet, appeared a large coral-like structure completely immobilizing Gauche.

NEIGE: "I-I did it!"

ASTA: "Gauche-senpai! I'll save you!"

GAUCHE: "Save me?" He scoffed. "Stop trying to act cool in front of Marie, damn it!"

ASTA: "WHAAAAAT?!"

AKIRA: "Gauche-senpai! This is no time to act tough!" He yelled at him.

GAUCHE: "Shut the hell up! I'll take care of him myself! We will, that is."

Baro noticed what was going to happen so he yelled to Neige to dodge.

BARO: "NEIGE, BEHIND YOU!"

NEIGE: "Huh?" Not understanding what Baro meant, it was too late when he received a ray on his back. Behind him appeared a second Gauche. "Why... is there another one?"

GAUCHE A & B: "[Mirror Magic: Real Double]! Real Double is a spell that summons my other self from within the mirror world. I'd already activated the spell before you caught me."

ASTA: "Th-That's awesome! You're amazing, Gauche-senpai!"

AKIRA: "For being a sister complex nosebleed senior, he's quite strong." He smirked.

GAUCHE A & B: "Who the hell are you calling sister complex nosebleed senior, you punk?!"

BARO: "What's Neige doing?! He's so useless! Damn it... My body won't move. There has to be some way..." He looked around and his attention went to the machine he used to extract the mana of the children. "I know... If I use that-"

Before Baro could do something, Asta had approached Baro and grabbed him by his collar.

ASTA: "Why did you do something so awful?!" He demanded an answer. "Stealing other people's magic... How would you feel if someone did that to you?!"

The only reply he could muster was an evil laugh.

BARO: "Like I care, you moron! It doesn't matter to me if someone else dies or loses their magic! "

Asta had enough of him. How he foolishly use others for his own gain. He clenched his fist tightly and raised over his shoulder.

ASTA: "You bastard!"

Baro thought he was about to be punched but Asta simply punched the wall next to his face creating a small crater. But behind of that punch, Asta had enough strength to break his skull if he wanted to and the small crater had cracked beyond creating from the same spot, a much bigger one.

ASTA: "This isn't enough pain to make up for what you did!" He growled at the bleeding enemy. "You're gonna pay for this, starting now!"

AKIRA: "That's right!" He agreed. "This scum ain't even worth finishing it. He's going to be in jail for a long time. [Chain Binding Magic: Anaconda's Wrap]"

Chains emerged from the ground and restrained Baro tightly as he groaned in pain.

AKIRA: "I'll get Sister Theresa and we'll question him."

ASTA: "Right!"

Akira stepped not far and used his [Spatial Magic] to bring Sister Theresa. She stepped in with a surprised expression on her face.

THERESA: "To think that with my years watching younglings with their own magic attributes, I could get used to. But it seems I'm wrong on that."

AKIRA: "You really doubted me, did you? Sister Theresa-san."

THERESA: "Who can blame you?" She shrugged. "You're the first oddity that I've seen in my entire life."

AKIRA: "I'll take that as a compliment."

Theresa noticed the children staying on the ground because of their hypnosis but also felt the pain that those children that weren't as lucky as the others were laid down on the ground, wheezing slowly.

She walked to Baro and was about to demand answers with the other Magic Knights.

ASTA: "Hey, tell us how to give them their magic back!" He demanded.

BARO: "At least let me go! Then I'll tell-" He whined but was stopped when a scythe blade appeared on his neck.

AKIRA: "And let you escape? Yeah, that's what you'll like it." He hissed menacingly.

He really hated Baro for all he had done to these children but he still had to do what it was for his grimoire. He squatted closer to Baro not taking off the scythe on his neck, tapping lightly on his cheek not showing any mercy on his eyes. [Mud Magic] attribute added.

AKIRA: "You'll have to do it better."

Baro gulped in fear, avoiding his eyes at the one holding the scythe.

THERESA: "He's rotten to the bone." She commented.

AKIRA: "Yeah." He agreed, later turning to Asta. "Asta, go and undo the hypnosis of the other kids with your [Anti Magic] sword. I'll keep an eye on this fucker."

THERESA: "[Anti Magic]?" She though surprised of another odd one before taking off to help the children.

BARO: "Like I could move right now..."

Akira simply gave him a deadly glare before paying attention to Asta and Sister Theresa.

BARO: "[Mud Magic: Mud Men]." He created a mini mud man behind his back and it went to the table with all the scientific utensils to call someone.

Asta did as Akira ordered to, running to the children and tapping his sword's hilt to their head to dispel completely their magic.

After everyone regained their consciousness, they became more confused and terrified that they weren't with their parents.

THERESA: "There, there. Com here, all of you." She calmed them down

GAUCHE: "Hurry and treat Marie's wounds, you old hag." He commanded her with his sister next to.

THERESA: "You don't have to tell me to do it, you sister complex punk." Opening her grimoire she started casting. "[Flame Recovery Magic: Sacred Healing Light]."

Various candles were lit around the children healing their wounds also warming them from the cold.

GAUCHE: "Hey, you brats in the middle. Make some room for Marie! That way she'll get better faster."

AKIRA: "You didn't have to say it like that." He sighed for how much he loved his sister.

MARIE: "Oh, stop it, Onii-chan!"

GAUCHE: "Bless you, Marie. You're as kind as an angel." He complimented her. "Angels belong in the middle!" He wailed happily.

AKIRA: "I give up with him..."

THERESA: "The magic will work just the same wherever she stands."

ASTA: "Marie-chan, want some dried tatoes? You'll feel better!" He offered her, his favorite food.

GAUCHE: "Marie's not going to eat your weird food!" He rejected his offering.

ASTA: "Hey! It's what Hage is famous for!"

AKIRA: "That's only for you! I prefer eating jerky." He said, nibbling at the jerky he brought inside his pouch.

THERESA: "Asta, you grew up at the church in Hage, didn't you?" She asked.

ASTA: "Wait a minute! How did you know that?"

THERESA: "Sister Lily came to our church to train once. She told me about you then."

AKIRA: "You're forgetting one person but he's not here."

ASTA: "Heavens me! You know Sister Lily?"

THERESA: "She was a fine young woman."

ASTA: "Isn't she?! Wait, so Sister was talking about me? What did she say?!"

AKIRA: "I wouldn't expect much about it..."

THERESA: "That you were a small and noisy child." She stated bluntly, shocking Asta on the way. "But she also said that you were a hard worker with a strong heart who wouldn't give up in the face of adversity, and that she was very proud of you. Looks like all of your hard work paid off."

Asta smiled that Sister Lily had acknowledged him and all that blushed because of the compliment.

ASTA: "But I've still got a long way to go!"

THERESA: "I'm not so sure about that." She tried to him to reconsider his future.

ASTA: "I will not give up!"

THERESA: "Hey, you." She called for Akira. "You could at least put some sense to him, could you?"

AKIRA: "Well~ I could do it."

THERESA: "You could?"

AKIRA: "DAGA KOTOWARU (But I refuse)!" He quoted his favorite refusal. "IF ASTA WANTS TO BECOME WIZARD KING, I HAVE NO OBJECTION!"

THERESA: "I... huh?"

ASTA: "Thank you Akira!" He turned around and gleefully thought. "Sister, I'm never, never, never, never ever going to give up on you, either!"

Asta and Akira stopped their conversation with Sister Theresa when they heard Neige's screaming. They were shocked when Gauche was taking his rage on Neige as he kicked Neige on his face.

GAUCHE: "Marie told me that you were the one who hit her. The only way to atone for that is death." He declared, his eyes showing no mercy on the one that hurt his little sister.

THERESA: "Stop that, Gauche!"

MARIE: "Onii-chan! I'm okay!" She claimed, trying to defuse the situation. "My injuries are all healed now, so let him go!"

GAUCHE: "No, I can't." He stomped onto Neige's head. "I will eliminate anyone who might hurt Marie now, before they have the chance!"

THERESA: "Asking them how to return the children's magic is more important." She claimed truthfully.

She turned to question Baro, who was silence during all the commotion.

THERESA: "You two. Why did you do this? These children are the future of this kingdom. They're the three-leaf sprouts that grace this nation!"

Neige started tearing as his reason was simple yet naive.

NEIGE: "I just wanted friends..."

AKIRA: "Wanting friends or kidnapping them aren't the same solution. What you did, was far worse what you wanted to do. Have you ever thought of asking them? You were showing friendship there, you were threatening them and controlling them, that's not a friend would do."

Neige was ashamed that the option of asking didn't occurred before.

NEIGE: "I-I'm sorry... I'm very sorry..." He apologized, crying for his mistake.

BARO: "Stop your crying and saying sorry, you useless little brat! it hurts, damn it! Why is this happening to me?! It's her. It's all her fault. She tricked me. I thought it was a good way to make money! Hurry up and get back here, you moron!"

GIRLY VOICE: "Wow!"

Her voice attracted the others' attention as they looked up to see the new visitor. It was Sally from the Eye of the Midnight Sun.

ASTA: "That's..."

AKIRA: "So she came." He smirked. As he knew exactly that Baro would have called her but he wanted to fight her at all cost to gain his new attributes.

BARO: "You finally came. Took you long enough, for someone who travels with [Spatial Magic]! They got in the way of our magic collecting! Help us!"

SALLY: "Jeez, you're so whiny. But you get a pat on the back this time." She landed onto the higher cave hole. "Asta! Akira!"

ASTA: "She's from the Eye of the Midnight Sun." He turned to Akira. "You knew she was going to come?"

AKIRA: "Yeah." He accepted to reveal that he had known that. "But I have a great reason for it and I plan to tell you later about it. Now, we have to deal with her."

Akira put himself into a fighting position.

ASTA: "I hope so. You got to tell me why won't you interfere with this one." He returned his attention to the crazy one.

SALLY: "I'm so happy we get to see each other again so soon! I came here because you called me with the magic transmission item, but you haven't gathered that much magic yet." She showed the magic transmission item before she dropped it on the ground.

BARO: "It's all their fault!" He blamed the Magic Knights.

SALLY: "Well, it's not like I care." She giggled childishly.

THERESA: "Akira! Would you kindly take the children away?"

AKIRA: "What about you Sister?" He asked not taking off his eyes on Sally.

THERESA: "If we let them roam free, they'll do it again. So I'm staying here to fight too!" She declared firmly.

AKIRA: "Fine." He opened a portal back to Nean.

THERESA: "You kids go through there! You'll be back with your parents!"

The children complied and ran toward the portal but before they could do that, a slimy substance was thrown onto Akira to which he had to dodge it and the portal disappeared.

SALLY: "No can't do! You can't expect me to let them go free! Right? You've been a naughty boy, Akira." She pouted childishly, waving her finger as if she was nagging him.

AKIRA: "It seems I can't get them home if she attacks me when I open." He hissed under his breath.

*(Author's Note: This is something everyone has to understand that sometime [Spatial Magic] users can't use their magic as they get distracted. Example, when Valdos tried to escape during the invasion Leopold had attacked him interrupting him on his casting.)*

THERESA: "All of you stay right here. You hear me?" She advised the children hiding behind her with the candles around them. "So they're the Eye of the Midnight Sun... The terrorist group that attacked the capital?"

ASTA: "That's them!"

GAUCHE: "So basically, you're the one who put Marie through all this." He claimed furiously. "I'll kill you!"

Gauche shot his Reflect Ray toward her.

SALLY: "[Gel Magic: Sticky Salamander]!"

A gecko-like creature appeared in front of her to take the ray but Gauche's Reflect Ray, once it had connected with the gecko, its direction changed to another place. Gauche was surprised of her defense.

SALLY: "Could you not interrupt our moving reunion?" She said gleefully but hiding some anger behind her sweet voice. "While I'm at it, maybe I'll dissect you all!"

AKIRA: "I refuse to be dissected, I prefect having my organs in place. [Ice Magic: Freezing Icicles]!"

The icicles were shot behind Akira and managed to reach Sally but the gecko had protected its master by putting its forelimb between the attack and its master. The ice simply started melting inside the gel and then completely disappeared from it.

THERESA: "What is that ominous magic?"

ASTA: "Be careful, Gauche-senpai, Granny! I heard she blocked the Silver captain's attack, too!" He informed them.

AKIRA: "It's the truth! His [Mercury Magic] couldn't pass through her Sticky Salamander!" He agreed.

SALLY: "Here I come!" She jumped over to get inside her Sticky Salamander and they both jumped down boldly and quick.

ASTA: "Incoming!"

He roared and jumped with his raw strength to cut the salamander down but it simply passed through them doing them nothing. He landed onto the pillars in the ceiling and jumped down.

But again, it did not nothing to them. It simply separated the salamander's head and Asta cut the nothing between.

SALLY: "[Anti Magic] is no problem at all if it can't hit me!"

GAUCHE: "Impudent pest! [Mirror Magic: Reflect Refrain]!" His mirrors flew around Sally and her salamander, and tried to shoot them down but it only did as before avoiding the [Gel Magic] user at all. "She deflected all of it!"

SALLY: "That's some fine magic, but it gets refracted inside Salaman, so there's really no point." She said, giggling at their miserable outcomes. "Things might be a bit different if you have something stronger!"

She shot within her gel salamander a projectile that managed to reach to Gauche and restrain him against a wall.

ASTA & AKIRA: "Gauche-senpai!"

But Sally had landed between them happily.

SALLY: "Here you go, Asta, Akira!" She used the gel tendrils to catch both of them.

ASTA: "This is nothing!"

AKIRA: "Asta, no!"

Asta was about to swing his sword but it wasn't possible as the gel tendrils separated to avoid the sword and catch successfully Asta.

AKIRA: "[Spatial Magic: Emergency Exit]!" He slightly jumped onto the air to get inside his portal and land next to Sister Theresa.

Akira was lucky enough to avoid the gel tendrils but Asta wasn't. He pulled over the gel salamander and Sally had put herself over Asta with her sadistic smile.

SALLY: "Gotcha!"

AKIRA: "This is really bad! He got into a position that can only be seen by +18! The kids are watching also! THIS IS REALLY BAD!"

Jokes aside, Asta couldn't move as the tendrils were restraining his limbs tightly.

ASTA: "I can't move..."

SALLY: "You look just like a normal human. I want to know all about you!" She licked his neck, making him shudder of her actions, before she bid him on the neck. "Rawr!"

ASTA: "OW! THAT HURT! AND YOU'RE SCARY!"

SALLY: "Well, your blood's normal."

AKIRA: "They would definitely kill me but I'll have to be quick on this!" He took out his camera and started shooting photos onto them.

ASTA: "HEY! WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU DOING?!" He recognized the snapping sounds of the camera and saw him taking his embarrassing moment.

AKIRA: "Blackmail." He simply answered.

SALLY: "Stop interrupting me! Next I'll catch you, dear Akira!" Her attention returned to Asta. "Now, dear Asta, next I'm just going to take your pinky nail." She was trying to take his pinky nail forcefully and Asta was shrieking in fear.

THERESA: "[Flame Magic: Brilliant Flame Cross]!" She casted her magic inside the gel salamander to which created an explosion, making them both fall.

SALLY: "Aw. You melted my little Salaman."

Before Asta had fallen over with a thud, Akira had managed to created a portal just in time and land safely only to slid onto the ground painfully.

As for Sister Theresa, she had created a fire ball over her fist and tried to punch Sally but she had dodged over.

THERESA: "That's enough of that! I won't let you have these boys!" She declared.

SALLY: "Hey, don't get in the way." She demanded, now with hostile tone.

ASTA: "Th-That's amazing..." He wowed. "Thanks, Granny! You're super strong!"

THERESA: "I may be old, but I'm a former Magic Knight!" She declared proudly. "I'm Theresa the Crimson She-Leopard!"

ASTA & AKIRA: "Huh?!/Wow! She's suddenly all pumped up?!" One was shocked at her sudden attitude and the other sweat-dropped of her statement.

THERESA: "Stop you two daydreaming! We'll have to catch them at all cost."

ASTA & AKIRA: "YES, MA'AM!" They both got into their fighting position. Just before someone interrupted.

GAUCHE: "Do something about this, you old hag!"

They had forgotten that Gauche was stuck onto the wall.

THERESA: "What are you doing over there, you sister complex failure?"

GAUCHE: "You stupid old hag..."

Theresa started using her magic to melt down the gel.

SALLY: "Oh... Four against one, huh? That doesn't look so good."

BARO: "Hey, you." He called her as she turned to see him. "I'll back you up with my [Mud Magic]. Just fix my body so I can move. You can do that, right?"

SALLY: "Well... There is a way, but are you sure?" She asked him.

BARO: "Of course I am! Anything's fine, just do it!"

SALLY: "Okay, I'll do it, then. But are you sure?" She once again asked him with a thoughtful expression putting her long-sleeved arm under her chin.

BARO: "Yeah!"

SALLY: "Are you really sure?" She asked now with a sadistic smile.

BARO: "I told you, I'm sure! Just shut up and do it!"

ASTA: "Hey! What are you two whispering about?!" He demanded what they were doing.

AKIRA: "Something bad." He answered his question. Even if Akira wanted to stop it completely, Baro had it coming with his greed. He didn't even plan of saving him at all.

BARO: "H-Hurry up and heal me! And give me some money! Then I'll help you out." He demanded softly. Though inside, it was different. "Yeah, right. Once I'm freed and paid, I'm getting the hell outta here!"

SALLY: "Okay." She walked toward him, hiding a big syringe under her coat. "In that case... Hup!"

She injected Baro with one of her experiments onto his neck.

THERESA: "What is she..."

Seconds passed as Baro was starting to suffer some abnormalities. His 'healing' had broken free from Akira's bindings and started screaming.

NEIGE: "Baro-nii-chan?!" He was shocked what his brother was suffering from.

ASTA: "What the heck?! What the hell is wrong with him Akira?"

Akira didn't answer as they were watching Baro mutating. Mud started sprouting from his body, covering his body completely.

THERESA: "What is that?! His magic is swelling!" She gasped at what she was seeing.

Baro's former body starting growing in size, dwarfing all the Magic Knights and Sally herself, becoming now a mutated mud man.

AKIRA: "This part really reminds me of Clayface."

They all watched as the former kidnapper had become a monster from a failed experiment.

SALLY: "Whoopsie! Looks like I messed up a little."

AKIRA: "YOU CALL THAT 'A LITTLE'?!" He barked his teeth at her.

SALLY: "He can move now, and his magic's recharged, but looks like his personality wandered off somewhere."

The mud monster rampaging inside the cave making the children get in panic.

THERESA: "Protect the children, Gauche! Akira! Asta!"

ASTA: "Sure!"

AKIRA: "Yeah!"

GAUCHE: "No thank you." He declared before flying off with his sister on his arms. "Let's go, Marie."

MARIE: "O-Onii-chan? Go? But what about everyone else?"

GAUCHE: "It doesn't matter! It's too dangerous for you to be around that monster!"

They finally disappeared from their sights leaving Asta, Akira and Sister Theresa alone with the mud monster.

ASTA: "WHAAAAAT?!"

THERESA: "That fool."

They looked back and dodged the mud monster's slamming.

SALLY: "I'm going to take you both home for sure this time, Asta, Akira!"

ASTA: "What the heck's going on?!" He wondered in shock.

THERESA: "We can't handle something that big!" She commented.

The kids weren't much pleased to see the mutated Baro which started screaming in fear.

THERESA: "First of all, we have to get the kids out of here." She turned to the multi-attribute Magic Knight. "Can you do something?"

AKIRA: "I would but if I get interrupted, I can't get the children out!" He answered truthfully.

THERESA: "Then we'll have to make you time to take those children out. You ready kid?" She asked to Asta.

ASTA: "Yeah!"

Asta and Sister Theresa stared focused on the mutated Baro as Akira ran back to the children to send them back.

AKIRA: "Kids! Get inside!" He opened a portal and commanded the children to pass through.

BARO: "Die... All of you..." The mutated version of him cried a declaration mindlessly.

He went straight to Neige as he woke up from the pain. But just as Neige looked up, he saw the mutated version of his brother in shock and awe.

NEIGE: "B-Baro-nii-chan? What's wrong?" The mutated brother raised its arm to slam him and Neige was practically confused of his action. "Y-You don't know who I am?"

The mutated brother was about to slam Neige mercilessly but Asta had stepped in and cut the mud arm with his sword cleanly.

Neige was confused at the Magic Knight that stepped over.

NEIGE: "Why... did you save me?"

ASTA: "You haven't taken responsibility for any of this yet!" He declared, looking at him over his shoulder. "I'm not letting you die until you do!"

Neige was at awe for his answer. Asta pointed his sword at the mutated Baro.

ASTA: "Also, what's your problem? You're trying to kill your own brother?" He dashed to him with his sword on side. "You moron~! Looks like my sword's working, so I'm just gonna quickly take care of-"

He thought his plan aloud but was interrupted when a mud arm appeared from the cut, slammed next to him making him stop.

SALLY: "Now your [Anti Magic] won't be able to defeat him so easily!" She commented as the special healing factor kicked in. "The [Dark Magic] item I just injected him with eats the subject's life force and produces an explosion of magical power!"

ASTA: "How could you do that?!" He cut to another mud arm but it grew back.

It continued back and forth, Asta cutting a mud limb and growing it back.

ASTA: "There's no end to this!"

From behind, Sally was approaching carefully to get to Asta and bring him back to experiment him.

SALLY: "You're wide open, Asta! Take that!" A long gel-like limb was shot from her long-sleeved robes and making its way to Asta.

But as the gel was about to reach Asta to restrain him completely again, small explosions banged protecting Asta.

Asta saw the one who helped him, Sister Theresa had raised her arm to cast her defensive spell on Asta.

ASTA: "Granny!"

SALLY: "Aw, you got in the way again! Quit butting in, would ya?" She demanded to quit her fun and retrieval of her interesting guinea pig. "I'm not interested in an old lady whose magic's all dried up."

THERESA: "Looks like you've got a mouth on you, whippersnapper." She hissed at the bad-mouthed and crazy girl. "It's true that as you get older, the magic you can generate internally weakens. But the power to work with the mana that dwells in nature can be increased at any age. I have years of experience and technique. I won't lose to a youngster like you!" She claimed as she gathered her magic on her fist. "DON'T YOU DARE UNDERESTIMATE US OLD HAGS!"

SALLY: "Jeez, you're an annoying old lady, aren't you? Don't blame me if you kick the bucket today."

THERESA: "Go ahead and try it!" She accepted her challenge.

Akira was still sending the children through the portal toward the entrance since it would leave someone alone. It would have been much faster to create a much bigger one that he had created but those two had gathered so many children so it was getting somehow slow on sending them back and it would draw the enemies' attention and would harm them on the way.

-Gauche's and Marie's Side-

Gauche had retired himself with his sister on his arms as he had thought that the sudden transformation of the [Mud Magic] user would harm his sister so he had left the others as he flew away with his sweet sister.

MARIE: "Onii-chan, go back!" She pleaded

GAUCHE: "No! I'm taking you back into town." He rejected her pleas.

MARIE: "Please, go back!"

GAUCHE: "No! Not only does my magic not work on that woman, but an insanely powerful magical monster appeared, too. You'll be in danger if I fight that thing!" He tried to reason her of the danger they had encountered.

MARIE: "But everyone else..."

GAUCHE: "I don't care what happens to the others, as long as you're all right." He replied truthfully. "Yeah... Who cares about anyone else?"

He reminded himself their childhood. Being an well known noble with a beautiful and peaceful family. Many other nobles complimented them for their appearance and business but also envied for their fortune. One of their rivals had murdered their parents in cold blood and they would dare inherit all their money as they ended up homeless.

It was not long, Gauche had found himself to be closer to Marie and protect her at all cost. Even if he had to shake the hands of the devil. He had stolen food, robbed nobles and even fought against a bunch of noble kids to mug them. All for the sake to feed her little sister Marie. He had promised himself that you can't trust anybody worth at all and cast aside others for his own sister's well-being.

GAUCHE: "Like I care about other people!"

Marie had enough of the shenanigans of her brother and ended up punching him while flying.

MARIE: "I hate having a big brother who's so pathetic!" She proclaimed while wailing over.

GAUCHE: "D'oh!" The shock of her rebellion petrified him completely.

MARIE: "It's true that a lot of people did some awful things to us. But Sister and the kids at the church are different!" She said now calmed. "The only reason I wasn't lonely when you weren't with me was because of them! That's how you became a Magic Knight, too! Everyone's lives are connected! We're who we are because they're here! Onii-chan!"

Gauche had took a moment to hear her.

MARIE: "Besides, it's your job as a Magic Knight to protect everyone. I'm really proud that you're a Magic Knight!" She declared. "Please just be the cool big brother I'm proud of!"

GAUCHE: "Marie..."

As they reached at the entrance, they saw the children waiting too.

MALE KID A: "Ah, Marie!" He waved his arms.

MARIE: "Everyone! I'm glad that everyone's fine!"

FEMALE KID A: "Yeah, thanks to the portal we managed to avoid the monster and the crazy lady." She commented which gained some nods of agreement.

GAUCHE: "Hm? What portal?"

MALE KID B: "That one!" He pointed out the portal it was sending here and other children popping out.

GAUCHE: "Did Finral came right now? No... He wouldn't have come to Nean if there wasn't a date planned." He shook his head of the assumption. "Who was the one who sent you here?"

FEMALE KID B: "It was the other Magic Knight that had dark blue colored hair."

GAUCHE: "Akira? Did that guy specialized in [Spatial Magic]?"

*(Author's Note: As everyone would know, Gauche wasn't paying any attention of the other wizards' magic. He only cared for himself and his sister so I gave him that idea that he was ignorant of Akira's power.)*

MALE KID C: "Asta protected us, but that monster's really strong!"

FEMALE KID C: "Yeah! And Akira said that if he had created a much bigger portal, that monster to come to us!"

MARIE: "It'll be okay! My brother's going to fight with them."

All the children expressed their delight with awe.

MALE KID D: "Just like Asta?"

FEMALE KID D: "So he must be really strong!"

MARIE: "Yeah!"

Gauche squatted down to his sister's height and placed his hand on her shoulder.

GAUCHE: "I'll go once the last kids comes out so Marie, make sure you stay hidden." He advised her.

MARIE: "Yup!" She nodded.

Gauche couldn't wait to the last children to pass through the portal so he rode onto his broomstick and flew inside.

GAUCHE: "I don't get what's so great about that scrimp, anyway?. Asta this, Asta that... The Captain and the other squad members wouldn't shut up about him, but he immediately got caught by that woman! Whatever. I'm sure he and that old hag gave up and ran away leaving the other alone. When you get down to it, people only care about themselves!"

Gauche expressed his jealously thoughts giving him the idea that the others inside would do the same things as the adults and others he had dealt with.

Gauche managed to arrive the battle zone just to see in awe that they hadn't escaped nor left his teammate behind.

Asta was defending continuously but his stamina was about to reach its limits. Akira was still trying to send the children away but it had made progress thanks for Asta's and Sister Theresa's interference.

ASTA: "Not yet... I'm not done yet!" He wheezed in exhaustion, holding his sword while staggering as his legs were burning in pain.

Gauche noted the determination Asta had put onto others than himself which brought him a new opinion on him. Though he would kill himself than telling him.

SALLY: "Jeez, you're so stubborn. Why don't you stop protecting them and let me catch you two already?"

AKIRA: "HUH?!" He snarled over his shoulder. "And leave these people suffer?"

ASTA: "Stop protecting them? We're Magic Knights!"

AKIRA & ASTA: "THERE'S NOT A CHANCE THAT WE'LL LET YOU DO IT! EVEN IF IT KILL US!"

Akira had sent the last child through the portal and summoned his Death God's Scythe on hand.

GAUCHE: "Are they... actually stupid?"

The mutated Baro pulled his punch onto the Magic Knights.

ASTA: "I'M NOT GOING TO DIE UNTIL I BECOME THE WIZARD KING!" He declared, jumping onto the air and cutting through the mud arm.

AKIRA: "ASTA! LOOK OUT!" Though he shouted at him, he held his scythe on his right hand and prepared his camera on his left hand.

Asta was about to be plundered by the left mud arm but Gauche had stepped in and kicked Asta aside.

GAUCHE: "You yelled something stupid like "I'm not going to die," and then you actually almost died." He commented while holding Asta with his kick.

ASTA: "Gauche-senpai! Why'd you run off like that?" He asked as forgetting being kicked on his back.

GAUCHE: "Shut up."

Gauche gave a final push on his kick and sending Asta onto the ground frontally with a thud.

GAUCHE: "I didn't run. I only helped Marie escape." He answered.

AKIRA: "You could had gave me a minute to open a damn portal and send her right at the entrance with the children, you know!"

GAUCHE: "As if I would know that you had [Spatial Magic] you shit-head!"

THERESA: "He finally came back, that fool."

GAUCHE: "I'LL DEAL WITH YOU MYSELF!" He declared as he flew toward Sally.

SALLY: "You joining in isn't going to help!" She had raised her new Salaman to fight against Gauche.

GAUCHE: "Whatever. I'm going to fight... for the sake of Marie's love! And so she'll say I'm cool! [Mirror Magic: Real Double]!" Various mirrors, the twice of the original, flew around the enemies. "[Mirror Magic: Double Refrain]!"

The double ray shot against the mirrors around them hitting perfectly on Baro but Sally had protected herself inside Salaman as it reflected the rays again.

ASTA: "Whoa, cool!"

AKIRA: "It's not enough!" He said as he took pictures of his scene.

Gauche then had realized that his attacks were doing nothing as Baro was regenerating his missing limbs back.

GAUCHE: "This monster... Magic keeps bubbling up from it, and it regenerates immediately."

Both Gauches managed to dodge the incoming attack.

SALLY: "It's no use!" She claimed cheerfully safe inside her gel salamander.

GAUCHE: "My magic isn't even touching that woman. I haven't been this incompatible with an opponent since the captain. Should I use my trump card?" His left eye throbbed at the mention of his 'trump card'. "No... No matter how strong my [Mirror Magic] becomes, it won't help."

Gauche got distracted enough that the enemy in front him pushed him back onto the ground, hitting the ground hard with Gauche's double disappearing.

AKIRA & ASTA: "Gauche-senpai!"

Asta started running as Baro's mud arm was about to get him killed. He jumped forcefully toward the arm and cut it to the ground.

ASTA: "I thought you came to help! What are you doing charging in all by yourself?!" He exclaimed.

AKIRA: "Even though you're the one who does it most of it..." He muttered under his nose.

ASTA: "We're supposed to be a team!"

Akira sighed before walking next to Asta with his scythe over his shoulder.

AKIRA: "You can't expect to do everyone alone when you have teammates, Gauche-senpai. We protect you, and you protect us!"

ASTA: "Yeah! Then we'll be able to fight forever!" He agreed giving Gauche a surprised expression. "An epic strategy, if I do say so myself!"

Akira chuckled giving him some credit for his unexpected side of him.

AKIRA: "For a dunce like you, you can think throughout."

ASTA: "HEY! THAT'S MEAN!"

GAUCHE: "Yeah. What kind of half-baked strategy is that?" He grinned. "This guy really is an idiot. Come to think of it, he was pretty half-baked, too."

Gauche recalled when he got caught before, he had managed to escape just to see his sister. He had encountered with Captain Yami in his escape and managed to convince Gauche to join his squad to support Marie.

Gauche snickered to himself for being so stubborn to join Yami and eventually listened to Yami's advice.

YAMI: "You just protect what you want to protect. Someday, that'll help somebody out."

Now at this right moment, Gauche was changing for worst to best.

GAUCHE: "Captain, did you know this would happen someday?"

Asta stood on his ground cutting the mud and Akira using his Corrosive Slash to maintain the distance. Sister Theresa had maintained her distance giving enough support for the Magic Knights.

GAUCHE: "I guess I don't have a choice." Everyone turned to look at him. "Marie will be sad if you all die. I'll protect you." He declared.

THERESA: "Did Gauche just..." She was surprised at the change of the sister complex punk.

AKIRA: "Yeah he did." He smirked, resting his scythe on his shoulder.

ASTA: "What are you acting all tough for? We're teammates! What else would we do?" He stated the obvious thing.

GAUCHE: "You stupid little brat! You need to learn how to talk to your seniors!" He complained truthfully. "And something's shining over there." He said, pointing at Asta's grimoire.

From Asta's grimoire, it emerged his second sword. Asta grabbed the handler and pulled it out. But the strangest thing it was that his second sword was brightening the cave in a light purple colored light.

ASTA: "Huh? This is..."

AKIRA: "Asta! That's the same effect as when we were in the dungeon!"

Asta looked back to the mutated kidnapper and swung his sword sending a light purpled compressed air blade.

ASTA: "THERE IT IS!"

The cut had made contact with Baro's mutated body but it wasn't enough.

ASTA: "Aw, man! Even that didn't work?"

AKIRA: "Asta! You have to be more quicker than his regenerative powers!" He advised.

SALLY: "Wait, what was that? A flying [Anti Magic] slash attack?" He said, interested at what she had witnessed. "How did you do it? How did you do it?"

Right... Akira had forgotten that Sally didn't know anything of Asta's power yet so it had peeked an interest on this attack.

GAUCHE: "Akira is right. It won't do anything just if we hit it with so many attacks at once that it doesn't have time to regenerate. The most effective strike was the slash Asta just hit it with, but he can't launch enough of them."

Then it revelation took his mind.

GAUCHE: "What would happen if I used my magic on someone else?"

Akira had noticed his moment where Gauche started to understand the meaning of teamwork and also the better use of his magic. He saw Gauche's grimoire started shining, creating a spell that was fundamentally similar, yet completely different, and engraved a new page in his grimoire.

GAUCHE: "But I won't be able to activate this spell with the magic I have now." He thought, making the preparation for his attack. He turned to Sister Theresa and Akira. "Hey, old hag! Akira! Buy me a little time! Please!"

His plead surprised Sister Theresa as if he had grown to a different person. Akira smirked at his change and nodded.

THERESA: "You need to learn how to treat old hags. I'll only last a minute, so make it fast!"

AKIRA: "I was waiting for you to ask that! Don't worry, Gauche-senpai! I'll make you time!" He stated before jumping to the action.

Akira and Sister Theresa attacked the mutated kidnapper leaving the sadist wizard terrorist waiting.

SALLY: "Leftover magic like that isn't going to work at all." She bluntly commented, not giving a fuck on Sister Theresa's attack.

AKIRA: "Say it what you like! I'm going wild! [Steel Magic: Staking Antennas]!"

Five steel plated poles stuck onto Baro's mutated body. Nothing had happened to which Sally sighed in disappointment.

SALLY: "You know, Akira, that you didn't do anything, right?" She shook her head in disappointment.

AKIRA: "That's because I haven't finished yet!" That got her attention. "[Lightning Magic: Pinpoint Thunder]!"

Akira had used two finger, the index and middle (like Azula from Avatar the Last Air-bender), to shoot the lightning straight to the steel poles. Sally had realized what he intended to do so she ordered her gel salamander to jump off Baro's body.

The lightning had struck on the poles giving the mutated Baro a shock of his life. (no pun intended)

Akira had stepped back next to his allies.

AKIRA: "Asta! Can you still use your ranged attacks?" He asked.

ASTA: "Yeah!" He nodded. "Though I don't know for how long I'll be able to use it, since that last time was barely with luck."

Gauche paused for a moment thinking if using his trump card was the best option. Nevertheless if he doesn't use it now, they'll lose.

GAUCHE: "I have no choice. I've been hiding this, but I'll have to use it now." He thought while stroking his fringe. "ASTA!"

ASTA: "Yes?" He wondered, turning around to look at his senior.

GAUCHE: "Look at me!" He commanded, raising his fringe to show him his small magical mirror.

Asta and Akira, though he knew completely of his left eye it was quite perturbing, were surprised at seeing his left eye. Not being an organic ocular but an inorganic magical mirror.

GAUCHE: "I'll use the magic accumulated in the mirror magic item in my left eye to activate the new spell." He commented, looking at Asta with his left eye. "[Mirror Magic: MIRAGE BRIGADE]!"

Many copies of Asta popped out his mirrors, giving Asta an entire army of him.

With Gauche's acknowledgement, Asta's second sword got his power-up and the Astas swung their swords toward Baro's mutated body.

ASTA: "[MIRROR SLASH]!"

All the Astas had shouted and slashed Baro beyond its regenerative abilities.

Even if it wasn't enough, the Astas continued their ways to cut through non-stop including Sally's gel salamander and, her inside, until both of them were completely defeated.

One by one, every Astas were puffing out leaving the original one standing victorious.

ASTA/AKIRA/GAUCHE: "ALL RIGHT!"

THERESA: "Wh-What a spell... It appears that he had all of his life force sucked out." She was surprised beyond of the normal limits, watching Baro's coat on the ground and Neige approaching it.

Neige held his brother's coat closely, sobbing in tear of losing his only brother because of the crazy woman.

NEIGE: "Baro-nii-chan, I won't forgive her for turning you into this monster. But the one I can't forgive most of all is myself for leaving everything to him and just doing what he said!" He proclaimed still in tears.

Now, Neige stood up looking at the Magic Knights standing in front of him.

NEIGE: "Just as you said, I haven't taken responsibility for anything. So I'm going to pay for both of our crimes."

ASTA: "Yeah. And when you're done with that, let's be buddies. You can use really cool magic, so you'd be really popular!" He said, trying to cheer him up which he took as a surprise.

AKIRA: "Yeah, I occur. Think if he uses him magic during blazing summers! He would make children play on his snow, make snowmen and play snow fights!" He added, smiling.

NEIGE: "Thank-" Before he finished speaking, he stumbled over Akira as something had pierced his back. Like a shard of light.

Akira grabbed Neige before he would have fallen down, watching in horror since it was so quick that even he couldn't have noticed it completely. As he grabbed Neige, a new attribute was added. [Snow Magic] attribute added.

It was the worst moment to add a new attribute as Akira's eyes shown how shocked he was even though he had read and watched countless times this scene.

AKIRA: "Hey, Neige! Hold yourself!" He shouted, watching at the wounded brother.

Asta was as just shocked as Akira. He had made a new friend and the next seconds he was wounded on his back.

Suddenly a brighter light engulfed the cave giving the Magic Knights the attention onto them.

ASTA: "That light..." He mumbled recalled he had seen the light when Julius had defeated and captured the Eye of the Midnight Sun members and then suddenly had vanished after a same light.

Gauche was more flabbergasted than everyone else. He was feeling how much of a difference in magic were they against.

GAUCHE: "What is this immense magic? I've never felt something this huge-" He was interrupted when the same light shard had pierced his right shoulder and leg. "I... I didn't... see a thing..."

THERESA: "Gauche!" She looked at the fallen Magic Knight as she couldn't understand what just happened. "A new enemy? Are they attacking everything in sight?"

Akira just saw the Asta was walking straight to them. What the hell was that idiot doing? Even if he had Neige on his arms, he wouldn't be able to reach him on time since those light shards were more faster than his eyes could follow. He raised his hand, praying that his [Dark Magic] could defend him at least but someone had beaten him.

Multiples light shards were coming straight to Asta. He had thought that he would be by now bleeding on the ground but nothing had happened. When he opened his eyes, his eyes had met the one who protected him. Sister Theresa.

AKIRA: "SISTER THERESA!"

GAUCHE: "Old hag!" He called her, coughing blood.

ASTA: "Granny!" He had ran as Sister Theresa fell back onto the ground wounded.

SMOOTH VOICE: "They hurt my comrade. They got what they deserved."

ASTA: "He's the one that appeared at the enemy's hideout."

LICHT: "I guess I haven't introduced myself yet. I am the leader of the Eye of the Midnight Sun... Licht."

He was a tall, slender man with white hair and gold eyes. He had red crescent tattoos with three buds framing the sides of his eyes, and two red dots above his eyes instead of eyebrows. His long hair was braided back into several long extensions with a Kippah covering the top of his head ending with a cross over his forehead with an eye etched into the center. He was also wearing jewelry, including looped earrings.

His attire consisted of dark- and light-colored robes layered over light-colored trousers, dark-colored boots, and a padded, light-colored shirt with a high collar. Tied around his waist are several belts with a long cord attached to one of them. The undershirt appears to have the same pattern as his Kippah. He wears a long, hooded white robe ending in black lines with sleeves extending past his hands, and a black shawl over his shoulders and upper chest, held by a long ornament.

AKIRA: "Tche, as if..." He mumbled, laying Neige down slowly. Knowing fully that his real name was Patolli or Patri.

ASTA: "No way..." He was shocked when he took a look at the clover leafs of his grimoire. There it was a 4-leaf clover. "A 4-leaf clover grimoire... Just like Yuno's and Akira's?"

TO BE CONTINUED

Alright! I made this chapter quite long so it was quite difficult to add some new things as readers would prefer... But I managed to finish it completely and the next chapter Akira would be able to copy his [Light Magic] or would he be in danger? Check it onto the next chapter!

Akira's Copied Magic Acquired:

[Chain Magic]: Lvl. 35

[Flame Magic]: Lvl. 35

[Water Magic]: Lvl. 35

[Wind Magic]: Lvl. 35

[Gold Magic]: Lvl. 20

[Bronze Magic]: Lvl. 20

[Spatial Magic]: Lvl. 20

[Transformation Magic]: Lvl. 15

[Ice Magic]: Lvl. 15

[Mist Magic]: Lvl. 15

[Dark Magic]: Lvl. 20

[Lightning Magic]: Lvl. 15

[Crystal Magic]: Lvl. 15

[Shadow Magic]: Lvl. 15

[Steel Magic]: Lvl. 15

[Plant Magic]: Lvl. 15

[Soul Corpse Magic]: Lvl. 1

[Tree Magic]: Lvl. 1

[Eye Magic]: Lvl. 1

[Mirror Magic]: Lvl. 1

[Mud Magic]: Lvl. 1 (New)

[Snow Magic]: Lvl. 1 (New)