04x04 - The Beginning of Hope and Despair

[bunniefuu]

I need to get through this strong magic region before my mana runs out.

Back off!

I can't die in a place like this!

Not until I tell him.

The Beginning of Hope and Despair

The giant mobile fortress, Candelo,

created to cross the strong magic region...

Isn't it just the best?

But this low-stage trash sure does run out of mana fast.

We just need half of them to survive until we get out of the strong magic region.

There is mana within life energy.

Get every last drop of mana from them, even if it's from a child.

Thank you for responding to the sudden summons.

There's no need for formality, Loropechika.

Finnes_CalmreichNoelle Silva

More importantly, the Spade Kingdom's army is drawing nearer, isn't it?

Yes. They will soon reach our kingdom's borders.

Within the last six months, the Spade Kingdom has

basically taken over the Diamond Kingdom,

and is now advancing toward the Clover Kingdom and the Heart Kingdom.

Leopold Vermillion

We were also preparing for an att*ck,

but it seems they've gotten ahead of us.

Luck Voltia

I'm ready to fight whenever.

Yes. I'd like all of you to intercept them,

but the Spade Kingdom's forces are currently in the strong magic region.

Finral Roulacase

I guess timing will be really important.

They might be easier to fight if we draw them closer to us.

If they're going through the strong magic region,

they should be weakened by the time they reach the border.

Mimosa Vermillion

That will be the moment to strike.

Actually, it's rather likely their forces will not be weakened.

They are heading here in a mobile fortress.

A mobile fortress?

They use those in their kingdom who are at a lower stage in a vile fashion...

as energy to move this fortress.

Hey!

We're still in the middle of our strategy meeting.

What shall we do? Should we bring him back for the time being?

No. Let us have him break through the front lines.

I'm quite certain that he will not be defeated easily.

The ones who see results from this training

should only be those loved by mana and those in the higher stages

who can use the techniques.

But to think he, someone with no magic,

would get so much stronger after training with us.

The fact that he's at the arcane stage was surprising,

but even more surprising was his hard work, gutsiness,

and strength to never give up.

And done.

All right, so who's next?

Make sure you carry the fallen to the back.

P-Please! She's still small and barely has any mana!

Please have mercy!

Oh?

You have some nerve, trying to talk to us.

You're nothing but low-stage scum.

You low-stage trash who can barely manage att*ck magic can only be useful

by contributing your measly mana to move this fortress!

If you don't wanna get hurt, don't get any funny ideas.

You guys are blessed, really.

You won't be k*lled until all your mana's gone.

All right.

You get to play a special little role.

N-No!

Sis!

Someone as low-class as you will actually be of use to me. You should be honored!

Huh?

Man... what's with this crazy weather?

Well, that's a strong magic region for you.

Guess I don't have full control over it yet. Damn!

Demon-Slayer!

All right!

That robe... You must be a Magic Knight from the Clover Kingdom.

What are you doing here?

What's with this guy? He doesn't have any mana at all!

Hey, come on, now!

He came here by himself? What an idiot.

I don't know why you showed up, but you're just wasting your time!

I'll finish you off in an instant!

You piece of trash!

Wha—

Wasting time? That's my line.

I don't know how many of you there are, but I'll take care of you in an instant.

So all of you can come at me at once!

You brat!

Who do you think you are?

I'm one of the Clover Kingdom's Magic Knights, Asta of the Black Bulls!

I won't harm any of you!

Don't worry! You're safe now!

We're only being left alive... so that our mana can keep this fortress moving.

Her heart is... frightened?

We can never leave this place.

Even if we were to be freed, we couldn't escape this strong magic region.

Why did this happen? We don't want this w*r.

Who's the one making these people suffer like this?

The captain in charge of this fortress has an eerie magic.

He has some otherworldly, frightful power.

All right.

In that case, I'm gonna go b*at down all the bad guys here.

What?! But that's impossible!

There are still so many soldiers, and...

Don't worry!

Are you the intruder?!

You won't get away!

Demon-Dweller!

Black Slash!

So you're up there, huh?

What the?!

Why, you—

Die!

Take this!

Who the hell are you?!

Hup!

You must be here.

Well, you sure made a mess of things.

It appears you also have the power of a devil.

How can you do something so awful to your own people?

My people? Something awful?

They're merely sacrificing themselves so that the Spade Kingdom can prosper.

I don't know of anything more honorable that the lower-stage filth could do.

Your people aren't filth!

M-My body—

I don't know how trash like you who doesn't have any mana

managed to get your hands on the devil's power.

But you're powerless against things you can't evade.

You're no match for someone at a higher stage, like myself.

Poison Creation Magic: Basilisk's Breath.

In the end, you're absolutely worthless. You won't even serve as food for him.

Demon-Destroyer!

What?

He erased... the poison?

How could scum like you have such a power?

You may have the devil's power,

but it looks like you've only got a tiny piece of it.

Sacrificing the citizens for the prosperity of your kingdom, my ass!

If you want to fight so badly,

I'll crush all of you!

He definitely made a mess again... That Stupidsta.

What?

How did he...

Impossible!

I b*at the strongest guy, as well as everyone else!

You don't have to worry anymore!

Hey, it's Noelle and the others! Her water armor's always super cool!

And now she can use the traveling water bubble at the same time!

Man, she's really grown—

Huh?

Hmph! Just so you know,

controlling a transport spell while going through a strong magic region is super hard!

Yes, we know, Noelle.

We made it safely, so you did wonderfully.

Excellent work.

Hey, who do you think you're talking to, Mimosa?

I'm royalty.

I am, too...

Hey, Stupidsta. What's the big idea of leaving me behind like that?

He's just being his usual self.

Take me with you, for crying out loud.

I almost d*ed from the excitement of being stuck with Noelle and Mimosa.

Wait, that's nonsense! I wasn't excited at all!

I only get excited over Miss Finnes now—

Are you all right, miss?! Who could have done something so awful?!

Allow me to gently take care of—

No, I can't! Not with anyone other than Miss Finnes!

Sis, that guy is really weird.

You're so awesome, Finral! You've grown so much!

Thanks, Asta.

There's nothing awesome about this. Are you stupid?

I still have a hard time believing Finral has a fiancée.

Are you sure you didn't just imagine her?

Noelle, she's totally real!

What's going on?

Plant Recovery Magic: Princess-Healing Flower Paradise.

I cannot recover your mana, but I can recover your stamina.

Mimosa's magic totally powered up, too!

Way to go!

Thank you very much, Asta.

Wow.

But...

The place where you live was taken over, too, right?

Yes.

Our town...

One night, without warning, that army suddenly showed up.

Anyone who defied them was k*lled on the spot.

If we go back there, we'll probably be ex*cuted for escaping.

You don't need to worry about that.

Huh?

Luck and Leopold are heading over there.

Honestly, Stupidsta! Who does he think he is?

We shall follow Asta's lead!

It's no fun leaving it all to Asta.

Come to think of it, I never see her in formal attire anymore...

No! I have a separate mission for you, Leopold and Luck!

Huh?

This is the perfect opportunity.

Let's take over the Spade Kingdom's outlying base!

What?!

Noelle, Mimosa, and Finral, please go back Asta up.

U-Um... Do we really want to split up our forces like that?

It'll be all right.

I'm sure all of you will be fine now.

,Man, I'm bored. Why do we have to waste our time watching over this dumb village?

Hey! Don't let the captain hear you!

An intruder!

Why, you—

You're mine!

Is this really...

all you guys have got?!

I was told everyone here was stage two or lower.

Which means it doesn't matter how many there are. They're no match for us!

Flame Magic: Profound Spiral Flames!

Huh? Did we b*at all of them already?

Yes! There's no more left for you!

Boo.

We're all done over here.

That was so fast!

Asta! You don't get to have all the fun!

Leo! Man, you sure did grow up!

I am Fuegoleon and Mereoleona's little brother.

Of course I've grown!

I'm so jealous!

I've marked this place, so I'm gonna head out. I'll come back for you guys later.

Thanks, Finral!

Looks like everything went well.

We've received word that they were able to take over the base successfully.

I had confidence that they were up to the task,

but they far exceeded my expectations.

Yes. But...

Yes.

The real battle has yet to begin.

Our town...

Are the soldiers gone?

We can go home?

Really?

What do you intend to do to our town?

Huh? What do we intend to do to it?

I mean, the ones who just took it over...

Your friends are from the Clover Kingdom, right?

We can't survive unless we obey the strong.

Isn't that right?

What are we going to do? I mean, it's your town, isn't it?

We're not gonna do anything to it!

Huh?

Finral's gonna take all of you guys back there with his magic!

Just hang tight!

Really?

They won't take our mana from us?

We really get to go back home?

That's great!

Thank you so much!

Thanks, mister!

We just want to defeat the devil that's in the Spade Kingdom!

The devil?

C-Currently, the Spade Kingdom

is ruled by sinister mages known as the Dark Triad,

along with the Dark Disciples, whom they've bestowed powers upon to help them rule.

They are all incredibly powerful.

I heard that the Dark Triad are as fearsome as devils themselves.

The Dark Triad...

It appears as though you've grown quite accustomed to using the devil's power, Zenon.

Yes... For the most part.

We've received reports that Candelo,

the fortress we sent toward the Heart Kingdom, and our base on the border have fallen.

Just leave them be.

We need to give our soldiers something to do, or they'll get bored.

Hey, Big Bro Dante! Why does Zenon get all the fun?

You let him go to the Diamond Kingdom all by himself, too!

I was more suited for that mission.

What? But you only used about % of your powers back there!

I can do about that much too, you know.

Aw... I wanna do something big, too!

You've grown much yourself, Vanica.

Right?! So come on!

Yes, you're right. It's about time we make our move.

Yay! I'll finally be able to eat

that delicious treat I've been saving.

Why did we wait half a year?

All so we could prepare for the time to come.

It'd be no fun if the game ended instantly.

We're going to wipe everything from this world.

All order, everything people have done, the blessings of nature...

We're going to make it all meaningless.

The keys we need to open the door are within our reach.

The two arcane-stage mages...

They cannot escape.

All life is within the palms of our hands.

Asta's working hard even in other kingdoms.

But...

He wrote, "I think the big battle's going to start soon."

Oh, dear. It's getting cloudy.

O-Oh, no!

Lord Yuno...


Petit Clover!

Comparing Heights

Comparing Heights.

Behold, Asta! See how much I've grown!

Well, I mean, I've grown, too, maybe, I think, somewhat!

If you look closer, I think you'll see we're about the same height!

Don't be foolish! Then let us compare our heights!

See? I told you!

Asta's in trouble!

I must help him!

See? We are about the same!

But that's impossible!

Good for you, Asta.

While I'm at it, I'll just let you win.

How do you like that, Leo! I'm taller than you?!

Uh, even I would notice this.

Leo! Who said you could grow without me?!

Well, it has been six months.

I've also grown these six... Hey! Just where are you looking?!

What?!