Next Morning...
Royal Palace...
The first rays of sunlight filtered through the grand windows of the royal office, painting the marble floor in golden hues.
Ben, now dressed in his usual regal-yet-comfortable attire, stood beside the window, looking thoughtfully at the distant horizon.
Today was a significant day—
Not just for Hage village, but for the Clover Kingdom.
"Harry,"
Ben said without turning,
"I'll be heading to Hage village. The grimoire ceremony is scheduled there today. I want to see it myself. It's the day... Asta and Yuno receive their grimoires."
Harry, who had just entered with a fresh scroll of updates, froze for a moment before placing the scroll on the desk.
"____"
"Your Majesty, I must object,"
He said sharply, brow furrowed.
"After what happened in the forest and with the devil's appearance, it's too risky to travel alone—even for a king."
Ben turned, arms crossed.
"It's a grimoire ceremony, Harry. A peaceful gathering of hopeful kids. I can handle myself."
"Forgive me, Your Majesty, but my mind won't change."
Harry said firmly.
"Two squads of Royal Knights will accompany you. No negotiation."
Ben let out a long sigh, rubbing the back of his neck.
Sigh~
"You're becoming more stubborn than Charlotte."
He muttered.
"Thank you, Your Majesty. I take that as a compliment."
Harry responded with a bow.
Seeing the unwavering look on his butler's face, Ben gave up the argument with a smirk.
Smirk~
"Fine. Two squads. But no carriage. I'm flying there."
Harry's eye twitched.
"...On your transformation board again, aren't you?"
Ben grinned.
Grin~
With a press of the Omnitrix, the dial rose and spun, green light pulsing as he locked in the transformation.
"Let's make an entrance."
FLASH!
He slammed the dial down.
A bright green flash exploded in the office.
When it faded, Jetray hovered above the ground, wings flared, eyes glowing.
"TIME TO STRETCH THESE WINGS!"
Jetray declared in a booming voice.
With a powerful flap, Jetray blasted out of the palace window, a shockwave rattling the curtains.
Moments later,
Two squads of Royal Knights on enchanted brooms rose swiftly behind him, flying in perfect formation like an elite escort unit.
From the streets below, citizens looked up, pointing and whispering as they saw their King's new form soaring across the sky like a guardian comet—
The protector of the Clover Kingdom is en route to a remote village.
The wind roared past as Jetray glided at high speed, weaving effortlessly through the clouds.
The landscape of the kingdom passed beneath him—
Lush fields, winding rivers, and small hamlets where villagers paused in awe as they spotted him in the sky.
Up ahead, nestled between gentle hills and dense woods, the modest Hage village came into view.
Hage Village...
The morning sun bathed Hage Village in a warm, golden light.
The birds chirped excitedly as if even they could sense the importance of this day.
At the centre of the village, the air buzzed with energy, voices, and laughter.
Villagers gathered in small clusters, chatting eagerly near the old Grimoire Tower, freshly polished and lined with banners.
"So today's the big day, huh? Yuno's finally getting his grimoire!"
"After what Ben achieved last year, it's clear Yuno's next. That boy's talented—he's the pride of Hage!"
Excitement practically shimmered in the air whenever Yuno's name was spoken.
He stood quietly near the tower entrance, arms folded, wearing the same composed expression as always.
His eyes, however, gleamed with sharp purpose.
Orphanage...
Back at the orphanage, the younger kids were practically bouncing with joy.
"Yuno's gonna become a Magic Knight!"
One boy chirped.
"He'll be the next Wizard King like Big Brother Ben!"
Another added, fists raised in admiration.
In a corner of the room, Asta grinned toothily, pumping iron with one hand while yelling.
Grin~
"I'll be the Wizard King first, you hear me?! I don't even need magic!"
The room fell silent.
"____"
"____"
"____"
The kids looked at him.
And then—
Burst into laughter.
"Asta… seriously?"
One girl giggled.
"Without magic? Don't joke!"
"Yuno's got real power. You just shout a lot."
Even Sister Lily smiled awkwardly, trying to encourage both without favouring either,
But everyone knew the truth.
To them,
Yuno was a talented man—elegant, powerful, destined for greatness.
And Asta was the loud, magicless fool, chasing an impossible dream.
Even the villagers muttered among themselves.
"Poor kid. Asta's full of spirit, but he's just not cut out for this world."
"Maybe he'll do better as a farmhand or a delivery boy."
"The boy's got heart… but heart doesn't give you magic."
Not everyone pitied him; others mocked him.
Though laughter and whispers surrounded him,
Asta stood tall outside the orphanage with a wide grin on his face,
His eyes were full of fire and conviction.
"Let them laugh… Today's the day I get my grimoire! Just watch!"
Behind him, a few older villagers rolled their eyes.
"Still running his mouth…"
"You'd think the boy would give up by now."
But Asta didn't flinch.
"____"
He clenched his fists—
Hands calloused, arms packed with muscle—
And felt the tension and discipline that came from years of gruelling, self-imposed training.
While Yuno had been gifted with immense magic power, Asta had pushed his body beyond its natural limits.
Every morning, every night, push-ups, squats, running with weights, climbing trees, hauling logs, shadow-fighting, sword training…
And it wasn't all his own invention.
From time to time,
They had received detailed training scrolls.
Sealed with the emblem of the Clover Kingdom, written in a precise and powerful hand.
Ben, their elder brother who had once stood where they stood, never forgot them—
Even after becoming King.
"These are brother's methods."
Asta once whispered reverently to Yuno, studying the scrolls by lantern light.
"If we follow them… We'll get stronger than anyone."
While Yuno honed his spells, his control, his precision—
Asta built a fortress of pure will and strength around his powerless self.
He could now break boulders, lift wagons, and sprint miles uphill without pause.
He had moulded his body into a weapon—
Waiting only for magic to awaken with his grimoire.
Even if no one believed in him,
Ben did—
In his own way.
And Asta believed in himself with the force of a hundred flames.
Back near the Grimoire Tower,
Yuno looked toward the horizon, sensing a surge of wind overhead.
A faint crimson streak shimmered across the sky—
The distant glint of Jetray, soaring unseen.
"He's watching from his palace."
Yuno murmured.
"He believes in us, too."
The stage was set.
One brother walked toward destiny with a magic in hand.
The other ran toward it with nothing but a dream… and fists and resolve strong enough to shake the world.
While Yuno stood deep in thought, his gaze fixed on the horizon as the day of the grimoire ceremony dawned,
A sudden crimson streak tore across the sky with a loud, high-pitched whistle.
It descended rapidly, crashing into the ground near him with a gust of wind and a small cloud of dust.
THUD.
"____"
Startled, Yuno instinctively became alert.
His eyes narrowed as he braced himself.
As the dust settled, a strange, sleek alien creature with membranous wings, glowing eyes, and vibrant red and yellow colouring stood proudly before him.
"JETRAY!"
The creature declared with a confident smirk, its voice echoing in a deep, reverberating tone.
"____"
Yuno's eyes widened, his magic flared preparing for an attack.
"Ben…?"
He muttered in surprise.
With a nod, Jetray pressed the glowing Omnitrix symbol on his chest.
Nod~
In a flash of green light, his alien form vanished, replaced by the calm, composed figure of Ben.
Ben gave him a warm smile.
"Long time, Yuno. Looks like today's a big day for you."
For a moment, Yuno's usual stoic expression cracked.
His eyes lit up, and a rare, genuine smile crossed his face, almost like an excited child seeing their hero.
"Ben! You came…"
"Of course,"
Ben replied, placing a hand on Yuno's shoulder.
"I wouldn't miss this day for anything."
After greeting Yuno warmly, Ben looked around and asked,
"Where's Asta?"
Yuno adjusted his collar slightly and replied,
"He's probably in the demon skull—doing exercises, as usual."
Ben smirked knowingly and gave a nod.
Nod~
"Figures."
Without wasting a moment, Ben turned and started heading in that direction.
Yuno, meanwhile, returned to the orphanage, eager to tell the others that Ben had returned.
Excitement buzzed in the air at the news.
Not long after, the two squads of Royal Knights—
Finally catching up after trailing far behind—
Arrived at the outskirts and followed Ben's direction toward the demon skull.
Though they travelled by broom, none of them could compare to the speed of Ben's transformation,
Even at what Jetray would call a "casual cruise."
Demon skull...
At the base of the ancient demon skull, Ben came upon a familiar sight.
Asta, drenched in sweat, shirtless, muscles taut, swinging the massive wooden sword that Ben had gifted him a year ago.
Each movement was precise, packed with strength and determination.
The boy's body had clearly undergone intense training, a testament to the sheer willpower he possessed in place of magic.
Ben folded his arms and watched for a few seconds with a proud grin.
Grin~
"____"
Just then, Asta noticed him.
"BEN!!"
He shouted with infectious joy, tossing the wooden sword aside and rushing forward.
Ben laughed as Asta nearly tackled him with a bone-crushing hug.
"Whoa! Still stronger than you look, huh?"
"You bet I am!"
Asta beamed.
"I've been training with that sword every day just like you told me!"
"Glad to see it,"
Ben said, ruffling his hair.
"Today's the big day. You ready?"
"You know it!"
After some brief catching up and encouragement,
Ben reminded Asta to get cleaned up and dressed for the grimoire ceremony.
With that, they both returned to the orphanage—
Asta was practically bouncing with excitement—
While the Royal Knights silently followed, keeping their watchful eyes on the surroundings.
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(Author's POV)
(A/N)Thanks for reading the chapter!
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