After a full week of searching, Alucard found nothing and was finally recalled back to the Capitol. He gladly raced through the skies towards home as he expanded his senses as far as he could. Humans and mana-sensitive creatures alike looked to the sky as they felt the waves of mana pouring off him.
As he got closer and closer, he suddenly felt a large wave of mana slam into him. He frowned and moved to investigate, rapidly approaching a village when he realized the mana was coming from under him.
He stopped, watching the mountain tremble from the battle inside as he shrugged. "Earth Magic: Rumbling Earth." The mountain started shaking violently, a large crack splitting open as he flew down, already casting more spells.
Down below, Licht frowns as he feels the earth above them tremble. His frown deepens as a crack in the ceiling spits out someone he'd rather not fight just yet. "Oh, can I experiment on him?!" Sally asks as Valtos tenses, already knowing a harsh battle is ahead.
Asta is more than happy to see Alucard, who descends wretched in flames. "Alucard! That guy is the leader of the Eye of the Midnight Sun!" He yells as they are suddenly yanked aside as swords of light slam into their previous positions. "I have heard much about you."
Licht has Sally sent away as Valtos warns the Third Eye. Alucard silently casts a healing spell for the others as he stares at him. Taking his silence as fear, Licht starts talking, buying time for reinforcements.
"People like you, with too much mana and power, are the reason the Clover Kingdom is such a waste. After we've killed all of you, the people of this realm will finally-"
"Shut up."
Licht falters; normally, the Magic Knights at least give their enemies time to speak, but not this one.
"Pardon?" He asks as he realizes Alucard's mana is almost stronger than his own.
Alucard doesn't respond; he lets his spells do the talking as spells of elements streak towards Licht. Valtos returns in time to deflect them as Alucard rushes them. Asta and Gauche keep Valtos busy as Licht is immediately pushed back.
Alucard casts several silent spells as Licht keeps him at bay with whips formed of light. "How does it feel knowing you've only gotten this far because of your father?" He baits as Alucard smashes a light sword to pieces.
"How does it feel, perpetuating a cycle of oppression that keeps normal people from being happy? Letting the Nobles flaunt their wealth and power while many struggle to feed their families?"
Alucard doesn't answer as Licht scores a few hits with his whip, only for them to close as he casts a healing spell. "Fire Creation Magic: Healing Flame." He says calmly as another set of water lances pushes Licht back.
Sending another trio of lances to keep him busy, Alucard casts another spell. "Earth Creation Magic:Nemean Lion." The beast roars and charges in as Licht takes to the air. He tries shredding the beast, but its hide is too strong to be destroyed swiftly as Alucard reaches out with flaming claws.
Valtos moves him out of the way in time as he claws empty space. Sending the lion after the Space user, Alucard finally speaks as he stares Licht down. "How does it feel to be a pawn in a game you don't know about?" Licht freezes, then glares at him as he finally picks up the pace.
The others are forced back as Licht and Alucard start shredding the ground around them, and even the ceiling of the cavern starts taking a beating as another pair joins the battle.
"Captain Yami!" Asta shouts as Valtos sends the lion to the other side of the cavern. "Hey, kid, who's up there. Never mind." Yami is about to ask who is fighting when Alucard crashes next to him, injured.
"You good kid?" He asks as Alucard stands, and tears the light dagger out of his side. "I'll live." He says as he heals himself, and Yami finally sees his attacker. "You seriously let these fancy pants hit you?" He laughs as he strikes down several attacks.
Yami and Licht trade several verbal barbs as Alucard heals his wound with Light Magic. 'I hate it, but it's the best way. For the future.' He thinks as Valtos sends Gauche away and focuses on Asta.
Yami and Licht finally start fighting, as Alucard gets up and joins the fight. "Lightning Magic: Speed demon. Earth Creation Magic: Full defense. Flame Creation Magic: Flaming claws." Laying these spells, he uses Gravity Magic to increase his speed even more as he kicks Licht to the side.
"Hey, I almost had him!" Yami complains as he slashes with his Dark Magic. Alucard ignores him as he starts yelling at Asta to surpass his limits, teaching him Ki on the fly as Licht picks himself up.
"Just like your father," He spat blood as the mana around him became agitated, "Too strong for your own good, and in the way of too many plans. Your death will strike a blow deep into the Wizard King's heart, right before I kill him."
Alucard was as impassive as a wall as he hung back, casting spells. Now injured, Licht healed himself quickly before forming a whip and slicing through water and wind spells. He opted to dodge Earth spells since they took too long to destroy, which would give Alucard an opening.
Unfortunately, he forgot about the other opponent he had, which Yami quickly corrected. Licht nearly lost his head if not for Valtos' timely rescue as he felt blood run down his chest from the wound.
"Bring them in." He told Valtos, who nodded and teleported away, as Asta ran over to them. Licht made up his mind as he soared as high into the cavern as he could. "You three present the biggest threat to our plans for the Clover Kingdom, and will not be eradicated for it. Light Magic: Light Shaft of Divine Punishment!"
Already feeling the mana beforehand, Alucard and Yami created a defense dome as he piled on more and more spells and mana. "Got any last words, kid?" Yami asked Asta, who looked mortified as he watched Alucard rapidly cast more spells.
A piercing light then blinded them all as Licht unleashed his spell. Alucard could feel the beam of light inch closer and was ready to unleash everything, even if he broke his cover when Gauche finally returned. "Mirror Magic: Full Reflection!"
They emerged from the barrier to find utter devastation. A massive gaping wound had been torn into the mountain, exposing the outside world as Gauche fell to one knee, his mana exhausted. "That's how you surpass your limits!" Yami grinned as Alucard walked over to Licht, lying in the rubble.
The pale man glared up at him, glancing at Gauche, his eyes softened for a moment before returning to glare at him. He silently created a sword with his Weapon Creation Magic, ready to end the fight when Valtos returned.
Alucard teleported back to Yami, lashing out with his leg and kicking away the man who tried touching his grimoire. Yami wasn't as lucky as three new foes entered the battlefield.
"I'd like you to meet the Third Eye, the only one stronger than me." Licht gloated as he introduced them while being healed. "Fana the Hateful, Rhya the Disloyal, and Vetto the Despair!" Alucard kept his eyes on the one named Rhya, viewing him as the most dangerous, as the battle started again.
Fana and Valtos went after Asta, Finral, and Gauche. Vetto clashed violently with Yami as the final two tried to corner Alucard. Again, Licht tried to worm his way into his mind, which Alucard fixed by casting a real spell.
"Flame Magic: Flaming God of Death!" The dragon's roar shook the air as it drew attention from Vetto and Fana. Now free, Yami beelined it for Licht as Rhya crossed blades with Alucard.
"Ya know," He grunted as he parried another hit as his arm trembled, "I didn't think the Wizard King would have any kids. I guess any woman would spread her legs for him, though, right?" Alucard didn't even react as Rhya swore.
Though he had both Licht and Yami's magic currently, that only put him on equal footing with this monster in human skin. Each spell he cast had an instant counter as he tried to get his hands on Alucard's grimoire.
This proved futile as he kept his grimoire tucked in his robes, as he refused to give him a chance, yet was still able to dominate the battle as Vetto and Fana started losing ground to the flaming dragon.
Licht and the Third Eye then frowned as more mana signatures got closer, as a trio of Magic Knight Captains appeared. "Almost missed the party, good thing we got here in time!" Jack grinned as he eyed Yami before settling on Vetto.
Seeing they were outnumbered and very outgunned, they regrouped on Licht as Valtos opened a portal for them. "You may have won this battle, Magic Knights, but you will not win the war," Licht said ominously as they fled the collapsing cavern.
After being dragged around giving his side of the story for another couple of hours, Alucard was very irate and decided to just teleport straight to his room as he collapsed into bed. He gave Mimosa a good scare as she nearly fell out of the desk chair.
"Are you ok!" She ran over, seeing her fiancé appear in bed, clearly coming from a battle as she tore his robes off and searched him for injuries. Seeing the usual scars, she was ready to give up when she noticed a new one on his side. She was about to tear the rest of his clothes off to search for more when Alucard firmly grabbed her hands.
"I'm ok. Just tired." He said as she calmed down, embracing him. "At least give me a warning next time." She mumbled into his shirt as he stroked her hair, making a flaming brush at as low a temperature as he could as he brushed her hair.
Mimosa practically melted in his arms as the heated brush hit her scalp. "W-where did you learn that?" She purred as he dispelled the brush to her displeasure. "Cat told me about it, says it calms her down."
She nodded in agreement as he lifted her up and sat her on the bed, while he removed his dirty garments. She watched him change in silence, marvelling at how streamlined his muscles were compared to how beefed up Asta was, not that Noelle complained very much.
"Where did you get that scar?" She demanded when her mind finally returned. He explained his run-in with Licht, fighting alongside Asta and Yami, as well as the Third Eye's arrival, followed by the other Captains.
By the end of his story, Mimosa has finally dragged him to bed as she holds him close. They lay there in comfortable silence for a while before he finally speaks, "How has your week been?" Mimosa is surprised that he's asking her, but gladly tells him.
Seeing her smile as she recounts her escapades during the past week, Alucard steels his resolve as he slowly falls asleep next to her. Seeing him doze off, Mimosa pouts before smiling, glad her normally closed off Fiance trusts her enough to sleep unguarded as she plants a chaste kiss on his cheek, and drifts off to sleep as well.