The sky stretched wide and clear above the forest, and Asta cut through it at full speed, standing steady on the sword beneath his feet. The wind pressed against him as he moved forward, fast enough that the trees below blurred into streaks of green. It had taken time to get used to this—balancing, adjusting, learning how to move without losing control—but now his stance remained steady, each shift of his weight translating directly into motion as the blade carried him across the open sky.
A faint grin formed.
This wasn't practice anymore.
This was freedom.
He leaned slightly, and the sword surged forward, slicing through the air with a sharp hum. The forest spread endlessly beneath him, the height no longer unfamiliar, the motion no longer something he had to think about. It had become natural.
Then—
his gaze shifted.
Below, something moved.
Asta slowed slightly, his eyes narrowing as he focused downward. Through the trees, a massive shape pushed through the forest floor, each step heavy enough to shake the ground around it.
A bear.
But not a normal one.
Its body was massive, easily four times the size of a regular bear, its form covered in thick layers of hardened stone. Plates of earth wrapped around its limbs and torso, shifting slightly with its movement as if the ground itself clung to it. With each step, small rocks broke off and reformed, the magic around it constantly reinforcing its body.
A magical beast.
Asta's direction changed instantly.
The sword dipped.
He descended.
Fast.
The wind roared louder as he angled downward, his speed increasing as the distance closed rapidly. The bear lifted its head, sensing something above, its body tensing as the surrounding earth began to shift.
Just before reaching it—
Asta stepped off.
His body dropped.
The sword left beneath him for a split second before snapping back into his hand.
The moment his fingers closed around the hilt, the antimagic surged.
A thick black layer spread across the blade, extending outward, widening and sharpening along the edge as his intent locked in.
Asta descended straight toward it.
The bear roared, and the ground around it erupted. Massive chunks of rock rose instantly, forming a protective barrier around its body, layers of earth stacking over each other in defense.
Asta didn't slow.
He swung.
The blade met the rising stone—
and passed through.
Clean.
Effortless.
Like cutting through wet clay.
The extended edge sliced through the rock layers without resistance, the antimagic tearing through the structure as if it had no weight at all. The barrier split apart instantly, the pieces collapsing before they could fully form.
The strike continued.
The blade carved through the bear's reinforced body in a single motion, the black edge cutting across stone and flesh alike without stopping. The massive body froze for a fraction of a second before the force carried through.
Then—
it collapsed.
The ground shook as the beast fell, the stone covering its body breaking apart as the magic holding it together disappeared.
Silence returned.
Asta landed lightly beside it, the black layer on his sword fading as he lowered the blade. He glanced at the massive body once, then nodded slightly.
"…That's enough."
He grabbed the beast without hesitation, lifting it onto his shoulder as if it were nothing more than weight to carry. Despite its size—far beyond any normal animal—his grip remained steady, his stance unchanged.
The sword rose again.
Asta stepped onto it, adjusting the balance for the added weight, then pushed forward.
The blade lifted.
And he flew.
By the time he returned, the sun had begun to lower.
The church stood quiet as always, but the moment Asta descended, the doors opened.
Children rushed out first.
"Asta's back!"
"What is that?!"
Their voices filled the air instantly as they gathered around, eyes wide at the massive beast resting over his shoulder.
Nash stepped forward, staring up at it.
"…You hunted that?"
Asta smirked slightly.
"Yeah. Figured we should eat properly today."
The evening turned lively quickly.
The smell of cooked meat filled the air as everyone gathered together, voices overlapping, laughter replacing the usual quiet atmosphere. Plates were passed around, and for once, no one held back.
Sister Lily watched from the side, a soft smile on her face, while Father Orsi stood nearby, arms crossed, clearly satisfied.
"You've really grown… Asta… Yuno," Father said, his voice softer than usual, emotion slipping through despite him trying to keep it steady.
Asta glanced at him, while Yuno stood quietly beside him.
Father let out a small breath, shaking his head slightly with a faint, helpless smile.
"…Feels like just yesterday you were both running around this place, causing trouble and arguing over the smallest things."
His gaze lingered on them, pride and reluctance mixing together.
"And now you're both heading out… to become Magic Knights."
Asta scratched his cheek lightly, while Yuno remained silent as always.
Asta gave a faint smile, quieter than usual.
" We will be fine. Don't worry. "
Father nodded, even though his eyes said he wasn't ready to let them go.
Later, as the night settled and the noise softened, the mood shifted.
Everyone knew.
Tomorrow—
they would leave.
Nash stood in front of Asta, arms crossed, trying to keep a serious expression.
"…Don't die out there."
Asta laughed lightly.
"Not planning to."
Then his tone shifted slightly, more grounded.
"Take care of everyone here."
Nash didn't respond immediately.
Then he nodded.
"…Yeah."
Sister Lily stepped forward next.
"You've worked hard," she said softly. "Just… don't push yourself too far."
Asta scratched the back of his head slightly.
"I'll be fine."
The night passed quietly after that.
Morning came.
The sky was clear again.
Asta stood outside the church, a small pack slung over his shoulder with the few things he needed for the journey. The others gathered behind him, quieter this time, watching without the usual noise.
Yuno stood beside him, calm as always, his own things prepared, his grimoire secured at his side.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
Asta glanced back once, taking in the church, the people, the place he had grown up in.
Then he turned forward.
"…Let's go."
Yuno stepped ahead at the same time.
And together, they left.
They started walking.
Out of the village.
Behind them—
something moved.
A small bird perched on a distant branch, its dark feathers blending into the shadows. Its eyes followed Asta closely, unmoving, focused in a way that didn't belong to any normal creature.
As he and Yuno disappeared down the path—
It took flight silently, following them.