The Clover Kingdom was buzzing. The "Sosshi Incident" had sent ripples through the higher echelons of the Magic Knights. Reports of a "blindfolded boy" who dismantled an Iron Duchy operative with a single snap of his fingers reached the ears of the Wizard King himself. Julius Novachrono sat in his private study, a childish grin plastered on his face as he re-read the report."A six-leaf grimoire... and he broke the testing orb?" Julius chuckled, his eyes glowing with an insatiable curiosity. "I'll have to see this for myself. But first, let's see how he handles a real relic of the past."A week later, the mission arrived: Dungeon Exploration.Dungeons were dangerous remnants of ancient civilizations, filled with traps and powerful magic items. Because this one had appeared on the border of the Diamond Kingdom, it was a race against time."Alright, listen up!" Yami grunted, tossing a scroll at me. "Luck, Asta, Noelle—you're heading to the dungeon. And take the blindfold with you. If he's as strong as the reports say, he can make sure you don't all die in a hole." "WE'RE ON IT, CAPTAIN!" Asta roared."Hmph. If I must," Noelle added, though she was carefully avoiding eye contact with me. Every time our eyes met—or rather, every time she looked at my blindfold—her mana flared into a frantic, watery mist.The entrance to the dungeon was a jagged maw in a cliffside, radiating a cold, ancient pressure. But as we arrived, another group was already there.Clad in pristine white and gold robes, the Golden Dawn stood waiting. In the center was Yuno, his four-leaf grimoire floating beside him, looking more like a prince than an orphan from Hage. "Yuno!" Asta yelled, charging forward."Asta," Yuno replied calmly, but his eyes immediately shifted to me. A small, rare smile touched his lips. "And Gojo. It's been a while since Hage." The other Golden Dawn members, Klaus Lunettes and Mimosa Vermillion, froze. Klausadjusted his glasses, his face twisting in confusion. "Wait... Yuno, you know these... these Black Bulls? And who is this one with the blindfold? He has no mana signature at all!""He's my brother," Yuno said, his voice carrying a weight that silenced Klaus. "And if you're judging him by his mana signature, you've already lost the fight.""Brother?!" Klaus sputtered. "A peasant orphan is related to—""Enough," I said, stepping forward. I tilted my head, the Rikugan seeing through the dungeon walls. Deep inside, two powerful signatures were waiting: one was a mist of smoke, and the other was a cold, jagged mountain of crystal. "We aren't here to talk about the family tree. The Diamond Kingdom is already inside."We split up to cover more ground. I followed Asta and Noelle, while Luck, true to his nature, had already vanished into the darkness to find the "strongest" opponent. As we reached the inner chambers, the air grew heavy with smoke. Lotus Whomalt, a veteran mage of the Diamond Kingdom, was already weaving his trap."Oh? More Clover brats?" Lotus chuckled from the shadows, his smoke magic filling the corridor. "You look like a tasty bunch of snacks.""Asta, Noelle, stay back," I said.I didn't draw the Tang Dao. I simply raised my hand.[Primordial Art: Blue—Lapse.]A point of infinite attraction formed in the center of the smoke. In a second, the "inescapable" mist was sucked into a single, marble-sized sphere. Lotus was left standing in the open, his mouth hanging open as his entire spell was literally erased from existence."What... what kind of magic is that?!" Lotusstammered, his veteran instincts screaming at him to run."The kind that doesn't like being crowded," I said. I appeared behind him in a blur. I didn't hit him; I just placed a finger on the back of his neck. "Go home, Lotus. Tell your masters that Timeline-099 is closed for business."A tiny jolt of Lightning Magic knocked him unconscious before he could even blink.We reached the central treasury just in time to see Yuno, Klaus, and Mimosa pinned against the wall by a massive, crystalline giant. Mars, the Diamond Kingdom's secret weapon, stood in the center, his eyes vacant and cold. His dual-mana affinity (Crystal and Fire) made him a walking fortress. "You... move," Mars droned, raising a massive crystal sword.Yuno was struggling, his wind magic being crushed by the sheer density of the crystals. "Gojo... stay back... he's different...""He's a puppet," I said, walking past the Golden Dawn. I looked at Mars, my Rikugan seeing the "Mage Stones" embedded in his body and the tragic, broken soul beneath the armor.Mars roared, swinging the sword. It was a strike that could have leveled a building.I didn't dodge. I raised one hand, palm open.CLANG.The massive crystal blade hit the "Neutral Infinity" an inch from my palm. The sound of the impact echoed through the treasury like a funeral bell. The crystal didn't just stop; it shattered upon contact with the infinite space between us."Impossible!" Klaus yelled. "He stopped a Diamond General's strike with a bare hand?!""Mars," I said, my voice echoing with a divine authority. "Your past is a prison, but your future doesn't have to be."I opened my Six-Leaf Grimoire. The infinite pages turned at a speed that blurred the air. I didn't use a destructive spell. I used a sub-branch of Light Magic.[Sacred Art: Soul's Reflection.]A beam of pure, gentle white light hit Mars. It didn't burn him; it bypassed his armor and touched the "Mage Stones" directly, neutralizing the brainwashing and the artificial mana-boost.Mars froze. The vacant look in his eyes dissolved, replaced by a sudden, overwhelming flood of memories. He fell to his knees, the crystal armor crumbling away like sand."Fana...?" he whispered, his voice trembling.The dungeon began to collapse—a fail-safe triggered by the Diamond Kingdom. Huge blocks of stone fell from the ceiling."Gojo! We have to go!" Asta yelled, grabbing a new, rusted sword he'd found in the treasury."Go," I said. I raised both hands, and a massive Space-Magic portal opened beneath everyone—Bulls and Dawn alike. "I'll see you at the exit."A week later, we were back at the Capital. We had been summoned by the Wizard King himself for a debriefing.As we walked through the halls of the Magic Knight Headquarters, we ran into Yuno and the Golden Dawn again. Noelle was walking beside me, her face flushed red as she tried to "casually" fix her hair."You know," Noelle huffed, looking away. "Just because you saved everyone doesn't mean you're special, you stupid commoner! I could have... I could have used my Sea Dragon's Cradle if you hadn't interfered!""I know, Noelle," I smiled, reaching out and patting her head. "You're getting stronger every day. I just wanted to finish early so we could go get those pastries you like.""I-I don't like pastries! ...But I suppose I could go. For the team's sake!"Yuno walked up to us, his four-leaf grimoire pulsing. He looked at me, then at Asta. "The Wizard King wants to see the three of us. He knows, Gojo. He knows you aren't a 'failure.'""Let him know," I said, sliding my hands into my pockets. "The war is coming anyway. We might as well have the strongest man in the kingdom on our side."We entered the throne room, where Julius Novachrono stood waiting. He wasn't looking at the gold or the statues. He was looking directly at me, his eyes wide with a terrifying, childish delight."Satoru Gojo," Julius said, his voice echoing. "Would you mind if I took a look at that sixth leaf? I've been waiting five hundred years to see a God walk into my office."The Three Brothers stood together—the Wind Prodigy, the Anti-Magic Demon, and the Six-Leaf King. The "Cold War" of the Hundred Kingdoms was over. The era of the Black Bulls had truly begun.
