Chapter 1.1: The Decision

Moments after his flawless victory against Bruno, Draku then went to the sidelines while he was getting praised by his fellow examinees, who are all mostly peasants.

"Congratulations!", a guy spoke.

"You're really powerful for a peasant, y'know?", another guy spoke.

"After that match of yours, we peasants have been motivated because of you!", a girl spoke.

"Hahaha. Thank you for your praises and compliments but please, just stop it, you're embarrassing me.", Draku responds to them with a smile.

"Oh! What a humble guy!", the guy spoke again.

"We really need to look up to him!", the girl spoke again.

"Just leave me alone for crying out loud.", Draku thought while trying his best to keep his smile.

Suddenly, Draku then heard familiar ear-deafening voice and as looked in front of his direction, he then sees Asta, whose eyes are sparkling and seemed to be estatic when their eyes met.

"Man, you're super cool!", Asta spoke.

"Thank you for that. By the way, you're Asta, right?", Draku asked.

"Oh, yes!", Asta replied.

"Yuno told me about you.", Draku spoke.

"Yuno? Wait, you two knew each other?!", Asta asked.

"Yep. We became acquaintances earlier when we're flying in the air together during the first test.", Draku spoke.

"That's cool!", Asta responded and suddenly began stretching his face and continued, "Damn it! I wish I could fly that broken broom of mine so that I could be with you both in the ai-", Asta was then cut off by his fellow examinees and began mocking him.

"You? Catching up with this guy and that 4-leaf guy? In your dreams!", the guy laughed.

"He's right. A magicless guy like you can't catch up with the both of them!", the girl spoke.

"You want to become the Wizard King? Heh! Stop your delusions right here, right now! It's clearly impossible for a magicless shrimp with an ear-destroying voice like you to possibly do it! But here, this very man, can!", he points at Draku, who is currently containing himself from releasing his anger towards the three examinees.

"You three. You want me beat the shit out of you like I did to that arrogant noble earlier? If you understand what I'm saying, then get the hell out of my sight.", Draku intensely spoke.

"SORRY!", they apologized in unison.

The three then quickly ran away with fear, as they realized they angered their idol. Eventually, Draku is now finally free from his annoying examinees.

"I really meant to beat them up though, glad they ran away.", he thought. "I'm sorry about that, Asta." Draku apologized.

"That was just nothing to me, but thank you for the concern!", Asta smiled.

"Really? You're not angry about that?", Draku asked in a concerning tone.

"Yep. A lot of people have already mocked me and humiliated me with their words just like what they've said to me right now because I'm somehow magicless. But, as time passes by, I was able to master ignoring it and focused myself in becoming the strongest mage in Clover Kingdom. And then, become the next Wizard King! Eveyone told me to give up, but I won't! That's because, MY MAGIC IS NOT GIVING UP!", Asta passionately spoke, which moved Draku and made him smile, even almost gave him a tear after hearing that great statement of his.

"You're a great guy, Asta. A really great one.", Draku smilingly spoke.

"Oh. Hehehe! Thank you, Draku!", Asta passionately thanked him.

"By the way, why do you want to become the Wizard King?", Draku asked.

"TO MARRY SISTER LILY!", Asta spoke with passion.

"...what?!", Draku responded with confusion and continued, "You mean, you want to marry a literal nun?"

"YES!!", Asta replied.

"The guy earlier is right, he really is delusional.", Draku thought and remembers something.

"Right... Anyways, I wanted to ask you something since you defeated that "BA-HA" guy easily.", Draku asked.

"Uhh...what is it?", Asta replied.

"What kind of magic do you possess?", Draku asked.

"NOT GIVING UP!!", Asta passionately spoke.

"I mean your "literal"" magic, Asta.", Draku asked and is slightly stressed.

"Oh...uhh...hmmm...I really don't know but, IT GIVES ME THIS HUGE BLACK SWORD THAT I CALLED 'DEMON SLAYER'!", Asta passionately brought out his big black sword from his grimoire, which Draku noticed the 5-leaf clover in his grimoire.

"5-leaf? I never heard someone has this many in his/her grimoire before.", Draku thought and asked, "Can I borrow your grimoire for a moment, Asta?"

"Sure!", he then hands his grimoire to Draku, who then holds his grimoire and was fascinated how dirty it is.

"Hmmm. Is this grimoire even qualified to be a grim-", Draku spoke and then got interrupted by something after he felt a chilling and shivering feel, and gave him goosebumps when he gazed at it.

"What the hell was that? It's like... someone was gazing through this grimoire, and I felt it's rage and darkness. Don't tell me...that this grimoire is possessed? Or maybe it's my imagination? But seriously, where in the world did you get this grimoire, Asta?", Draku nervously thought.

"Hmmm? Is everything alright, Draku?", Asta curiously sees Draku sweating profusely.

"IT'S LEGIT! Oh. What I meant is that this grimoire of yours is uhm...special, in it's way.", Draku spoke with a fake smile with slight nervousness in his tone.

"I knew it! I knew that my grimoire is special!", Asta happily stated.

""Anyways, how about your sword, can I hold it too?", Draku asked.

"Absolutely!", Asta then hands his huge black sword with just a hand and when Draku recieves it, he instantly drops it to the ground, as he thought that it's lightweight, since he saw Asta literally holding it with only a hand.

"THIS SWORD IS ABSURDLY HEAVIER THAN I EXPECTED!", Draku shockingly stated, struggling to even lift the sword and continued, "How the hell were you able to carry this sword, Asta?!"

Asta then folds his sleeves and flexes his biceps with passion and said, "MUSCLES!!"

"EH?!", Draku asked.

"YESSS! YES! YES! YESS!", Asta passionately agreed.

"Oh?", Draku then noticed that his mana just lost and slighty grasps what Asta's magic really is. "This sword just erased my magic, or nullified it. Anti-Magic? So that explains why he just easily destroyed that magical shield of his foe earlier. Meaning, anything related to magic is useless against this sword! Asta, you really are something else!", Draku thought and struggingly spoke, "A-anyways, can you get your sword now? It's really, really heavy."

"Eh? It's heavy?", Asta then grabs his sword back with just one hand and eaily lifts it up and returns it to his grimoire.

"You're unintentionally pissing me off, Asta.", Draku thought.

Eventually, the two would then continue talking about each other's life and became friends.

Hours later, the final pair for the duels are now finished with their battle and concludes the combat test, which they immediately proceed to the selection period for the captains, where each and one of them shall raise their hands if he or she is interested in the presented candidate and put him or her in their squad, and officially become a Magic Knight. If no one raises, the presented candidate will be rejected and can try again next year.

As they began the selections, a lot was not selected by the captainsand pressured the remaining examinees, but Draku wasn't, as he already knew that there will be a captain who will pick for him, since he did really well in the exams, especially in the combat test. Meanwhile, he sees Asta nervously shaking and sweating, and tries to relax him a bit.

"Don't worry, Asta. I'm sure that you will become a Magic Knight in no time, trust me.", Draku reassuringly spoke.

"Th-thank you, Draku.", Asta responded.

Eventually, the turn is now for Number 164, which is Yuno's number and is currently presented to the captains. Upon his turn, all of the captains raised have their hands for him and made everyone amazed, as he became the first examinee in their batch to make the 9 captains fight for the presented candidate. Eventually, he then picked the Golden Dawn, which is the strongest squad in the kingdom, and was expected by everyone since, Golden Dawn is everyone's preferred destination to be.

"Congratulations, Yuno!", Draku thought and clapped for him.

Then, it was Asta's turn, who is just a number after Yuno, Number 165. As he went to present himself in front of the captains, no one offered their hands for him and Draku was concerned of what's going on.

"Hey, hey, hey. What the hell are you doing, captains? Asta possesses the Anti-Magic! And it's by far the strongest magic I have ever seen! Shit. Maybe me and Yuno are the only one who truly grasp what his power is. Sorry, Asta. I'm sorry for giving you false hopes. I hope you'll forgiv-", his thought was then interrupted by Yami, who just began speaking harsh but true word towards Asta, saying that without magic, he is useless. Eventually, Yami then unleashed his monstrous aura that shooked the entire arena and came down to approach Asta closely, and asks him a question that decides his fate, "Now that I'm right in front of you, do you still have the guts to say that you're going to become the Wizard King?"

But then, Asta was able to overcome it by courageously saying, "Even if I fail right now, I will come back again and again, until I become a Magic Knight and then, become the Wizard King!"

Upon saying that, Yami then contained his aura and out of nowhere, laughs at Asta for saying it and asked him to join his squad, and continued by saying that he'll give him hell in his squad. Draku was both relieved and worried that Asta is now officially part of the Magic Knights.

"W-wow. Out of all the captains that chose Asta, is the guy he provoked earlier, Yami Sukehiro! But why? Did he realized that he possess Anti-Magic? Or is it just began he's funny-", his thought was again interrupted when Yami spoke, "And one day, you better become the Wizard King."

Upon hearing it, Draku is amazed of Yami, as he realized something, "I see. He was testing Asta's determination by breaking his will and give up but, Asta preserved and successfully passes it. Tsk. I was wrong about you, Yami Sukehiro. You may be rude and boorish on the outside, but on the inside, you are kind and caring."

Eventually, the selections were then continued and about half an hour later, it was time for Draku to be presented, as the turn is now in Number 186. As he walked towards to the captains, Asta then shouts "goodluck" to him and Draku responds with a thumbs up, and as he became available, the 9 captains then instantly raised their hands for him, and became the second candidate to make all the captains raise their hands for him. Everyone were then amazed of it, just like how they did to Yuno.

"Woah! Another guy who made all the captains raise their hands for him! What a feat to behold for this Yuno and Draku!", a guy spoke.

"Ara, ara. I'm so jealous of him. Making all the captains fight for one candidate.", a girl spoke.

"Oh! I wonder if he chooses the same squad as that 4-leaf guy.", another guy spoke.

"You're right! If he goes to the Golden Dawn, they will be no doubt become invincible!", his buddy spoke.

After hearing those statements, everyone were buzzed and hyped up just thinking about it. Meanwhile, Draku then spots Yuno, who looked calm and serious as usual, which made him think of something.

"According to Asta, the two of them are fighting to become the Wizard King. Right now, Yuno definitely has the highest advantage than Asta, who is now disadvantaged by the fact that he joined the Black Bulls, the worst squad of the kingdom yet, as Yuno said earlier, he's a guy that you should never underestimate and it's a fact, since I knew now what he's capable of. But, I shouldn't dwell on with their rivalry since, I have a path to take on my own, and that is to repay my village for everything that they've given to me. Well then, let me proceed to which squad suits me the most. First, Golden Dawn, which is said to be the strongest squad ever assembled in the kingdom and everyone's preferred destination to become a Magic Knight but, it's filled with royal and nobles, which are the people that I hated working with the most. Same as Silver Eagles and Crimson Lions since, both their captains are royals. Now for the other squads, Green Mantis? Nah, their captain is a scary psychopath, and it's uncomfortable. Purple Orcas? Meh, the captain looks sus. Coral Peacocks...meh, not my taste but, is she conscious while asleep? Anyways, Aqua Deer? No, the captain looks immature. Blue Rose? Maybe? But I heard rumours that they only used male members for errands so, it's a big no. And lastly, Black Bulls, the worst squad of the kingdom, the squad who took in Asta and believed in him, rumoured to be filled with the worst kind of members to be with but, why do I feel like my heart is telling me to join them? Is it because of Asta? Or is it because of Yami? Ahh. I see, it's because...", Draku then remembers his childhood, where he was once a noble from Acra Village and lived with his overly strict family.

There, Draku was treated harshly by his noble family and didn't even gave him the chance to do what he really wanted to do, since they wanted him to meet their expectations for him. Yet, he wasn't able to take it anymore and rebelled, causing for his parents to revoke his nobility and kicked him out to their house. Eventually, he then arrives at the peasant's settlement, where he was wholeheartedly accepted by the community and gave him something that his noble family failed to give, freedom. Eventually, he would then live hapier than ever and promised to repay them for theur kindness. Then, by the age of 15, Draku recieved his grimoire and spent 4 whole years training his magic, and mastered it. Afterwards, he decided that it's time to become a Magic Knight and keep his promise to repay them.

After that short flashback of his, Draku then finally has the answer and the decision for his preferred squad and chose...

"They accept failures!", Draku thought and points at Yami before he passionately spoke with a smile, "I want to join the Black Bulls, please!"

Upon hearing it, everyone was speechless and got their jaws dropped, and even wakes up the sleeping captain, Dorothy Unsworth.

"You're not kidding, aren't ya? You're choosing the worst squad over the best squad? Are you okay?", Yami curiously asked.

"Yes, and it's final!", Draku spoke with a smile.

Eventually, after hearing that from Draku, Yami then started giggling that immediately turned into hard laughing, as he realized that Draku just chose over an unqualified squad, rather than the other squads that are more qualified, especially the Golden Dawn. He would then began patting William and spoke, "HAHAHAHA! I really can't believe this, William! He chose mine over yours! And this kid is a legitimate top-class! HAHAHAHA!", Yami spoke with a hard laugh.

"Congratulations, Yami.", William calmly spoke.

"Black Bulls?! Out of all the squads, this peasant with tremendous talent chose the Black Bulls?.", Nozelle spoke.

"Keke. What the hell did you do to make him join your hellish squad, huh, Yami?", Jack asked.

"Beats me!", Yami kept laughing.

"Can you stop with your rude behaviour?", Charlotte asked coldly.

"Huh? Come on now, why are you so cold to me? I just literally won the lottery, spiny prickly queen.", Yami asked.

"Shut up.", Charlotte coldly spoke again, but on the inside, "Acutally, I'm very happy for you, Yami! You actually have won a very promising candidate! I'm so proud of you, Yam- Wait! What are you thinking, Charlotte? Remember, you're the captain of the Blue Rose! Your members will be pissed if they know that you liked men! The battlefield is my one and only partner! But...but, OUT OF ALL MEN IN THE KINGDOM, WHY DID I FELL FOR THIS BAD BOY?! AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!", Charlotte then knockS herself out just by thinking of Yami, and Yami himself felt guilty of making her pass out, as he thinks that, "My, my. She really knocked herself out just by thinking how she really hates me. Sigh...my heart, my soul...endure it, Yami, and surpass your limits.", Yami spoke while touching his heart.

Suddenly, Fuegoleon just stood up from his seat and suprised Nozelle.

"Fuegoleon?", he asked.

"Young man, if I may ask, what is the sole reason why you picked the Black Bulls over the Golden Dawn? I'm curious on what's on your mind right now.", he spoke with a straight face.

"Yeah. Logically, everyone would pick the strongest but, you chose different, and to make it worse, you chose the worst. I'm also curious why?", Gueldre followed.

"Fuegoleon and Garbledre are right. You choosing us over William's is what bothers me. Tell us, kid, your honest reason why?", Yami asked.

"The reason is simple. Working with nobles is a pain in the ass.", Draku calmly and seriously spoke, and made everyone shocked of what he said, and made a massive buzz in the crowd and pissed off the noble examinees. Eventually, Fuegoleon then took action.

"SILENCE!", he shouted and everyone instantly obeyed, and continued, "Is that all the reason you need, young man? Or is there more that you wanted to say?", Fuegoleon spoke.

Draku would then respond to him back and spoke, "The other reason why I chose the Black Bulls is that, they willingly accept the worst kinds of people, especially failures!", Draku passionately answered.

Upon hearing it, Yami then smiles at him and spoke, "I see."

"Keke. This kid is really interesting.", Jack spoke.

"That kid is special, Yami. Don't let such potential go to waste.", William spoke.

"I know, and I will.", Yami replied.

Afterwards, Fuegoleon was satisified of his answer and gave him the permission to go.

"I see. I'm looking forward for your progress, young man. Or should I say, Draku. You may go.", he calmly spoke.

"Thank you.", Draku calmly spoke with a smile.

He then heads to the sideline, where he sees Asta and Yuno together, gazing at him and Asta waves his hand when he saw Draku coming.

"Draku! That was really intense, y'know? And also, I'm very happy that you joined the Black Bulls!", Asta passionately spoke with his eyes sparkling and began shaking Draku's hands intensely.

"Congratulations.", Yuno calmly spoke.

"Same for the both of you. Congratulations.", Draku responded with a smile.

"By the way, you really shocked us all when you didn't choose the Golden Dawn, y'know?", Asta spoke.

"Me too. I thought you were going to join the Golden Dawn as soon as William Vangeance raises his hand for you.", Yuno spoke.

"Hehe. Well, in that moment, Black Bulls really garnered my attention and my heart told me that it's the best squad for me to be in, Yuno", Draku spoke and smiles at the end.

"I see.", Yuno calmly spoke.

"Anyways, now that the three of us are now Magic Knights, we can finally pusue each of our dreams!", Asta passionately spoke and points at Yuno, "Yuno! Watch me become the Wizard King!"

"You're wrong. You will watch me in the ground as I become the Wizard King, shorty.", Yuno smilingly responded.

"Shorty? How dare you speak to me like that, cool guy? Also, I'm going to become the Wizard King!", Asta fired back.

"I'm going to become the Wizard King.", Yuno responded.

"No! It's me whose going to become the Wizard King!", Asta replied.

"Hahahaha. Your rivalry is really admirable, Asta, Yuno. Anyways, I'm hoping that the both of you will succeed but, I also forgot that I have a hidden reason why I joined the Magic Knights, and that is...also to become the Wizard King.", Draku spoke seriously at the end, which made Asta and Yuno speechless. But then, Draku broke a smile and laughed, "I'm just kidding!", Draku laughed and continued, "My, my. You should have seen your faces. It was incredible!", Draku continued laughing and Asta joined him, while Yuno just smiled.

Eventually, an hour later, the Magic Knights Entrance Exam finally concluded by nighttime, and those who were picked were estatic and excited to see their respective squads and their bases, while those who did not, left and returned to their respective homes with pain in their hearts. Currently, the trio began going to their respective captains when suddenly, Asta just had a stomach ache.

"Damn it! Why is my stomach aching?", Asta spoke.

"Maybe it's because of that grilled purple snakes that you ate earlier.", Yuno spoke.

"Grilled purple snakes?", Draku asked.

"Yes. He bought it from a shady old lady because he's dumb.", Yuno responded.

"Quit that! Damm it! I really need to find a restroom and take a shit!", Asta spoke while holding his ass.

Eventually, Draku then spots a restroom and points it, "There.", Draku spoke.

"Thank you so much, Draku!", he then ran to the restroom.

"Good gried. Out of all the food stalls that were available earlier, he chose the worst one. He really is dumb as you say, Yuno", Draku facepalms himself.

"I agree.", Yuno calmly spoke.

Evemtually, right after they spoke it, they then saw Sekke heading towards the restroom that Asta went in and Draku then spots him having a menacingly smile.

"Hey, that's the 'BA-HA' guy, right?", Draku asked.

"''BA-HA'? Oh, that guy. Yeah, the one Asta defeated in the combat test.", Yuno calmly answered.

"Well, let's follow him inside. He looked sus.", Draku spoke.

"Okay.", Yuno replied.

They then followed him inside and eventually, both of then witnessed Sekke using his magic in front of Asta's stall, and angered the two of them.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?", Yuno asked while pointing his wind magic towards Sekke.

As for Draku, he sneaked behind Sekke and crosses his arms with his scarlet eyes gazing at him like he's about bury someone alive.

"Leave, or your soul shall leave this world.", Draku spoke in an intimidating way and it worked.

"BA-HA!", Sekke cowardly runs away from the restroom. Eventually, Yuno began walking away from the restroom.

"You're going now without saying goodbye to your rival, Yuno?", Draku asked.

"I'll probably see you two sooner so, it's alright.", Yuno calmly spoke and left the restroom.

"Okay then, see you soon, Yuno.", Draku smiled as he walks away.

Eventually, Asta then came out his stall refreshed from his shit period and began looking for Yuno.

"Eh? Where's Yuno?", Asta asked.

"He already left. And we should too, Captain Yami is waiting for us too, y'know?", Draku replied.

"Oh! You're right! Let's go, Draku!", Asta replied with a smile and Draku responded with a nod, and immediately went to their captain.

A moment later, the two would then meet Yami and both got punished for being late by grabbing their heads intensely.

"You two really have the guts to make me wait, huh?", Yami then increased the grip and both Draku and Asta began squealing in pain.

"AHHHH!", Asta moaned in pain.

"Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!", Draku began tapping his arm, signifying that he's surrendering. "Why am I also getting punished for his fault?", he thought.

"Yosh.", he then lets go of Draku.

"HOW ABOUT ME?!", Asta spoke.

"You still piss me off for making me look like an elderly person.", Yami responded.

"I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT, CAPTAIN YAMI!", Asta screamed.

Meanwhile, Draku was then greeted by Finral and Gordon.

"Oh! The super talented candidate that made everyone shock by choosing our squad! My name is Finral by the way and I'm your senior! Nice to meet you!", Finral then offered his hand and Draku shooked it gently and responded, "Nice to meet you too."

Suddenly, Gordon then began mumbling, and caught Draku and Finral's attention.

"Nice to meet you, Draku. Let's be friends forever, okay? I'll make a doll for you when we go back to our base,okay?", Gordon silently spoke.

"What is he saying, Finral?", Draku asked.

"I...think he's introducing himself.", Finral replied.

"Uh...nice to meet you too...", Draku concernly replied. "I thought he was cursing me or something. Phew!", he thought.

Eventually, Yami then releases Asta and spoke.

"Okay, listen up, both of you. We'll be heading towards our base. Normally, we fly our brooms to go there, but since this shrimp is magicless, we'll use my chauffeur here to travel there.", Yami then points at Finral and commands him, "Hey, Finral, be useful, will ya? Open a portal to our base, right now.."

"Eh?! I'm not useless, you know?", Finral yells and then casts his Spatial Magic, and created a portal that is big enough for everyone's size. Asta was then astonished upon seeing it casted.

"What a cool magic you have, senpai!", Asta spoke with his eyes sparkling.

"Oh! You're Asta, right? Nice to meet you, and thank you for calling me senpai!", Finral happily spoke.

Eventually, Yami then grabs Asta in the head again and throws him towards Finral's portal.

"AHHHHH-", Asta shouted and was cut off when he passed throug Finral's portal.

"Captain really meant it when he said that he's going to give Asta a hellish experience in the squad. Poor guy.", Draku thought.

"And you.", Yami spoke to Draku and continued, " Follow that shrimp or I'll kill you.", he spoke with intent and Draku immediately followed and thought, "Scary!"

Eventually, as soon as Draku enters the portal, he then sees himself surrounded by trees and spots Asta looking in front of a huge old house that was weirdly built, and heard explosions from the inside that made the rookies nervous. Then, Yami, Finral, and Gordon came after and the portal closed as soon as they entered, and Yami then ordered the two of them to go and meet the rest of the Black Bulls.

"Let's go, Draku!", Asta then immediately ran towards the entrance of the Black Bulls and as soon as he opens it, Draku felt something incoming and warns Asta.

"Asta! Look ou-", Draku's warning was too late and Asta got blown away by the explosion. Suddenly, Yami laughed and spoke to the two of, "Welcome to the worst squad, idiots!"

"Did I really joined to the right squad?", Draku nervously thought.

END OF CHAPTER 1.