Light's New Target

Looks like the Black Bulls squad have more likes, so it'll be the squad the Mc's gonna join.

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While Light seethed with frustration at being manipulated, a certain shinigami found himself in fits of laughter within the depths of the Death Note grimoire.

The Shinigami possessed an eerily humanoid form, with an emaciated frame and skin of a ghostly light-gray hue, verging on the edge of bluish. His unkempt black hair stood in sharp contrast to his thin, blue-gray lips and jagged, pointed teeth. His limbs stretched unnaturally long, adorned with rings upon his bony fingers. But what truly stood out were his large, round yellow eyes, with fiery red irises that pierced through the shadows. Protruding from his back were wings, it was dark and eerie.

This was none other than Ryuk.

"Hahahaha!!!" Ryuk erupted into peals of laughter, thoroughly amused by the stern countenance Light wore as he read the Death Note's rules.

...

Meanwhile, a fierce battle raged on, as Asta and Yuno found themselves locked in a life-and-death struggle against the formidable Chain Magic user, Revchi Salik.

"This won't hold me back!!!" Asta bellowed with unwavering determination.

But...

[Serpentine Dance of the Pitless Viper]

Chains coiled and struck Asta with unrelenting force.

Asta's attire tore, and his body bore the painful marks of their relentless assault.

"Damn it... That really hurt..." Asta's thoughts echoed as he was blown away, his body aching from the relentless assault.

'Are all wizards in the city like this?' he wondered as he plummeted toward the unforgiving ground. 'I might have trained my body, but it didn't help at all...'

He slumped against a nearby wall, his head hanging low.

"Thanks for that splendid display of futility," grinned the Chain Magic user, Revchi, as he stared down at Asta, who was now seated on the ground.

"Since you've put in the effort, I'll share something interesting with you," Revchi said, his grin taking on a malicious edge. "These chains of mine can precisely measure a person's magical power."

With Asta offering no response, Revchi continued, "And your magical power? It's absolutely zero!"

Asta's eyes widened in disbelief, and he felt a sense of daze enveloping him as Revchi pressed on.

"You were probably born that way," Revchi sneered, satisfaction evident as he observed Asta's stunned expression. "That's why you can't use magic."

Despair washed over Asta as he thought, 'You gotta be kidding me!'

'Ha Ha Ha...' Asta lowered his head even further, his inner turmoil apparent. 'So no matter how hard I try... I won't be able to use any magic?'

Asta felt a deep sense of shame when he recalled how Light had treated him, acknowledging him as a rival.

"I never knew someone like you actually existed. Thinking of your past and future, I can only think of you as pitiful," Chain Magic Revchi taunted.

He continued, "And your talent-laden friend over there... He must be making fun of you the whole time."

Asta hung his head, consumed by thoughts of Yuno's seemingly boundless potential. 'You might be right. Yuno was chosen by the four-leaf clover... I always thought of that as amazing...'

As Asta reminisced about the past and how he had treated Yuno in the Grimoire Tower earlier, he couldn't help but feel like a burden.

'I must have been an eyesore to him,' Asta thought to himself.

Seeing Asta succumbing to his words, Chain Magic Revchi struck Asta while he was still down. "There isn't a damn thing you can do in this world..."

Chain Magic Revchi added insult to injury by placing his foot on Asta's shoulder, seeking to further humiliate him.

With a sinister grin, Chain Magic Revchi continued, "Just give up on everything! Because you are a born loser!"

Before Chain Magic Revchi could continue his merciless tirade, a voice interrupted him.

"Hey," the sound of Yuno's voice echoed, commanding attention.

"Who the hell are you calling a loser?" Yuno's voice carried a defiant edge, and Chain Magic Revchi turned to face him, taken aback.

"He's..." Yuno remembered their shared past, their oath, and the promise they had made. He vowed to become the Wizard King...

"Asta... is my rival!" Yuno declared firmly.

"Rival? Him? Hahaha..." Revchi mocked and snorted. "Hmph!"

Then, something unexpected happened. Chain Magic Revchi felt a subtle movement beneath his foot, which was still planted on Asta's shoulder. He watched as Asta trembled slightly, his hands quivering.

"Hmm?" Chain Magic Revchi's curiosity was piqued as he witnessed Asta gritting his teeth.

Asta heard it—the familiar voice of Yuno. In this dire situation, it felt strangely comforting, and that was all Asta needed to muster his resolve.

It was a stark contrast to the time when Light had referred to him as a rival. Asta knew well that Light lacked the same ambition and dreams as he did—to become the Wizard King. So, the true rival he held dear in his heart, the one he saw as a contender for the throne, was none other than Yuno.

"I'm not finished yet!!!" Asta exclaimed, lifting his head and fixing an angry gaze upon Chain Magic Revchi.

With determination coursing through him, Asta grabbed Revchi's foot that was still resting on his shoulder and forcefully hurled it aside.

"Ugh!" Revchi, who had been taken by surprise, found himself pushed away by Asta's sudden burst of strength.

Asta supported himself on his knees and turned to Yuno, an apologetic look on his face. "Sorry for that embarrassing display, Yuno."

He couldn't help but think, "Good thing Light isn't here to witness me like this."

Asta's gaze then returned to Chain Magic Revchi. "I'm going to defeat this guy!"

Before Revchi could retort, a black grimoire suddenly hurtled towards Asta.

Yuno and Chain Magic Revchi were both taken aback, their eyes wide in astonishment.

"That's a... Grimoire..." Asta uttered, hardly able to believe his eyes.

Yuno, who had witnessed the incredible scene, couldn't help but chuckle. "I knew it..."

He added, "The idea of Asta not being chosen is... Ridiculous."

The black grimoire unfurled its pages, and a sword emerged, slowly rising from its depths.

Chain Magic Revchi's eyes widened in disbelief as he witnessed this extraordinary sight. The Demon Slayer Sword descended, driving its razor-sharp tip deep into the ground, while Asta remained in a state of bewilderment.

"What's that sword? His magic?" Revchi couldn't fathom it. "Impossible! He has no magic!"

Revchi leaned in closer, scrutinizing the grimoire.

The three-leaf clover—each leaf representing a concept.

The three-leaf clover symbolized Faith, Hope, and Love.

Yuno's grimoire bore a four-leaf clover, with the fourth leaf signifying Luck.

Yet, on Asta's grimoire, there was an additional leaf.

A five-leaf clover... The fifth leaf... Represented... The devil.

...

Meanwhile, as Light examined his grimoire, he sensed an eerie and unsettling presence.

How could Light perceive it?

He had employed or test a spell from his Death Note Grimoire, the Permeation Magic: Lifebane Detection, to scan and sense his surroundings, but he hadn't anticipated detecting such a malevolent aura.

Light concentrated his sensing toward the direction of the disturbance, which appeared to be near the Grimoire Tower. He recognized the familiar aura.

It was Asta and Yuno... but there was an unfamiliar presence with them—a person radiating a sinister energy. An obvious target for his Death Flame, a means to bend the target to his will.

However, Asta, in particular, puzzled Light. How could he have a devil accompanying him? It seemed to be tied to some deep connection with Asta...

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