Release

"Now, let the match begin!" the referee declared with a commanding tone, igniting the anticipation of the crowd.

But before the battle could commence, I took a moment to address Asta and Yuno. Their attention focused on me, eager to hear what I had to say.

"I have something to tell you both," I said, my voice carrying a weight of seriousness.

Curiosity filled Asta's eyes as he asked, "What is it?"

I met their gazes and spoke in an intimidating tone, "Give it your all, or you will regret it."

Asta's determination burned brightly as he declared, "I will defeat you and become the Magic King!" His words resonated throughout the arena.

Assuming my stance, I enveloped my entire body with a shroud of cursed energy. The air crackled with anticipation as a massive explosion erupted, releasing swirling tendrils of cursed energy from my form.

Without wasting a moment, Asta leaped forward, unleashing a relentless barrage of sword strikes with his anti-magic weapon. I countered his attacks with my hands imbued with cursed energy, the clash of forces creating a resounding impact.

Pushed back by the force, Asta found himself momentarily distanced. It was then that Yuno, his resolve unwavering, unleashed a tremendous gust of wind with incredible speed. I attempted to dodge, but a glancing blow cut a small scar across my cheek.

"I won't go easy on you, Zon!" Yuno declared with determination, his voice ringing through the arena. This battle would be a testament to his growth.

Asta approached Yuno, whispering something in his ear. The astonished look on Yuno's face conveyed disbelief at the unexpected plan. Nevertheless, he nodded in agreement, trusting his companion.

With newfound resolve, Asta charged toward me, launching a relentless assault of sword strikes and kicks. I deftly countered each attack, but a question lingered in my mind.

"What is he trying to accomplish?" I muttered to myself, perplexed by Asta's strategy.

Then, a realization struck me. "Wait! Where's Yuno?" I exclaimed, scanning the surroundings with confusion.

In that moment, a razor-sharp wind blade hurtled towards me, a diversionary tactic employed by Yuno. Asta's continuous attacks made it challenging to focus on defense. The wind blade sliced through the air, barely evaded by my swift movements.

Suddenly, a massive tornado formed beneath me, engulfing me within its swirling fury. Asta, utilizing his anti-magic, managed to distance himself from the chaos. Trapped within the vortex, I witnessed Yuno descending from the heavens.

Utilizing wind magic beneath his feet, Yuno propelled himself into the air, launching a wind blade to distract me. In the blink of an eye, he conjured a new tornado beneath me, leaving me no time to react.

Determined not to be confined, I unleashed a surge of cursed energy, weakening the tornado. Using it as a propeller, I infused my legs with cursed energy, launching myself out of the vortex with a powerful jump.

"I should take you both seriously, shouldn't I?" I remarked to Asta and Yuno, acknowledging their prowess.

Curling my fingers together, I uttered the word, "Release." All this time, a binding vow in my grimoire had limited my strength, allowing me to exert only 10% of my true power.

With a tremendous release of pressure, a colossal blast erupted, shaking the arena. In an instant, I disappeared from my original position, reappearing in front of Asta. I seized his head and drove him forcefully into the ground.

Yuno, still in shock, launched another wind

blade in my direction. I deflected it effortlessly with my arm imbued with cursed energy. Closing the distance between us, I delivered a powerful punch to Yuno's gut, sending him hurtling into the crowd.

Merely 25% of my full power was sufficient to triumph over both of them.

"Incredible! Zon is the winner!" the referee announced, his voice filled with awe.

"Did you see that fight? It was intense from the start, but once he chanted something, it became completely one-sided," the spectators exclaimed, their excitement palpable.

Chatter filled the crowd, spreading even to the captains' area. Each of them expressed their astonishment and admiration.

"That kid is on another level," Finral commented, clearly impressed.

"I wish I could be friends with them," Gordon added, his eyes filled with longing.

"Those two didn't use any conventional magic. We have some intriguing individuals here," Yami observed, his tone tinged with excitement.

The captains were not the only ones in awe. The remarkable display left a lasting impact on everyone present.

After a while, the commotion settled, and the subsequent matches, which held no special surprises, took place. Now, it was time for the recruitment process.

As the turn came for Yuno, all the captains raised their hands eagerly, expressing their desire to have him in their ranks.

"Look! Every captain wants to recruit him," the onlookers whispered in anticipation.

Yuno glanced at the outstretched hands and made his choice. "I choose the Golden Dawn," he announced, his decision aligning with the events of the anime.

"Next."

Asta stepped forward, and to everyone's surprise, none of the captains raised their hand. Despite his exceptional skills showcased in the battle, Asta's mysterious source of power left the captains hesitant.

"Well, that's no surprise. No matter how skilled he is in combat, without a clear source of power, no one wants to get involved," Yami remarked, rising from his seat.

"In the end, what matters to the Magic Knights is their magical abilities."

Releasing an immense pressure that most struggled to withstand, Yami continued, "You said you wanted to become the Wizard King. That means you're aiming to surpass all nine captains, right? Now that I'm standing before you, do you still have the guts to say so?"

Asta's determination flared within his eyes, and he responded, "Even if I don't become a Magic Knight, I will still become the Magic King."

Yami chuckled, retracting his pressure. "You're an interesting kid. Join my squad," he offered to Asta, his words carrying an air of finality.

"Huh?" Asta exclaimed, disbelief evident in his voice.

"By the way, declining isn't an option," Yami added, making it clear that Asta's acceptance was non-negotiable.

"Heeeeeh," Asta responded, his initial surprise giving way to acceptance as he embraced the unexpected opportunity.

Now, it was my turn to make a choice. As I stood before the captains, every single one raised their hand in a show of interest.

"Hmm, despite all captains expressing their desire, I choose-"

To be continued-