A week had passed since Akatsuki's first mission. Within their hidden dimensional fortress, the trio of Asta, Yuno, and Avi immersed themselves in rigorous training and preparation. Though their names were still cloaked in mystery, whispers of a new squad led by the boy who had overwhelmed the Magic Knight Captains spread rapidly through the Clover Kingdom.
Avi stood atop the central tower, his robes billowing in the dimension's gentle wind, eyes closed as he felt the flow of mana pulse beneath his feet.
Avi (thought): "The glyph at the corrupted shrine… It wasn't just random dark magic. It bore patterns tied to forbidden elven sigils. Was it an experiment? Or a delayed fragment of Zagred's plans?"
Below him, Asta sparred with a wood clone of Avi, while Yuno tested a new wind formation with Sylph's aid. Their progress was astounding, yet Avi's eyes remained sharp.
Avi (thought): "They're evolving. Good. They'll need every edge. The Elves' souls are already beginning to stir, Zagred's influence seeps from the corners of forgotten ruins, and Lucius watches in silence… but not idly."
---
The morning silence was broken by the arrival of a scroll delivered by a silver hawk — a message from the Magic Knight headquarters.
> Notice: The Royal Magic Knight Selection Exam will be held in three weeks. All squads must nominate members. Exceptional performance may earn royal audience.
Asta: "Another test? Ha! Let's go!"
Yuno: "This one matters. Royal influence, political scrutiny. It's not just strength that will be tested."
Avi: "You both will participate. Akatsuki's strength needs subtle exposure. But remember — this is more than a contest. It's a stage... for both allies and enemies."
Avi (thought): "Lucius may use the event to observe potentials. And others may use it to eliminate threats quietly. I must shield them from all sides."
---
In the following days, Avi dispatched clones, familiars, and enchanted creatures across the continent — observing everything. One clone infiltrated the Golden Dawn under disguise, another patrolled the Black Bulls, while a third silently followed Damnatio Kira.
Reports returned — ancient ruins across the Heart and Diamond Kingdom borders pulsing with elven runes, strange dreams afflicting magic users, and signs of Word Magic residue near long-abandoned battlegrounds.
Inside the Akatsuki's castle war room, Avi stood before a massive magical map marked with dozens of glowing sigils.
Avi (thought): "The resurrection of the Elves is inevitable. Zagred's influence lingers. Even the Spade Kingdom's dark movements suggest that Lucifero's cultists stir beneath the surface. This world isn't just threatened by Lucius — it's a ticking magical cataclysm."
He extended his hand and summoned new layers to the map, connecting lines between the Royal Exam, the Shadow Palace, and multiple known devil relics scattered across forbidden zones.
---
Later that week, Avi approached Asta and Yuno during a break from training.
Avi: "It's time we fulfilled an earlier promise."
The trio teleported to Hage Village.
Asta: "Father Orsi!"
Father Orsi: "Asta! Yuno! And Avi! Good heavens, what's this sudden visit?"
Avi: "We want to relocate the orphanage to a safer, richer land — our base. You'll have food, safety, schools… peace."
Father Orsi: "You'd… do that for us?"
Asta: "Of course! We've got a whole dimension!"
Yuno: "You raised us. Now let us protect you."
With Father Orsi's tearful approval, the orphans and staff were teleported to the Akatsuki base. Avi personally created a lush village — rivers filled with magical fish, trees brimming with fruit, homes protected by layered enchantments. He even recruited skilled farmers and builders from Hage and neighboring areas, giving them fair pay and magical support.
Avi (thought): "Let this place be the one sanctuary untouched by war, politics, or fate."
---
As preparations for the upcoming exam continued, Avi orchestrated several other key developments. Rivers within the dimension were stocked with mana-infused species — firefish for warmth, frost-scale trout for preservation, and rainbow eels with healing properties. The vast forests saw the introduction of herbivores, magical deer, boars, and tame drake variants to simulate a natural food chain.
Every section of the dimension now mimicked a real ecosystem. Farmers tilled lands with enchanted plows, and engineers powered mills with elemental stones. Avi ensured the palace and housing sectors were defended by barrier arrays that would react even to dimensional breaches.
One night, while standing beneath a glowing mana tree, Avi summoned his second identity — a dark-robed figure with concealed features and immense mana aura. This persona walked among the kingdom's shadows, undoing curses, wiping traces of Lucius' surveillance, and sowing illusions to confuse any prying eyes.
Avi (thought): "This world is a board. Asta and Yuno are my knights. I will guard the king's path... from behind the veil."
---
At night, the trio sat on the palace rooftop, staring at twin moons hanging over the dimension.
Asta: "Feels like everything's moving fast… exams, missions, all this responsibility."
Yuno: "We don't get to be normal anymore. But we chose this."
Avi: "True strength lies in choosing the burden. And bearing it with conviction."
Elsewhere, in the dark depths of the Spade Kingdom, Lucius Zogratis opened a sealed tomb containing a devil's husk. His eyes glowed with the power of time magic.
Lucius: "The pawns are aligning. The fools walk the path I've already seen."
Avi, sensing the faintest ripple in time-space, opened his eyes.
Avi (thought): "Lucius, Zagred, the Elves… I see it all. And I'll twist fate from the shadows. You'll never touch what I guard."
[To be continued...]