Meanwhile, that night when Ben stayed at the Blue Rose Magic Squad base.
Flashback...
Wizard King's Office...
The air inside the Wizard King's office was tense, yet disciplined.
One by one, the Magic Knight squad captains stood in orderly rows—
each a commanding presence in their own right.
From Nozel Silva's cold composure to Dorothy's dreamy calm,
and even the ever-lazy posture of Rill, every eye was focused on the man seated before them.
The Wizard King, a figure of immense power and wisdom, leaned back in his chair as his assistant Marx Francois stood beside him with a stack of neatly arranged documents.
"____"
"____"
"____"
The room was quiet until the Wizard King finally spoke, his voice carrying across the chamber like a steady current.
"Thank you all for arriving on such short notice."
He paused, letting his gaze sweep across the assembled captains.
"There's been a noticeable rise in activity near the borders of the Clover Kingdom—especially in the regions shared with Spade and Diamond."
"Scouts have reported that unidentified magical signatures have been spiking. Preparations are being made… for something."
Murmurs rippled through the room.
Yami raised an eyebrow.
Nozel narrowed his eyes.
"So what are we dealing with?"
Fuegoleon asked, stepping forward slightly.
"A potential invasion?"
"We're not certain yet,"
Marx interjected, holding up a report.
"But the patterns match what we've seen during pre-conflict movements. We believe they may be organizing—possibly preparing for incursions or probing attacks."
The Wizard King nodded.
Nod~
"That's why I've summoned you."
"I want each of you to increase patrols around your squad's respective sectors—especially those closest to the borders. Remain alert. Report anything abnormal immediately."
Charlotte, who stood beside Jack and Yami, nodded.
"We'll keep our scouts rotating in tighter shifts. I'll also coordinate with Blue Rose members stationed near the eastern perimeter."
Yami yawned.
Yawn~
"Tch. Trouble never ends in this kingdom."
"And it won't,"
the Wizard King said with a faint smile,
"until we root it out completely."
He then gestured to the captains.
"Before we move on, does anyone have matters to report?"
There was a pause before Gueldre Poizot stepped forward with a formal tone,
"The Purple Orcas intercepted a group of smugglers at the southern lake port."
"Upon interrogation, they claimed to be transporting artefacts for a 'new rising faction.' We're still investigating the name."
"Good. Keep me informed,"
the Wizard King said.
Then came reports from other captains—
minor skirmishes, increasing disappearances in rural areas, and rumours about underground gatherings resurfacing near commoner towns.
Charlotte glanced at Marx, then back to the Wizard King.
"____"
"Should we consider assigning more captains to outer regions? There's only so much our regular patrols can handle."
The Wizard King nodded slowly.
Nod~
"I've already begun reassigning a few specialized teams to reinforce those areas."
"We'll also be relying on squads like the Black Bulls to carry out more flexible missions, especially in more unstable regions."
At that,
Yami took a deep puff of his cigarette, exhaling the smoke slowly before speaking.
"Tch. Figures. Always tossing the messy jobs at us,"
he muttered, voice gruff but amused.
He flicked the ash to the side and smirked.
Smirk~
"Well, guess it's been a while since I kicked some rich bastard's ass."
The captains nearby gave him a mix of tired glares and smirks of their own—
typical Yami, always grumbling, always ready to throw himself into chaos with that reckless enthusiasm.
The Wizard King simply smiled, as if that was exactly the response he expected.
"Then I'll count on you, Yami. Make sure your squad is ready. And this time, don't blow up half a town."
"No promises,"
Yami said with a chuckle, straightening up just a bit.
As the meeting progressed, Marx handed another document to the Wizard King, who skimmed through it before glancing back up at the captains.
"Before we conclude, there's another matter,"
he said, tapping the parchment.
"This concerns the special assignment recently given to the Black Bulls—by none other than King Ben himself."
That drew the attention of several captains in the room.
The room, which had been tense, now hummed with curiosity.
"King Ben has tasked Captain Yami's squad with investigating corruption and unusual activity in the outermost villages,"
the Wizard King explained,
"particularly in places where our influence is weaker and suspicions are rising."
He paused before continuing,
"____"
"It's an independent mission tied closely to the King's own investigations, so full cooperation from all squads is expected if the Black Bulls require support."
Jack the Ripper snorted with a twisted grin,
"Heh… the Black Bulls poking into noble business, huh? That'll ruffle some feathers."
"Exactly,"
Yami muttered under his breath, then louder:
"The king's trusting us with a direct line. That means if we dig up any filth, we're dragging it into the daylight—no matter who it belongs to."
The Wizard King nodded approvingly.
"Which is why this mission is critical. Keep your ears open, captains. And remember—sometimes the truth hides far from the battlefield."
Nozel folded his arms, his face unreadable, while Charlotte, seems to be in a deep thought.
The meeting slowly shifted toward final updates and concerns, but the topic of King Ben's trust in the Black Bulls left a strong impression on everyone present.
As the meeting wrapped up, the Magic Knight captains began to file out of the Wizard King's office, their footsteps echoing through the grand halls of the palace.
Quiet murmurs and low conversations passed between them—
talks of increased border activity, new patrol routes, and most of all, the special mission granted to the Black Bulls by King Ben himself.
Among them,
Charlotte walked with a composed expression, but her sharp eyes hinted at her thoughts swirling underneath.
Just a step behind her, Sol followed, unusually silent.
"____"
"____"
She was normally the one filling the silence with chatter or admiration, but this time…
She could feel the weight hanging in the air.
As they stepped out into the sunlight beyond the castle gates, Charlotte finally broke the silence.
"Sol,"
she said, not slowing her pace,
"what do you think made Ben choose the Black Bulls for this mission? Over us."
Sol blinked, caught off guard.
"____"
"I… I'm not sure, Sister—in, Captain."
She quickly corrected herself as Charlotte gave her a glance.
"Maybe he needed a squad that doesn't play by the usual rules? Or maybe… he didn't want to show favouritism?"
Charlotte didn't respond right away. She just looked forward, her gaze unreadable.
Elsewhere, similar conversations were taking place.
Fuegoleon and Mereoleona, walking side by side, both had a fire in their eyes—
one calm and steady, the other wild and crackling.
"Black Bulls being trusted with this much authority..."
Fuegoleon murmured.
"It means the king expects chaos,"
Mereoleona said with a grin.
"He's sending chaos to handle it. Smart move."
Nozel Silva, elegant and proud, stood with Solid and a few of his own.
"If Ben thinks the Black Bulls are more suited than the Silver Eagles, it speaks volumes about his plans. Or his trust."
His tone was cold.
Even Jack the Ripper let out a low laugh as he walked with his vice-captain.
"Let's see what Yami digs up, heh."
Every squad was feeling it—
the shift.
A direct mission from the king himself.
A king who once stood beside them as a fellow Magic Knight, now wielding power and choosing those who would walk the knife's edge.
Something was coming.
And everyone knew…
the next move would change more than just a few villages.
Flashback Ends...
Royal Castle...
Back at the royal castle, in a secluded training field surrounded by high stone walls and protective enchantments,
King Ben stood alone—
his cloak billowing slightly in the wind, his eyes locked on a distant target dummy forged from reinforced metal and layered with defensive magic.
Crackles of energy sparked around his hands, illuminating the space with a vivid, electric glow.
He took a steady breath.
"Let's test it again…"
A brilliant spear of lightning began to form in his grasp—
slender, glowing with raw energy, and vibrating with immense power.
The crackling intensified, the very air around him humming with static while his grimoire was open.
"[New Lightning Spell: Thunderflash Spear – Active.]"
With a swift movement, Ben hurled the spear.
It sliced through the air like a flash of divine judgment, vanishing for a split second before—
BOOM!
The spear struck the dummy and exploded on contact, sending a blinding blast of light and force outward.
The shockwave rippled across the ground, scattering debris and smoke into the air.
When the dust settled, the dummy was gone—
reduced to scorched fragments.
Ben lowered his hand, eyes narrowed.
"The speed's nearly impossible to dodge… but I still need to refine the control. The blast radius could cause collateral damage."
He exhaled deeply, electricity still flickering along his fingertips.
"Still... it's getting there."
Just then, he sensed the approach of one of his guards—
but the man didn't speak until Ben gave a nod.
"Your Majesty, Captain Yami and the Black Bulls have departed for the outskirts. Reports will begin arriving soon."
Ben nodded again, wiping the sweat from his brow.
Nod~
"Good. Make sure they're supported discreetly if needed. I have a feeling this mission might get messy."
As the guard saluted and left, Ben looked up at the sky—lightning still dancing faintly in his palm.
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(Author's POV)
(A/N):Thanks for reading the chapter!
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