Chapter 6 - Don’t give up

SHUT UP!"

Revchi jumped in place, startled by the loud shout that came not from the ash-haired brat in front of him, but rather from the other kid who actually owned the grimoire he intended to steal.

"Asta may have been born without magic, and he might be a loudmouthed shorty with muscles for brains-" Asta felt as if a pointed arrow had been shot into him at each of those descriptors, but Yuno simply went one, "But! If there is one thing that Asta isn't, is a quitter! He has never given up on anything for as long as I've known him, no matter what people around him say, or what he should or shouldn't be able to do. You don't have the right to look down on Asta, because he is the one that I am proud to call my Rival! And in case you haven't noticed… He doesn't look defeated at all! Not during the ceremony, not when you wrapped him in chains, or when you talked about him not having magic... His eyes never looked like those of a quitter!"

Revchi turned back towards Asta, his gaze automatically seeking the teen's, only for him to flinch, a chill running down his spine when they met.

"Yuno," Asta said in a slightly irritated tone, with a vein visibly throbbing on his forehead. "You said a lot of unnecessary stuff right there!... But… You're right. Loser. Failure. Stupid. Poor. Peasant. Orphan. Those are all things that people have been calling me since I was small and failed to use even the slightest bit of magic, but I have never given up! Every single time someone calls me a name, I train harder! Every time someone points out a failure of mine, I train harder! I train hard because I Refuse to give up. I Refuse to prove them right, and to let them have the last word!"

His eyes narrowed, even as a dangerous grin spread across his face.

"And I Refuse to let you win."

…

Meanwhile Kagami was staring at the event that was taking place in front of him.

After the events in the church, Kagami refused to give up on forging connections with the two main characters, going out of his way to establish a bond with them. While they couldn't be considered close friends, they often found themselves enjoying each other's company from time to time.

Before Kagami awakened his Grimoire, he harbored a desire for Asta to see him as an older brother figure, even planning for Asta to send him money once he became a Magic Knight. However, as fate would have it, circumstances shifted, and Kagami found himself taking on a different role in Asta's life.

Kagami made it his mission to offer Asta comfort and encouragement, especially in the face of naysayers who doubted Asta's potential to become a Magic Knight. It was Kagami's unwavering support that left Asta feeling indebted to him, seeing him not just as a friend, but as an older brother figure.

Meanwhile, Yuno and Kagami's relationship was not as close. They existed more as acquaintances, their interaction limited to being friends of a friend, with little personal connection between them.

…

HAAAAA!"

A single leap was enough for Asta to bridge the gap between himself and his and Yuno's would-be murderer, leaving him within range of a powerful sword swing to the chest, which resulted in his eyes rolling back inside his head, leaving only the whites exposed, while a sizeable amount of blood spurted out of his mouth.

The chains that had been wrapped around Yuno - as well as two random guys that Asta hadn't ever noticed, and that Yuno and Revchi had literally forgotten were there - vanished, allowing the black-haired boy to retrieve his grimoire, a green glow coming to be around him as he tapped into his magic, before releasing it after verifying that there was nothing wrong with him.

"I knew it."

Yuno turned towards Asta, a faint smile gracing his lips as he observed Asta's excitement over his sword and the grimoire it emerged from, his voice gentle as he spoke.

"I knew it."

Asta pivoted towards Yuno, his expression curious, prompting Yuno to continue.

"I knew you'd get a grimoire. You're too stubborn not to," Yuno remarked.

"Yeah," Asta replied, his own grin widening. "I really am."

Out of the corner of their eyes, a black silhouette materialized, causing Asta to instinctively grip his sword once more.

"Whoa, Asta, chill out, it's just me!" Kagami chuckled playfully.

"Kagami?!" Asta exclaimed with excitement, proudly displaying his sword and grimoire.

"I told you you'd get your grimoire!" Kagami grinned. "Let's celebrate!" he added, inviting them both to his house for a feast.

Asta's eyes sparkled with excitement at the prospect of celebrating with his friends. "Absolutely! Let's eat until we can't move!" he exclaimed enthusiastically.

Yuno nodded in agreement, a rare warmth in his eyes as he joined in the excitement. "Sounds like a plan," he said, his tone soft but genuine.

With Kagami leading the way, the trio headed off towards his house with laughter and chatter.

As they settled around the table laden with delicious food, Kagami took a moment to explain the significance of their grimoires.

"Yuno has the rare four-leaf clover grimoires," he began, gesturing towards Yuno, who nodded in confirmation. "But Asta," he continued, turning to him with a grin, "you've got something even rarer—a five-leaf clover grimoire."

Asta's eyes widened in surprise, pride swelling within him at the realization of the uniqueness of his grimoire.

"But," Kagami added with a playful smirk, "that won't stop me from beating both of you to become the Wizard King!"

Asta and Yuno exchanged amused glances before breaking into smiles. "We'll see about that," Asta retorted, determination flashing in his eyes. "Maybe we'll be the Wizard King instead!"

Laughter filled the room as they bantered back and forth. Deep down, they knew that no matter who ultimately claimed the title of Wizard King, they would always support each other.

But on the other side Kagami was not serious at all. He knew the tittl where for either Yuno or Asta and he didn't really care about it either