As exiles and fugitives from the Diamond Kingdom, their attack on the Clover Kingdom's border was nothing but a distraction—a façade to mask their true purpose.
They weren't here just to stir up trouble. They had infiltrated the Clover Kingdom for a much greater prize: the Elven Gemstone.
"Magic Knights? Hah, it seems we've caught the attention of some notable figures. Perfect timing—they'll be none the wiser about our real mission," Summers thought to himself, his gaze fixed on Asta's Magic Knight insignia.
Around him, his allies opened their grimoires, ready for battle.
"Water Magic: Water Spheres!"
Noelle, having prepared her spell for some time, unleashed three massive spheres of water toward the enemy.
But just as they were about to hit their targets, the spheres veered off course and crashed into an empty patch of ground.
"...Uh..."
Everyone paused, dumbfounded.
Could such a compassionate magic exist? One that deliberately avoided harming anyone?
"Charge! Everyone, attack!"
Hidden in the shadows, Ethan Hayes observed the chaos. He wasn't here to use the rogues to get rid of Asta and Noelle; rather, he was waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
"I need one clean shot," Ethan muttered under his breath, inching closer to Summers.
Ethan's fastest spell, Clover Magic: Passing Wind, could outpace even spatial magic within a short radius. But its effectiveness came with a catch—it had a maximum range of just 15 meters. To execute his plan, Ethan needed to get closer.
Meanwhile, Asta swung his anti-magic sword with ferocious strength. The sight of him nullifying every spell sent his way left many of the rogues in awe.
"What kind of sword is that?!"
"How is magic useless against him?!"
Recognizing that Asta was a formidable opponent, the bandits turned their attention to Noelle, who seemed far easier to deal with.
"Her magic might be powerful, but it can't even land a hit," one of them sneered, rushing toward her.
"Noelle!"
Asta, noticing her peril, tried to assist, but the enemies around him kept their distance, bombarding him with spells to keep him distracted.
Noelle, now surrounded, looked visibly shaken as fear flashed across her face.
With a resigned sigh, Ethan gave up his prime opportunity to take down Summers. He turned back and summoned his grimoire, its glowing pages radiating immense power.
"Wind Creation Magic: Nature's Barrier!"
Green shields of wind rose in front of Ethan and Noelle, deflecting every incoming attack with ease.
Safe behind Ethan, Noelle blushed slightly but quickly composed herself.
"Wind Creation Magic: Rushing Tempest!"
The green barrier dissipated, replaced by towering whirlwinds that engulfed the surrounding bandits, sweeping them up like ragdolls.
"That was amazing, Ethan!" Asta exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with admiration.
Ethan's display of power had turned the tide of battle, neutralizing the immediate threat.
"Stay alert, Asta! This isn't over yet!" Ethan shouted.
Grabbing Noelle, Ethan leapt into the air just as a massive ice sphere crashed into the spot they had been standing. The impact left a deep crater, a chilling reminder of how close they'd come to death.
"Didn't expect the Magic Knights to send someone this skilled," Summers muttered, his grimoire glowing as another spell began to form.
"You're a four-leaf grimoire user? Are you Yuno?" Summers asked, narrowing his eyes at Ethan.
Though he was far from the Diamond Kingdom, news of the four-leaf grimoire's appearance had reached him. A wind-user with a four-leaf and striking looks—Ethan matched the description perfectly.
"No matter. Killing you will be a significant achievement for both me and the Diamond Kingdom," Summers said with a cold smile. His grimoire emitted a chilling blue light as he prepared his next attack.
Ethan smirked. "You're welcome to try."
"Wind Creation Magic: Gale's White Falcon!"
Ethan's grimoire glowed as several wind-formed birds materialized and shot toward Summers. At the same time, Ethan vanished from his position, reappearing mere feet away from his target.
"Wind Creation Magic: Blade of the Wind God!"
With a sweep of his hand, Ethan conjured a sword made entirely of wind, its blade shimmering green.
The battle continued with intensity, but one thought lingered in Ethan's mind:
This world relied too heavily on traditional magic duels—like a turn-based game, where one spell followed another. If one wanted to truly excel, they had to break free of these conventions.
"Close-combat magic users don't exist in this world? Fine. Let me show them the terror of a close-combat mage!" Ethan declared, gripping his wind sword tightly as he prepared for the final clash.