Chapter Text
The 27th Wizard King Conrad Leto, once revered far and wide as the strongest man in Clover, has returned to finish what was started over a decade ago. With the power of the Imperial Sword: Elsdocia and his versatile Key Magic, he was able to resurrect leaders of old. Their first strike was upon Festival Stadium, also known as Triumph, where several elite magic knights were. While they fought the revived Wizard Kings, a handful of Black Bulls were sent on to fulfill an important task.
In an extremely hidden research facility, a special tool was being developed. Nero and Sally worked on what was their only apparent hope at stopping Conrad. A sheath for the Imperial Sword. Their hopes were dashed when they saw Conrad was there and he had destroyed the tool with ease. Memory Exchange magic rendered him a step ahead. He managed to knockout Sally and slammed her limp body into Nero. He then engaged in combat with the others. Finral and Noelle were downed swiftly, but Asta held out longer.
He could face Conrad with raw strength and hand-to-hand fighting. He wasn't given an opening to pull out a sword, but Conrad didn't seem to be fighting him seriously. Their sparring session was to gauge Asta's battle skill. Once he had seen enough, he used a wave of wind pressure to keep him in place on the floor. Compared to the others, he was treated gently. Asta looked up at him and saw a smile on his face. It wasn't one of triumph or arrogance. It was... "Impressive." the former Wizard King said. Pride!?
He then showed the group the state of the kingdom. Wizard Queen Princia's magic soldiers were decimating the Royal Capital, while the citizens were being drained of their mana. As for the mages that helped them escape. They were defeated, battered and bruised. Noelle was greatly affected by the sight of her brother in a pool of his own blood. Conrad went on about how such a coward should never have been placed in the position of a captain.
Noelle snapped and launched a powerful Sea Dragon's Roar, but it was for nothing. Her emotions got the better of her and she left herself vulnerable. Conrad trapped her in tree roots and stripped her of the spells in her grimoire, turning it into stone. She was severely weakened and unable to even move. That's when Asta negated the wind pressure holding him down.
He and Conrad went at it again, this time with Asta in Black Form. During their clash, Conrad glanced at the horn on Asta's head and his right eye. He took a longer look at his grimoire. 'Fascinating. So this is your anti-magic in action, Liebe.' he thought.
Asta couldn't come close to striking him, even with all three of his swords. Conrad came down clapping his hands. "What a wonderful power you wield! You can not only negate magic, but also any phenomena that is derived from magic. To think being born magicless would afford you such a blessing." Asta didn't know it, but Conrad wasn't talking to him.
He revealed the details of his plan to Asta. How he would use the Imperial Sword to eradicate the Clover Kingdom, and later use it to resurrect the departed who deserve to inherit his utopia. He also revealed that he was loathed and feared because of his Key Magic, and that he understands what Asta's going through. He proposed that Asta joined him in his mission to destroy this unjust world and start anew. Shape a new world, a perfect world together. One where people have esteem for their fellow man, where they can't help but smile and laugh.
Asta wasn't having it and fought back, calling his plan insane. No matter how much Conrad tried to convince him of otherwise, he made no headway whatsoever. The boy was incredibly stubborn, just like he was. They fought for an extensive amount of time, with Asta only having a scratch on Conrad to show for it. His Black Form was fading, leaving him with only one horn.
Yuno joined the group with Milly and Sally in tow, and provided back up to Asta. 'Yuno...' This made virtually no difference, as the two boys had their backs against the wall. Yuno was on his knees panting heavily while Asta was barely able to stand or hold his sword. Conrad approached him with a remorseful look on his face that confused Asta.
"Give up this fight and stand with us. I'm begging you. This kingdom already took so much from me, I don't want to lose you either. Please." Asta was greatly confused, but a feeling inside of him wanted to stop fighting, to hear him out. "Why are you so determined to get me to join you?" he asked.
"I see the devil inside your grimoire has kept you in the dark about so much." Conrad began. "What do you know about my devil?" Asta snapped. "Quite a bit, considering my wife was the one who found him." Calling that a surprise would be a great injustice. He clutched the emerald colored locket around his neck. Everyone was greatly curious as to what sort of connection Conrad had to Asta and his devil. Even Noelle, who had regained consciousness but was too weak to move. "What do you mean this kingdom took so much from you?" Asta asked out of sympathy.
"For starters, your dearly departed mum." The words that left his mouth made everyone freeze. Conrad knew Asta's mother, but how? The boy could feel something strange. Like a being inside of him was wallowing in misery. "What the crap are you talking about? How could you possibly know my mom!?" Asta shrieked, fearful of the answer he would receive.
Conrad kept his eyes locked on Asta. "Asta," Everybody listened closely to what he had to say. "I am your father."
Words cannot describe the emotions that crashed upon Asta like a mighty wave. Of all the people he could share the same blood with, it was a former Wizard King dead set on destroying everything. The shock had rendered him speechless, like the spectators on the side.
"Y-You're... lying..." Asta said weakly. Yuno continued for him. "There's no way what you're saying is true!" Conrad didn't turn to him. "You may think what you want, but I am only telling you the truth. Asta Leto." Hearing his full name caused him to lose the strength to hold up his arms as his Black Form dissipated.
"You developed anti-magic in your magicless body, and although you had no real reason to, you lent your power to Asta. My son is alive and able to fight, and I have you to thank for that. I'm grateful, Liebe, truly." At this point, Asta felt like his head was going to explode. "Who is Liebe!?" he screamed, letting his overflowing emotions pour out. "You haven't talked to him? He was sealed within the five-leaf grimoire that you possess. He's the one who was born powerless, but I'm proud of how he's looked out for you."
Conrad began to explain everything. That his wife, Asta's mother, found and took Liebe in. He talked like a loving father to someone Asta had never tried to talk to. He had talked to the devil, 'Liebe' before but he tried to take over his body. Except, he didn't display any malicious intent back then. He never imagined that his inner demon could have such a complicated past.
Flashback (The Forest of Witches)
Asta was knocked unconscious and floating in a red and black void in his mindscape. He turned behind him and saw a pitch black behemoth devoid of amusement. "Long time no see, kid." Asta shrieked. "AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU!?" "Hmph, quite the greeting, considering how close we are, Asta."
"How do you know my name!? I'm pretty sure I'd remember meeting a guy like you!" The devil's hand moved swiftly to grab Asta, but only to gently hold him in his palm. "For now, that doesn't matter. What matters is that you can't win this fight as you are, so I'll have to take the reigns for a while. Sorry, half-pint." "Not happening, pal! I'll beat this guy with my own power!" The devil moved both his hands to try and capture Asta, but he slipped away just in time. "If that were an option right now, we wouldn't be having a conversation like this!"
Asta didn't listen, and continued to dodge and weave the devil's advances, as he climbed straight to the surface. Before regaining consciousness, Asta had conflicting thoughts on the being he just met. 'What's with this guy? What did he mean by, 'If that were an option'? How does he seem to know me? If he's been in my grimoire all this time, then it makes sense, but I feel like there's a little more to it. And his ki. It was so angry, and hateful, and...' Asta paused as his inner demon looked back at him once more, a look of dejection on his face. '...sad.'
Present Time
Asta remembered that meeting vividly. It was far more impacting than any dream. Whether it was his feelings, or the feelings of the being inside him, he was starting to believe Conrad's words. "You're lying!" Asta repeated with tears threatening to spill. "Of everything you've said, this has to be the most screwed up!" Conrad's expression didn't change. It looked like one of grief. Yet there was a special kind of care behind his eyes. "You know what I'm saying is true, son. I can see it in your eyes, you just don't want to accept it."
"There's one thing you're wrong about," Yuno said. "Asta was born without magic, too. While you have massive reserves." "The rest of you won't believe a single word I say," Conrad snapped his fingers and a white projection appeared. "So perhaps it's better to show you." The image shown was of a short in stature woman with ash-blonde hair, green eyes and a large smile.