"Hehe, I'm on my way to find you."
Happiness came so suddenly that Adam felt a little dizzy.
A hot spring bath? Was this her way of giving him a hint?
"Oh~ And how exactly do you know where I am?" Mereoleona narrowed her eyes dangerously, her anger simmering beneath the surface.
"The Dragon and Phoenix Rings attract each other. The red thread of fate connects us together," Adam said smugly, touching the ring on his finger with pride.
"I see."
Mereoleona glared down at the Phoenix Ring in her hand. She'd been "trapped" by this thing. If storage space wasn't so rare, she would've thrown it into a volcano long ago.
Unlike that unfaithful man, who was probably basking in pride at this very moment.
The more Mereoleona thought about it, the angrier she became. Adam's true face was finally revealed to her — a wolf in sheep's clothing.
"Wait there. I'll be right over."
She stood, throwing on her clothes in one swift motion. A surge of magic power burst out of her as her fists clenched.
Someone was about to get pummeled.
"Lady Mereoleona, what are you going to do?" Noelle asked cautiously.
"Get rid of the pest."
Mereoleona's grin was like a lioness ready to tear into her prey. Noelle couldn't help but be awestruck.
So cool.
With a sharp whoosh, Mereoleona shot into the night sky, following the pull of the Phoenix Ring straight toward Adam.
"Haha, woman, I knew you couldn't resist me," Adam said, narcissistically brushing his hair back.
"Oh, why can't I restrain my damn charm a little? If everyone falls for me… won't I be exhausted? Hiss~"
A shiver ran down his spine.
He suddenly had a bad feeling — like a storm was coming.
"Sister, I won't wait for you anymore. I'm going to the bathroom to go beyond my limit," Adam lied quickly, thinking about slipping back to the Black Bulls' base.
There was too much going on tonight. Touching women now was… dangerous.
[No, brother, I'll be there soon. I have to make sure you have an unforgettable night.]
Mereoleona's voice purred through the ring — seductive, dangerous. The contrast nearly froze Adam in place.
His brain had clearly been hijacked by some evil force. With the confidence of "no one can touch me," Adam decided to stay put.
Whoosh!
The sharp sound of air tearing split the night. Adam turned, his eyes widening in surprise. Mereoleona was streaking through the sky like a meteor.
"Sister Mereoleona, don't be so impatient…"
He opened his arms for a warm embrace.
What he got instead… was a sandbag-sized fist.
Bang!
"Go to hell, Adam!"
The love-filled collision between her fist and his face sent him flying.
"Mereoleona, you're murdering your husband!" Adam cried, covering his face with tears in his eyes. "You crazy woman!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Instead of an apology, he got a full-on combo attack.
"Ah! Don't hit there! Do you want to ruin your own happiness?!" Adam screamed.
"You still have the nerve to say that? This is the root of the problem!" Mereoleona roared. "Don't worry, once I get rid of this, I'll stay with you forever!"
"That's unreasonable!"
Ladin Family Manor – Basement
The room was dark, damp, and reeked of blood.
Ladin was tied to a chair, his body covered in scars. His eyes were dull, lifeless — like a walking corpse.
Creak.
The rusty iron door swung open. A woman dressed like a maid walked in, carrying a filthy iron tray. She glanced at Ladin with disgust and slammed the "food" onto the table.
"Master, don't be so stubborn. Tell us where the treasure is, and this can all end."
Aisha's proud, venomous voice slithered through the basement.
"Aisha… my father… was good to you…"
Ladin's hoarse voice rasped out. Since Adam had left that day, he'd been imprisoned by the butler and his cronies. Every day, they tortured him for the treasure's location.
"Master, you're joking. How could we possibly forget the Master's kindness?" Aisha replied with a twisted smile.
Bang!
Ladin spat out a weak curse.
Aisha sneered. "Ugh. So dirty. I need to wash my hands."
She turned and left without a trace of mercy.
Ladin's hope had long since withered. No one had come to rescue him. His parents were probably already dead.
"Father… Mother… I'm sorry."
He clenched his fists. If they asked again, he'd take them down with him, no matter the cost.
[Young man, do you want revenge?]
A strange voice slithered into Ladin's mind.
This time, it wasn't an illusion.
[Do you want revenge?]
The voice grew sharper, and Ladin froze. It was real.
"Yes," he answered without hesitation.
He didn't care who it was. He just wanted every traitor to burn in hell.
[Swallow what's on the table.]
Without hesitation, Ladin leaned forward and gulped down the black, sticky substance like a starving wolf.
The stench was nauseating, but he didn't open his mouth. He wouldn't risk throwing it up. Not when revenge was at stake.
Power began to surge inside him. A storm of lightning crackled through his veins.
"Ahhh!"
Ladin screamed, shaking the entire basement.
The guard burst in. "What are you—ahhh!"
Crackle!
Blue lightning wrapped around Ladin's body. A blinding flash struck the guard, dropping him before he could even scream.
The ritual of thunder and lightning had begun.
Black Bulls Headquarters
Adam staggered in, covering his bruised face. He barely made it two steps before Asta blocked his path.
"Adam, I went to the hot springs today!"
"Good for you. I'm tired," Adam mumbled, trying to walk past him.
His face was a mess, and his dignity was dead. Mereoleona had gone full beast mode on him.
What was going on? Did she hit menopause or something?
He didn't know Noelle had already sold him out.
"Let me see," Yami said, sensing something was off. He grabbed Adam's hand away from his face — and everyone saw it.
"Hahaha! Adam, did you get scratched by a lion or something? How the hell did you end up like this?" Yami roared with laughter.
"Adam, are you okay?" Noelle rushed over, concern on her face. "I'll ask Vanessa to take a look."
Most of the squad had just returned from the hot springs; the others were asleep.
"Fine… whatever," Adam muttered, defeated.
A good man doesn't fight with a woman. Especially not with his woman.
Somewhere deep down, he even felt a little guilty… though he wasn't sure why.
...
Author's Note:
The full completed version of Black Clover: I Awakened the Power of the Twelve Zodiac Talismans is now on Patreon!
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