Ryoma once again experienced his consciousness repeatedly oscillating between chaos and clarity.
He didn't know how long it had been, but the frantic pulling force suddenly disappeared.
He fell heavily to the ground, the soft grass and the scent of earth clearing his muddled mind somewhat.
"Cough... Cough..."
He propped up his aching body and looked around.
This was an unfamiliar forest. Towering ancient trees blocked out the sun, and the air was filled with a rich scent of life and a type of magic factor completely different from Fairy Tail's Earth Land.
"That power... it's back again."
Ryoma cursed softly, rubbing his throbbing temples.
Last time it took him to the world of Demon Slayer, this time where in the world did it throw him?
His first instinct was to try and channel the magic power within his body.
This time the feeling was a bit better than when he previously got thrown into the Demon Slayer world.
Perhaps it was because this world also possessed magic, and it wasn't completely suppressed like in the Demon Slayer world.
Nevertheless, the magic power that had once surged like a river within him now felt like solidified swamp, sluggish and heavy. He exerted immense effort just to barely draw out a faint wisp of magic power to circulate at his fingertips.
"Damn it, throwing me out every other day and making me experience this suppressed feeling again." Ryoma's heart sank.
He concentrated, trying to conjure a basic ice crystal. However, only a faint chill emanated from his fingertips.
Of his full power, what he could use now was probably less than a fraction.
This damned suppressive force!
"If I were thrown into a dangerous area, wouldn't I be screwed?"
A strong sense of powerlessness welled up in Ryoma's heart.
He took a deep breath, calming himself.
First, he needed to figure out where he was.
Second, he needed to understand how to unseal his power this time, or if it would just resolve itself after a period of time like last time.
Just as he was pondering, a faint sound drifted from deep within the forest.
"Ha! Ha! Ha!"
It was a rhythmic shouting, mixed with the sound of air being cut.
Someone!
Ryoma's spirits lifted. He immediately reined in his aura and cautiously moved towards the direction of the sound.
He pushed aside the last clump of bushes, and the sight before him made him freeze.
In a clearing not far away, two teenagers who appeared to be of similar age were engaged in completely different forms of training.
One black-haired boy sat cross-legged, meditating with closed eyes. His posture was elegant and serene, and faint blue currents of air swirled around him, lifting fallen leaves from the ground and forming miniature whirlwinds. He clearly seemed like someone with exceptional magical talent.
The other boy, however, appeared much more "wild". He had spiky gray hair, and while his stature wasn't tall, his muscles were exceptionally solid.
Currently, he was rapidly doing push-ups, sweat already soaking his worn clothes and dripping down his cheeks onto the ground.
"Nine hundred ninety-eight! Nine hundred ninety-nine! One thousand!"
After completing the last one, he suddenly sprang up, simultaneously roaring with all his might, "It's not over yet! I will definitely become the Wizard King!"
"Wizard King?"
The moment these three words entered Ryoma's ears, he felt as if struck by lightning, his mind buzzing.
He looked again at the sweating, shouting boy and the calm boy surrounded by wind next to him.
This iconic combination, this iconic line...
"No way..."
Ryoma's lips twitched.
"This is... I've run into Black Clover."
He was speechless, he had actually arrived in the world of Black Clover.
Was the power that brought him here some kind of anime world tour group?
Just as Ryoma was in shock, the boy doing physical training seemed to notice his presence and stopped his workout.
"Hey! Who are you? I haven't seen you before. Are you here to train too?"
The boy's voice was incredibly loud, full of unguarded enthusiasm, it was Asta.
His voice startled Yuno, who was on the other side. He also opened his eyes, his pupils calmly sweeping over Ryoma with a hint of scrutiny and vigilance.
Since he was discovered, Ryoma no longer hid and stepped out from behind the bushes. He patted the dust from his clothes, trying to appear less disheveled.
"Uh... I'm a traveler. I had an accident in the forest and then got lost here." Ryoma quickly fabricated a reasonably plausible reason.
"An accident? Are you alright?" Asta looked Ryoma up and down.
Ryoma shook his head. "I'm fine."
"That's good. My name is Asta. This guy is Yuno, my rival." Asta pointed to himself, then to Yuno nearby, and grinned, revealing a bright smile.
"My dream is to become the Wizard King and then marry Sister Lily."
Ryoma twitched his lips and nodded cooperatively. "A very grand dream."
If he didn't know that Sister Lily was a nun, he would have considered Asta a normal person with grand ambitions.
Yuno merely glanced at him indifferently, which served as a greeting.
"By the way, you said you were lost, so where are you going next?" Asta asked enthusiastically.
"I don't know either. I'll find a populated place first." Ryoma said, feigning confusion.
"Oh, I see... Ah! I know!"
Asta clapped his hands.
"In a few days, it's our village's grimoire awarding ceremony. You can come back to the church with us for now. The priest and everyone are very kind, they'll definitely help you."
"Grimoire awarding ceremony..."
Ryoma's heart stirred. This was the beginning of the Black Clover storyline.
"That would be too kind of you."
He had no reason to refuse. What he needed most right now was a place to stay and a source of information.
"You're welcome. Let's go." Asta said, then familiarly led the way.
Ryoma followed, and Yuno also silently got up and returned with them.
Along the way, Asta's mouth was like a machine gun, never stopping, asking Ryoma about the outside world.
He also talked endlessly about his determination to become the Wizard King and the efforts he put into it.
Ryoma distractedly responded while silently sensing the rich magical environment of this world. At the same time, he secretly tried to control his suppressed power.
He quietly extended his right hand, gathering the faint wisps of magic power he had painstakingly managed to mobilize at his fingertips. This time, he didn't attempt any complex magic, just the simplest temperature control.
A chill slowly gathered, and on his fingertip, a small, fragile, almost translucent snowflake difficultly formed.
The situation was worse than he had imagined. With this level of control, let alone fighting, he probably couldn't even perform a simple trick.
Yuno, who was walking at the back, seemed to catch a glimpse of the fleeting cold light and water droplet from the corner of his eye.
He subtly looked at Ryoma's profile, a hint of imperceptible curiosity flashing in his eyes.
This stranger, like Asta, seemed to have no magical fluctuations, but that momentary feeling just now... was it an illusion?
Soon, they passed through the forest, and a village built beneath the skull of a giant demon appeared before them. At the highest point of the village was a small church.
"We're here! That's our home!" Asta pointed at the church, shouting excitedly.
The three arrived in front of the church, where a gentle and beautiful nun was drying clothes. Seeing them return, a warm smile appeared on her face.
"Asta, Yuno, you're back. And this is?" Lily noticed Ryoma following behind.
Asta immediately embellished Ryoma's "encounter" and recounted it.
After listening, Lily's face was full of sympathy. "So that's what happened, you must have had a hard time. If you don't mind, you can stay here for now. After the awarding ceremony in a few days, perhaps we can find someone to give you a ride."
"Really? Thank you so much, Sister Lily." Ryoma said gratefully.
"You're welcome, helping each other is only right." Lily smiled.
...
Entering the church, Ryoma saw that it was simple but immaculately clean, filled with a peaceful and warm atmosphere.
Several children ran out, chattering and surrounding Asta and Yuno.
Watching this noisy yet warm scene, Ryoma felt a momentary sense of déjà vu, as if he saw Fairy Tail.
Everyone there was also like this. Though they always squabbled, they had bonds deeper than family.
Ryoma accepted Lily's arrangement and temporarily stayed at the church.
He stood by the window, watching Yuno elegantly manipulating wind magic in the yard, while Asta did various bizarre physical training exercises nearby, constantly shouting slogans.
The grimoire awarding ceremony in a few days, perhaps... would be a turning point.