"The Gap of Time..."
"The Other Shore of Space..."
Ryoma repeatedly chewed on these words, trying to decipher useful information from these mystifying descriptions.
Most of the symbols in the booklet were completely new to him. This was a language even older than the scripts used in the books in the ancient archives.
But it wasn't entirely without gain. Some scattered patterns, some conceptual descriptions of magic flow, still subtly resonated with him.
Especially the pattern that was extremely similar to the texture on his silver-white grimoire, as if it were a core imprint.
Ryoma took out paper and pen and meticulously copied down every single character of the booklet's content.
Every symbol, every pattern, was carefully traced.
After completing all of this, he carefully tucked the inconspicuous booklet back into its original place.
Perhaps the Wizard King had intentionally left it there. Or perhaps he was merely curious, wanting to see what Ryoma would do.
Whichever it was, Ryoma had taken the bait.
He put away the copied papers and turned to leave the library.
Returning to the city streets, Ryoma stretched.
Researching ancient magic was delicate work, not something to rush. The immediate priority was to solve another practical problem.
Travel!
Before Space-Time Magic became reliable, he couldn't always rely on walking or just Finral's Spatial Magic.
A magic broom for every member of the Magic Knight Squad was almost standard. He seemed to need to get one himself.
Ryoma found this extravagant thought a bit amusing, then walked towards the commercial district.
The magic item shops in the capital were dazzling, with various models of magic brooms polished to a shine and neatly displayed on shelves.
"Boss, how much is this one?" Ryoma pointed to a black wooden broom that looked quite plain but had a very stable magic circuit.
"Oh! You have excellent taste, sir."
The shop owner was a shrewd middle-aged man.
"This is from the 'Windwalker' series, made of black ironwood. Both its stability and speed are top-notch. Seeing that you're a distinguished Magic Knight, I'll give you a discount, this much."
Ryoma looked at the fingers the boss held up and began to haggle expressionlessly. After a friendly negotiation, he finally acquired this new mode of transport at a satisfactory price.
At last, he wouldn't have to rely solely on Finral or borrowing others' brooms. But this thing really was expensive.
Ryoma walked out of the shop, carrying his newly bought broom, ready to find a secluded spot to try it out.
Just then—
"Stop right there! You scoundrel!" A furious roar sounded from nearby.
Ryoma looked in the direction of the sound, only to see a figure riding a peculiar cloud-like wind magic, rushing towards him at an incredibly fast speed.
The person seemed to be clutching a money bag tightly. Behind him, a familiar figure was rapidly leaping and chasing across the rooftops.
"Asta?" Ryoma raised an eyebrow.
It was indeed that guy.
So that means...
The thief using cloud magic, isn't he...
Ryoma's gaze fell on Vanessa, Noelle, and an old woman further behind the thief.
Ah, I get it.
The Wizard King, who enjoyed making incognito visits everywhere, was playing his role-playing game again. This time, Asta was the target.
"I won't let you get away!"
On the rooftop, Asta let out an angry roar.
He suddenly threw the black greatsword in his hand, which cut a sharp trajectory through the air.
The greatsword sliced through the cloud.
Buzz!
With a soft sound, the wind magic forming the cloud instantly dissipated, and the thief, losing his flight power, let out a scream and fell straight down from mid-air.
Very unfortunately, his landing spot was right in front of Ryoma.
Ryoma looked at the guy plummeting directly towards his face and shook his head helplessly.
He really knew how to pick a spot.
Ryoma didn't even bother to step back. He just gently raised one hand.
Crack—
Bone-chilling cold instantly erupted.
In mid-air, a shimmering layer of ice appeared out of nowhere, completely encasing the thief from head to toe with lightning speed.
The thief's terrified expression was perfectly frozen within the ice. He became a human ice sculpture, and with a thud, crashed onto the ground at Ryoma's feet.
The world became quiet.
Ryoma was about to withdraw his hand when a familiar, embarrassing laugh sounded from afar, growing closer.
"Fuhha!"
"A mere thief, I'll take care of him."
Ryoma's eye twitched, and he turned to look.
He saw Sekke, with a triumphant expression, driving his chariot created by bronze creation magic, charging over menacingly.
His target was clearly the thief who had already been frozen solid.
Is he... trying to steal credit?
And from him, no less?
Ryoma's expression became a little strange.
He watched the bronze chariot ramming over, not making any superfluous movements.
He just gently hooked his raised hand in Sekke's direction.
Crack! Crack!
On the ground, the ice layer that had only bound the thief suddenly surged. Several thick ice spikes shot up from the ground, instantly coiling around the wheels and body of the bronze chariot like giant pythons.
"What?!"
Sekke's smile instantly froze.
The bronze chariot let out a series of grating metallic screeches, then was firmly frozen in place, unable to move. Even Sekke himself had his lower body covered by a thin layer of ice, fixing him to the driver's seat.
"Hey! What are you doing! Let me go!" Sekke was both shocked and angry.
"Ryoma!"
At this moment, Asta and Noelle ran over.
Seeing the comical scene before them, Asta first froze, then scratched his head, running over somewhat awkwardly.
"Uh... Ryoma, I'm sorry, I caused you trouble."
He pointed at the frozen Sekke. "This guy wanted to help... probably."
"Help?"
Ryoma glanced at Sekke, who was still struggling in the ice.
"How come I think he looks like he wanted to crush him, ice and all?"
Asta laughed awkwardly. "Anyway, the person has been caught thanks to you, Ryoma."
Ryoma sighed and waved his hand.
The ice layer binding Sekke and the bronze chariot instantly turned into specks of light and dissipated into the air.
"Fuhha... You..."
Having regained his freedom, Sekke's face alternated between green and pale, but after looking at Ryoma and then at Asta carrying his greatsword nearby, he ultimately didn't dare to act out.
He glared fiercely at Ryoma, then grabbed the still-frozen thief from the ground and hoisted him onto his shoulder.
"I'll let it slide this time. I'll take the criminal to headquarters for reporting."
With that, he scurried away in disgrace.
"What a weirdo." Noelle muttered softly.
Ryoma was noncommittal.
He watched Asta and Noelle pick up the money bag and return it to the old woman.
"Grandma, your money bag. Be careful next time." Asta said.
"Thank you, Magic Knight sirs."
The old woman's voice was ancient, but Ryoma felt he could detect a hint of excitement in it.
Ryoma's gaze fell on the old woman.
This transformation magic... it was truly lifelike.
The aura, the magic power fluctuations, even the subtle body movements, were flawlessly imitated.
People in the Black Clover World generally had innate magic attributes, one attribute per person. It was almost impossible to use magic of other attributes.
Could this Wizard King be using some special magic item?
A hint of curiosity rose in Ryoma's heart.
After Asta, Noelle, and Vanessa bid farewell to the old woman, the four of them left together. Only the hunched figure remained.
The old woman watched their retreating figures and slowly straightened her back.
Golden light shimmered around her, her figure grew taller, and her clothes transformed into the magnificent Wizard King's cape.
In an instant, Julius returned to his original form.
"Magic nullification, huh? I've never seen this type of magic before." His face was brimming with a pure, fanatical smile, like a child's.
"Speaking of which, was that really magic?"
He spread his hand, as if savoring something. "One has a very special feeling of magic power within him and the other has a power that can nullify magic itself."
"Yami has taken in two interesting children."
Julius looked up at the clouds floating above the capital, the smile at the corner of his lips growing wider.
"Ryoma... Asta..."
"That's why I love going out in disguise."