Asta woke up before dawn, as usual.
The Black Bulls' hideout was quiet—shockingly quiet—though he could still hear the faint snoring echo from somewhere deep inside the wooden maze of hallways. The building creaked as a breeze pushed against its crooked structure. It was a hideout that nobody in their right mind would call stable… but to Asta, it was home.
He rolled off his futon, stretched his arms high above his head, and grinned.
"Alright! Morning training!"
His voice bounced off the walls, and a few muffled groans answered back.
"Shut up, kid…" came Magna's half-asleep voice from the next room.
"Why are you awake…?" Gauche mumbled, sounding like he'd just been stabbed with sunlight itself.
Asta only grinned harder. "Because I have to get stronger! Banquet or not, a Magic Knight can't slack off!"
He grabbed his Demon-Slayer Sword, slung it over his back, and jogged out the front doors into the early morning cold. The sky was still pale blue, the sun barely waking up. Dew clung to the grass and the smell of morning mist filled the air.
Asta took a deep breath.
Today felt like it was going to be a good day.
He started with stretching, then went straight into sword swings.
Wide arcs, controlled breaths, feeling the weight of the sword as if it were an extension of his own body. He swung until sweat dripped off his chin and his muscles burned.
Then came push-ups… with the sword on his back.
"Two hundred… two hundred-one… two hundred-two!"
Asta wasn't sure if this was actually helping, but it felt like it was.
He moved on to running laps around the hideout—dodging booby traps, jumping through broken staircases, and sprinting across the unstable roof like it was a playground.
Somewhere during his third lap, he noticed Noelle peeking out from a window, watching him with a huff.
"You're still training? We have chores to do today!" she said, trying to sound annoyed.
"Training first! Chores second! And the banquet is coming up—I gotta look my absolute best!"
Noelle's face reddened slightly. "B-Banquet? Don't say weird things with that serious face!"
Asta blinked. "Huh? I just meant we should show the capital that we're strong!"
She slammed the window shut.
Asta shrugged and went back to running.
By the time Asta finished his morning routine, the rest of the squad had started dragging themselves out of bed.
Finral floated down the stairs yawning. "Morn— oh… Asta, why are you already sweating like you ran across three kingdoms?"
"I only ran around the hideout!"
"Only…?" Finral rubbed his temple. "I wish I had even one percent of your motivation."
Charmy wandered past him, half-asleep, carrying a basket of ingredients. "Food… must cook breakfast… sheep chefs, assemble…!"
Asta waved. "Morning Charmy!"
"Food is life, Asta…" she mumbled before entering the kitchen, where miniature sheep immediately started jumping around and preparing to cook.
A loud explosion shook the entire first floor.
"MAGUUUUNAA! STOP DOING THAT SO EARLY IN THE MORNING!" Luck's voice cracked through the walls, filled with delighted excitement.
Asta sighed.
"Guess the house is awake now."
Noelle had assigned chores for everyone today—partly because Captain Yami told her to "keep these idiots from making the hideout collapse again."
Asta's job? Sweeping the front yard.
He did it happily.
But sweeping in the Black Bulls meant dodging:
• Luck trying to zap Magna
• Magna throwing fireballs back
• Gordon silently appearing behind people
• Henry accidentally absorbing mana
• Grey panicking every time anyone looked at her
• Finral teleporting away from Noelle's nagging
• Charmy summoning sheep to steal laundry
Asta had to dodge a fight, a lightning bolt, two fireballs, and a runaway sheep… all while sweeping.
But he still finished his part.
"Good work," Noelle said reluctantly, checking the area.
Asta puffed his chest proudly. "Of course! I put my all into everything!"
"Yes, obviously…" Noelle muttered, looking away so he wouldn't see her small smile.
By late morning the hideout was filled with chatter.
Asta could feel the excitement buzzing around like static.
"Did you hear?" Finral said dramatically, leaning over a table. "The royal capital is hosting a banquet for the squads!"
"For real?" Magna asked, eyes widening. "Do peasants even get allowed inside?"
"Barely," Finral laughed.
"Oooh~ A banquet!" Charmy's eyes sparkled. "Unlimited food! They better have meat! And cake! And pudding! And cake inside pudding!"
"No one cares about food first, Charmy…" Noelle huffed.
Asta raised his hand. "I care about food."
Noelle looked betrayed. "You too?!"
Luck leaned over the table. "I just wanna see if any nobles there are strong. If I punch one, do you think they'll kick us out?"
"Yes," Finral said instantly.
Asta felt excitement growing in his chest too.
A banquet… in the royal capital.
His first real one as a Magic Knight.
He gripped his sword handle a little tighter.
"I'm going to make sure I represent the Black Bulls properly," he said firmly. "Even if everyone thinks we're the worst squad… I'll show them we're not!"
Everyone stared at him for a moment.
Then Magna crossed his arms and smirked. "Well said, kid. Not bad."
Luck grinned. "Asta getting fired up is my favorite version of Asta!"
Charmy cheered. "Let's go cause chaos! I mean… eat!"
Gordon whispered something nobody could hear.
Even Noelle nodded—trying very hard not to look like she agreed too enthusiastically.
"…The banquet is formal. Don't embarrass yourself."
Asta nodded strongly. "Of course! I'll be on my best behavior."
Everyone in the room gave him the exact same look.
"…We're doomed," Finral sighed.
Later in the afternoon, Asta settled outside, polishing his swords and double-checking their edges. The sun was warm on his face, the wind brushing through the grass.
He felt… proud.
The hideout was loud, chaotic, unpredictable, and full of complete weirdos. But it was his squad.
His home.
And tomorrow, they'd go to the capital together—not as outcasts, but as Magic Knights who had earned their place.
He tightened his grip on his sword.
"I'm gonna keep getting stronger," he whispered to himself. "For the squad… for my friends… and for my dream."
The wind rustled softly, like it agreed.
Asta grinned again.
"Tomorrow's gonna be great."