Black Clover: The Anti-Magic Knight

Chapter 38: Beast vs Devil

At the entrance of the room, everyone conscious turned to see Asta standing there with the just summoned back Demon Slayer in his hands. "Way to make an entrance kid" said Yami as he started to smirk. "I guess it seems the mages I sent to distract you were not enough" said Vetto with a smirk as he picked up his gauntlet and putting it on his newly regrown limb, "however, it won't stop me from killing your friends!". Vetto then appeared in front of Noelle, about to kill her in a single punch. But before the punch could make contact, Asta was already in front of Noelle and blocked the punch with the flat side of Demon Slayer. Asta then pulled out his long sword and went for a slash that caused Vetto to jump back. "Noelle, get everyone out of the way, I'll handle Vetto" said Asta before turning around and smiling, "I saw that move you used, I told you that you're amazing". Asta then turned to the direction of the entrance of the cave, "come on out Finral! I know that you're hiding!". Finral's head then popped out from the side of the cave, signaling Asta to continue, "if I can't beat Vetto, I need you to get everyone to safety and try and free Captain Yami, he's the only other person who can fight this guy". "R-Right you got it" replied Finral.

Asta then looked around the room to see all the damage Vetto had done to his friends. 'Luck ...Magna' thought Asta as he saw his friends on the ground before turning to see the crippled Kahono and Kiato, 'Kahono....Kiato'. Asta gripped his blades tightly while glaring at Vetto as he activated Black Cloak in a burst of anti-magic, "I'm gonna make you pay for what you did to them!". Vetto's grin started to widen at Asta's words, "I've been looking forward to this! It's time I made you pay for stabbing me through the arm!". "I'm guessing that's why you're wearing those fancy little gauntlets" said Asta as pointed his sword at Vetto's arms, "scared I'm gonna put another whole in your arm?". "Scared is not the word I would use" said Vetto as he brought his arm up, "I had these gauntlets made to combat yours and Yami Sukehiro's blades. They are made with some of the strongest metals in the kingdom, your blades will not have the power to break them". "I guess we'll see about that" said Asta before putting Demon Slayer back into his grimoire, 'Demon Slayer is too heavy to fight at the speed I need to fight Vetto, hopefully one sword will be enough'.

"Indeed we will" said Vetto before charging at Asta. Mirroring his opponent, Asta charged at Vetto and went for a slash that Vetto blocked with his forearm. Vetto then went for a jab while Asta leaned to the side to avoid before going to a slash at Vetto's side. Vetto then quickly jumped back to avoid the slash before immediately dashing forward. Vetto then went for a punch that Asta blocked with his blade.

While Noelle and Finral were bringing the injured to a far corner of the room, they turned around to only be able to see the two moving as blurs. "Wow, look at them go" said Finral before turning to Noelle, "do you think he can win?". "I know he can" said Noelle, "he's been training ever since the last fight at the cave for this moment". "I sure hope you're right" replied Finral as the two continued to move towards the corner.

"I'm impressed, boy. You fight with this much spirit even with the outcome of our last battle" said Vetto as he sent a flurry of punches that Asta blacked with his blade. Then like a blur, Vetto then moved to the side in an attempt to land an uppercut but was stopped when Asta slammed his sword down on top of Vetto's arm. "What drives you to keep fighting even though you know the outcome!?" shouted Vetto as he threw a heavy punch that Asta barely blocked. Asta then went for an upward slash that caused Vetto to jump into the air to avoid it.

While in the air, Vetto sent a weaker version of the blast he sent at Noelle towards Asta. In response, Asta quickly slashed it in half. Vetto then sent two more blasts in rapid succession, which Asta was barely able to nullify. 'His long range attacks are faster than mine' thought Asta as Vetto landed on the ground, 'if we fight at a distance like this, I'll lose for sure'. Within a blink of an eye, Asta vanished before instantly reappearing in front of Vetto, ready for an upward slash. 'Close range it is then!', Asta instantly went for his slash which Vetto sidestepped with a grin on his face. Asta and Vetto then began to release a flurry of attacks on each other, Asta blocking Vetto's attacks with his sword and Vetto using his gauntlets to defend from Asta's slashes. "Tell me, Brat!" shouted Vetto while continuing to attack and defend, "why do you keep fighting against the inevitable!? You know you can't defeat me!". "Because if I don't, all of my friends' sacrifices will mean nothing!" replied Asta while managing to push Vetto back with his blade, "that's why I won't stop till I defeat you!".