Black Clover : Asta's Father

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[Before Richita's Death]

The warm sunlight filtered through the windows of their cozy home, bathing the room in a golden glow.

The sound of cheerful voices and light laughter filled the air as the family engaged in their favorite pastime—hide and seek.

"Alright, Asta, ready or not, here I come!" Nero's voice rang out, steady but carrying a playful tone he reserved only for his family.

Though his stoic nature rarely wavered, with Asta and Liebe, Nero made a conscious effort to echo the enthusiasm his own mother once had when playing with him as a child.

"Papa won't find me!" Asta declared, his small body disappearing behind the storage chest in the corner.

Nero's gaze flickered to the chest, but he played along, pretending not to notice.

His dark eyes scanned the room, lingering on Liebe, who stood nearby with his arms crossed.

The devil boy was dressed in clothes Nero had crafted specifically for him—a simple tunic and pants that actually fit his slender frame—Liebe stood with an air of quiet confidence.

Liebe's crimson eyes gleamed with amusement as he leaned casually against the wall. "You're terrible at this, Asta," he said, loud enough for the younger boy to hear.

"Am not!" Asta shouted from his hiding spot, quickly clamping a hand over his mouth when he realized he'd given himself away.

Richita, sitting nearby with a basket of sewing, chuckled as she watched the scene unfold.

Her emerald eyes shone with warmth as she looked at her three boys. "Liebe, you shouldn't tease your brother," she said, her tone playful.

Liebe shrugged, his small wings twitching slightly out of habit. "I'm not teasing, Mama. I'm just stating facts."

Richita smiled softly. Though it had taken Liebe time to warm up to her, hearing him call her "Mama" never failed to melt her heart.

Nero crouched down and peered under the table, feigning a thorough search. "Hmm, no Asta here… Maybe he's outside?"

"Nooo! Don't look outside, Papa!" Asta's voice rang out in panic, followed by the sound of him scrambling to another hiding spot.

Liebe snorted, his sharp teeth flashing in a grin. "He's making it way too easy for you."

"Perhaps," Nero replied, standing up and stretching his back with exaggerated effort. "But it's about the fun, not the challenge."

Liebe tilted his head, his expression thoughtful. "Fun, huh? I… guess I'm starting to get it."

Nero placed a hand on Liebe's shoulder briefly, a small but meaningful gesture. "Good. Now, how about you help me catch your brother?"

Liebe's eyes sparkled mischievously as he pushed off the wall. "You're on."

Asta, meanwhile, had wedged himself behind the curtains, peeking out just enough to watch his father and brother.

His spiky hair was barely concealed, and his wide grin betrayed his excitement.

Liebe pointed toward the curtains with a smirk. "I think I found him, old man."

"Don't you dare!" Asta yelled, leaping out from his hiding spot.

Nero reacted quickly, sweeping Asta up into his arms as the boy tried to dash past him. "Caught you," Nero said, his voice calm but laced with affection.

Asta wriggled in his father's arms, laughing uncontrollably. "No fair! Liebe cheated!"

"Did not," Liebe said, crossing his arms. "You're just bad at hiding."

Richita set her sewing aside and approached them, placing her hands on her hips. "Alright, boys, play nice. How about we take a break for snacks?"

"Yes, Mama!" Asta exclaimed, his face lighting up.

Liebe hesitated for a moment before nodding. "I wouldn't say no to food."

As Richita walked toward the kitchen to prepare some snacks, Nero set Asta down and turned to Liebe. "You're settling in well," he said, his voice soft.

Liebe looked away, his cheeks tinged with the faintest blush. "It's… not bad here. Better than back there...."

"You're not alone anymore," Nero said firmly. "This is your home, and we're your family."

Liebe glanced at Nero, then at Asta, who was tugging on his arm to join him at the table.

A small smile crept onto Liebe's face as he allowed himself to be pulled along.

Richita returned with a tray of freshly baked bread and fruit, setting it down in front of the boys. "Here you go. Eat up, and then you can play another round."

As the family gathered around the table, their laughter and chatter filled the room once more.

For Liebe, who had spent so long feeling like an outcast, this small, simple moment was nothing short of extraordinary.

He had found a place where he truly belonged, and for Nero and Richita, nothing was more important than giving both their sons—human and devil alike—a life full of love and joy.

---

Darkness enveloped Liebe as he stirred from what felt like a dream.

His small body was curled within the confines of the five-leaf clover grimoire, a safe haven—his only refuge now.

His chest heaved, and his crimson eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the faint glow of magic that illuminated the grimoire's depths.

It wasn't real.

The warmth of that home, the laughter of Asta, Nero's steady guidance, and Richita's loving embrace—it was gone.

The brutal reality returned like a dagger to his heart.

Liebe sat upright, his hand brushing against the fabric of the tiny shirt Nero had made for him—a reminder of the life they'd shared.

A life he had never believed he could have, and now, a life stolen from him.

Memories surged forward, sharp and vivid.

He remembered the devil that had come for him, its eyes alight with malice as it descended upon their home.

The look of determination in Richita's eyes as she fought, pouring every ounce of her strength into protecting him.

Her final, desperate act.

Liebe's fists clenched tightly, his nails biting into his palms. "Why?" he whispered, his voice trembling with grief. "Why couldn't I stop it?"

His mind replayed the horrific scene: Richita, battered and bloodied, her hands shaking as she pulled him close.

"I can't let him take you, Liebe," she had said, her voice faltering yet filled with fierce determination. "This grimoire... it'll keep you safe. It's the only way."

He had protested, his small hands clutching at her clothes, begging her to stop. "No, Mama! Don't do this! Don't leave me!"

But she had smiled, even as her life drained away. "You're my son. I'll always protect you."

Liebe squeezed his eyes shut as tears streamed down his cheeks.

He could still feel the warmth of her embrace, the way she had kissed his forehead before placing him inside the grimoire.

The magic had sealed him away, her final act of love.

But the nightmare wasn't over.

He remembered the devil turning its attention to Asta, the boy trembling in fear as he stared at their mother's lifeless body.

He had lunged for him, claws poised to end his life.

And then...

Asta's body had convulsed, veins glowing with an unnatural blue light that pulsed with overwhelming power.

The devil's claws struck him but didn't pierce his skin.

Instead, a shockwave erupted from Asta, shattering the creature's arm like brittle wood.

[Refrence]

The devil had howled in agony, retreating in disbelief.

The sight of Asta unconscious on the floor, his tiny form radiating an aura of untapped power, was seared into Liebe's memory.

"I couldn't protect her…" Liebe muttered, his voice cracking. "But she protected me...."

His heart twisted with guilt and anger.

He hadn't been strong enough to save Richita, and now she was gone.

She died because of me.

"This is my fault!" he shouted. "If I hadn't been there, if I wasn't born, she'd still be alive!"

His small body shook with rage and sorrow.

He thought of Nero, who had always been so calm, so steadfast. If Nero had been there, things might have been different.

If only....

Liebe buried his face in his hands, his voice breaking as he whispered, "I tore it apart… our family… our home."

Even after years it still hurt more than ever...

The anger in his chest boiled over, directed at the devil who had taken everything from him, at the world that had allowed such cruelty, and at himself for being the catalyst of their pain.

But even amidst his fury, there was a flicker of something else—resolve.

Richita's last words echoed in his mind. "You're my son. I'll always protect you."

"I'll protect him," Liebe whispered, his trembling voice steadying. "No matter what, I'll protect Asta. For her... for us."

Wiping his tears, he clenched his fists, a spark of determination igniting within him.

"They'll pay," he said softly, his voice growing darker. "Every last devil, every force that destroyed our home... I'll destroy them all."

Isn't that what you said that time Father ?

---

The chamber was cold and dark, save for the faint glow radiating from the crystal at its center.

Inside it rested Richita, her peaceful visage preserved perfectly in time.

Nero stood before the crystal, silent and imposing.

His robe hung loosely from his shoulders, exposing his toned abdomen and chest.

In the center of his chest, nestled where his heart should be, a glowing orb pulsed softly with power.

The Hōgyoku.

It was a recent creation, a culmination of countless experiments and ceaseless ingenuity.

Nero had developed it as both a weapon and a solution—a means to achieve what had eluded him for so long.

Revenge.

Total, indiscriminate revenge.

His hand brushed against the smooth surface of the crystal, his movements almost absent-minded.

This wasn't grief—not anymore.

That raw, unrelenting pain had burned itself into something colder, sharper.

Revenge.

"They all have to die," Nero muttered, his voice a low growl.

His gaze bore into the crystal, his eyes distant yet focused.

The devils.

Those parasitic abominations had taken everything from him.

Richita.

The life they could have had.

A future.

They had stolen it all, and Nero had no intentions of letting them get away with it.

The Hōgyoku pulsed in his chest, as if resonating with his thoughts.

It was far from complete, lacking fuelbut its functions were complete.

The devils were strong, cunning, and deeply entrenched in this cursed world—but the Hōgyoku was the key to erasing them.

Permanently.

He stepped back, crossing his arms as his mind churned with plans.

Yhwach's very essence within him would form the foundation of the New world Nero would recreate.

Not for salvation. Not for justice.

For himself.

"This world is broken," he said coldly, his voice echoing through the chamber. "Its foundations are rotted, its people blind and weak. "

His eyes burned a bright red as he turned to the crystal again. "But if needed I'll burn it to the ground. "

"Every last piece of it. And from its ashes, I'll build something new. A world on my terms. A world where they no longer exist."

The devils and their cause of existence would be eradicated, their entire race wiped from existence.

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Doom music Intensifies

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