Reborn as Asta

The chaos had only just begun. The moment Vanessa finished stitching the Black Bulls insignia onto my jacket sleeve, the squad's eccentric personalities went into overdrive. Magna and Luck immediately began arguing about who got to "break in" the rookie, while Charmy stuffed her face with food off to the side, oblivious to the commotion.

"Alright, settle down," Yami said, though his tone was far from commanding. He flopped into a chair, pulling out a cigarette. "I'm too tired to deal with you idiots. Magna, give the kid the grand tour."

"On it, Captain!" Magna said, clapping me on the back with enough force to nearly knock me over. "Alright, rookie, time to meet the rest of the crew!"

Magna led me through the base, a surprisingly large and chaotic place with walls adorned by trophies, scorch marks, and evidence of all kinds of mischief. The first person he introduced me to was Charmy, who was happily munching on a massive plate of food.

"Hey, new guy," Charmy said through a mouthful of bread, barely looking up. "You like food?"

" Yeah" I replied,"I'm a pretty good cook myself."

Charmy's eyes lit up, her fork freezing midair. "Wait, you cook?"

"Yeah," I said, smiling. "I used to cook all the time back home. Stews, roasts, pastries—you name it."

Charmy gasped, setting her plate down for the first time since I'd seen her. "Okay, we're officially best friends now! What's your specialty? Can you bake soufflés? Have you ever made a seven-layer cake? Oh! Do you know how to make a perfect herb-crusted roast?"

I chuckled at her sudden enthusiasm. "Herb-crusted roast? Easy. The trick is marinating the meat overnight and getting the crust just right before roasting. And soufflés? Not as hard as people think—you just need the perfect timing with the eggs."

Charmy leaned forward, her eyes practically sparkling. "Timing with the eggs? This is revolutionary! Tell me more!"

Before I could reply, Magna groaned, stepping between us. "Okay, okay, we get it. You both love food. Can we move on before I starve to death listening to this?"

Charmy glared at him, clutching her plate protectively. "Food talk is sacred! Interrupt us again, and you're going hungry for a week."

Magna rolled his eyes and turned back to me. "Let's go, rookie. If I let you two keep talking, we'll be here until tomorrow."

"Alright, alright," I said, laughing as Charmy gave me a thumbs-up before returning to her plate.

As Magna dragged me away, I couldn't help but smile. Charmy might've been obsessed with food, but she had an energy that was oddly infectious.

Next was Grey, who—much to my surprise—was a hulking figure hiding behind a cloud of smoke. Magna explained that Grey's true form was much smaller and shy but didn't elaborate further.

"Grey's... interesting," Magna said with a shrug before leading me to the next room.

Luck popped in again, grinning from ear to ear. "Don't forget about me! We'll spar soon, Asta! You're gonna love it!"

Vanessa leaned against a wall nearby, raising her glass in a mock toast. "Ignore Luck; he's like a puppy that's been shocked one too many times. Welcome to the madhouse, Asta."

The introductions continued with Gauche, who glared at me and mumbled something about his sister, and Finral, who immediately started hitting on Vanessa despite her obvious disinterest.

The moment I started to feel at home in the Black Bulls' chaotic base, the energy in the room shifted. The door slammed open, and in strode a girl with silver hair and a regal air that screamed, I'm better than all of you. She looked around the room like it offended her just by existing.

Her sharp gaze landed on me, and she sneered. "Who's this commoner? Another one of Captain Yami's ridiculous charity cases?"

I raised an eyebrow, leaning back against the wall casually. "You must be Noelle Silva," I said, smirking. "The one who's too good to sit with the rest of us mere mortals, huh?"

Her eyes narrowed, and she turned her nose up, ignoring me completely. "Why does this squad insist on dragging the Black Bulls' reputation through the mud with riffraff like you?"

"Riffraff?" I asked, feigning offense as I placed a hand on my chest. "Come on, that's harsh. At least pretend to give me a chance before you judge me."

She sniffed, turning sharply on her heel. "I don't waste time on nobodies."

"Good," I shot back, crossing my arms. "That means I won't have to worry about your opinion while I'm stealing the spotlight."

That made her pause mid-step, her shoulders stiffening. She glanced back at me, her expression unreadable, before she stormed out without another word.

Vanessa chuckled, swirling her wine. "Don't let her get to you. Noelle's... complicated. She's got a lot on her plate."

Later that day, I decided to explore the grounds a bit. The base was a maze of hallways and mismatched rooms, but it was the forest nearby that caught my attention. As I wandered through the trees, I heard the sound of rushing water and frustrated shouting.

Following the noise, I found Noelle standing alone in a clearing. Her back was to me, her hands trembling as she tried to summon her magic. Water swirled around her, chaotic and wild, before splashing to the ground in an unceremonious puddle.

"Damn it!" she hissed, stomping her foot.

"Having a rough day, Princess?" I called out, leaning casually against a nearby tree.

She whipped around, her face flushing with anger. "What are you doing here? Spying on me so you can mock me later?"

"Mock you?" I asked, walking closer. "Nah, I've got better things to do. Like figuring out why someone so confident in her bloodline can't control a little puddle."

Her jaw dropped, and for a moment, she looked ready to throw the water at me. Instead, she crossed her arms and glared. "What would you know about it? You're just a commoner. You can't possibly understand magic like mine."

"Maybe not," I said, smirking, "but I do know about working with what you've got. Magic or not, if you can't control your power, you're just wasting potential. Want me to help, or are you too proud to accept it?"

She stared at me, her pride clearly warring with her frustration. Finally, she huffed. "Fine. But don't think this means I need your help."

"Sure, sure," I said, waving her off. "Let's see what you've got."

Over the next hour, we worked on her control. Or rather, I teased her while she struggled with the basics.

"Focus, Princess," I said, dodging a stray jet of water. "Unless you're trying to water the whole forest?"

"Stop calling me that!" she snapped, her face red with frustration. "And I am focusing!"

"Doesn't look like it," I said, crossing my arms. "You're trying too hard to force it. Magic isn't something you beat into submission. Let it flow, like... well, like water."

Her glare softened slightly as she considered my words. With a deep breath, she tried again, this time letting the water move more naturally. It formed a soft wave, rippling gently before dissipating.

"There you go!" I said, grinning. "See? You've got it in you. You just need someone as awesome as me to bring it out."

"Don't get cocky," she muttered, though there was the faintest hint of a smile on her lips.

After a few more attempts, she was starting to get the hang of it. The water formed small, controlled orbs, floating in the air like shimmering jewels.

"That's progress, Princess," I said, leaning against a tree. "Guess I'm not such a bad teacher after all."

Noelle rolled her eyes, but there was no hiding her pride in the improvement. "You're... tolerable," she admitted begrudgingly. "But don't think I'll rely on you forever."

By the time we returned to the base, Noelle had regained her usual haughty demeanor, though I noticed her head was held a little higher.

"Don't think this changes anything," she said as we reached the main hall. "You're still an annoying, loud commoner."

"Right back at you, Princess," I said, smirking. "But hey, if you ever need a magic coach, you know where to find me."

She turned away, but not before I caught the smallest flicker of a smile.