Black clover: celestial king

The Clover Kingdom's Grimoire Acceptance Ceremony was an event that marked a mage's first step toward their destiny. At the age of fifteen, aspiring mages would gather at the Grimoire Tower and receive their personal spellbook, the foundation of their future.

Elios Solhart was not supposed to be here.

At fourteen years old, he stood among a crowd of teenagers, the youngest in the room by far.

While others fidgeted with anticipation, Elios adjusted his sleeves and stared up at the floating Grimoires. His expression wasn't excitement or nerves—it was curiosity.

---

I'll be honest—I still don't know why I was allowed to get my Grimoire early.

The official letter said, "Due to special magical circumstances, you are eligible to receive your Grimoire one year ahead of schedule."

Special magical circumstances?

Did they mean the fact that my magic changes every few hours? Or the part where I once accidentally blinded my father while testing my Noon Phase?

Whatever the case, I was here now.

I wasn't nervous. Just... interested.

---

Inside the Grimoire Tower

The floating bookshelves of the tower stretched impossibly high, stacked with countless Grimoires. Each one waited for the right mage to claim it.

The Grimoire Keeper, an elderly man with deep wrinkles, raised his hand.

"The time has come," he announced. "The Grimoires shall choose their wielders."

I watched as books began drifting down, landing in the hands of their owners. Some kids let out excited gasps. Others clutched their Grimoires like they were holy relics.

Then… the room dimmed slightly.

I felt something shift in the air.

From the highest shelf, a single large Grimoire detached itself.

Unlike the others, its cover was a deep obsidian, yet streaked with shifting hues of gold, silver, and violet—like a moving sky. The moment it began floating toward me, a faint hum resonated through the room.

The Grimoire landed softly in my hands.

And the second I touched it—

A warm pulse of energy shot through my body.

---

…Whoa.

It wasn't painful. It wasn't overwhelming. It was just... right.

Like a puzzle piece finally clicking into place.

I ran my fingers over the cover, watching the light shift like the phases of the sun. Then, slowly, I opened it.

The first page glowed, letters forming in flowing script:

[Dawn's Invocation] – A spell that amplifies one's magic for a brief period, accelerating natural growth and recovery.

A growth-type spell?

That was unexpected. Most people wanted their first spell to be something flashy—fireballs, ice spears, big attacks.

Mine... made things stronger over time.

I didn't mind. Power wasn't always about destruction.

Before I could read further, something unexpected happened.

The Grimoire Keeper let out a small noise.

I looked up.

The entire room was staring at me.

---

It wasn't just that Elios' Grimoire looked unusual. It was that the very air around him had changed.

Some of the students shifted uncomfortably. Others whispered amongst themselves.

"Did you feel that?" one murmured.

"That kid's magic… it's different."

The Grimoire Keeper, who had presided over these ceremonies for decades, cleared his throat. "It appears the tower has acknowledged an exceptional affinity…" He studied Elios for a moment before nodding. "A rare phenomenon, indeed."

Elios, meanwhile, was still skimming his pages.

His mind raced—not with nerves, but with possibilities.

If this was just the first spell, then what else could his Grimoire do?

---

After the ceremony, I left the tower, my new Grimoire tucked under my arm.

I hadn't even gotten halfway home before I heard footsteps behind me.

I sighed. "You're not very subtle, you know."

The footsteps stopped. Then, after a brief pause, someone stepped out from the shadows of a nearby alleyway.

It was a man in his mid-thirties, wearing a dark coat. His stance was relaxed, but his eyes were sharp. Too sharp.

"That was an interesting Grimoire you got back there, kid," he said. "Never seen anything like it before."

I raised an eyebrow. "And you are…?"

"Just someone who appreciates rare magic." He tilted his head. "Mind if I take a look?"

I tightened my grip on my book. "Yeah. I do mind."

The man sighed, shaking his head. "Kids these days. No respect."

Then, without warning, he flicked his wrist.

A thin bolt of dark energy shot toward me.

I reacted instinctively—raising my hand as my Grimoire flipped open on its own.

A spell ignited on the page.

[Dusk Reversal] – Absorb incoming energy and redirect it in altered form.

A golden glow enveloped my palm, and the dark energy halted midair, shifting into a faint pulse of light before dissolving entirely.

The man blinked. "Huh."

I met his gaze. "That was rude."

He let out a short chuckle. "Not bad. You're quicker than I thought." Then, to my surprise, he turned away. "No need to be so tense, kid. I just wanted to confirm something."

I didn't lower my guard. "And that is?"

The man glanced back, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Whether you'll be a problem in the future."

With that, he disappeared down the street, vanishing into the evening crowd.

I watched him go, my mind buzzing with questions.

Who was that guy? And what did he mean by 'problem'?

More importantly—

I glanced at my Grimoire.

I had a feeling my magic had just drawn the wrong kind of attention.