BLACK CLOVER:The singularity mage

Location: Yultim Volcano Trail – Vermillion Training Grounds

The searing heat of Yultim Volcano warped the air. Lava bubbles hissed in the distance. Birds avoided this place, knowing that no ordinary being belonged here.

Yet standing at the cliff's edge, drenched in sunlight, stood two figures.

Mereoleona Vermillion, the Lioness of the Crimson Blaze. Grim Aragon, the boy of monstrous talent.

His golden hair gleamed like sunfire, eyes sharp and confident. He stood with the relaxed posture of someone who knew how terrifying he could become—and wasn't afraid of anyone in the room.

"Are you ready, cub?" she growled, crossing her arms. "The nun made you calm. Now, I'll make you burn."

Grim smirked, one hand resting on his hip. "Try not to fall for me when I win."

Mereoleona blinked, then burst into laughter. "Cocky little thing! Good. Let's see if that attitude survives the flames."

---

Inside Grim's Mind – Masked Confidence

"I'm bluffing. Again."

"Smile. Speak smooth. Pretend like you own the battlefield. They expect a prodigy, so give them one."

"But deep down? I'm just afraid… If I stop pretending, the memories will break me. That seed… that pain… I can feel it scratching beneath the surface."

"Still… I have to act. If I don't wear this mask… no one will believe in me. Not them. Not Mereoleona. Not Noelle. Not Nebra. Not even myself."

He breathes in. One second. He exhales.

The smirk returns.

"Let's not drag it out. I've got tea with Julius later."

---

Trial by Fire: Training Begins

Mereoleona lunged forward, her fist shattering the ground behind her with the sheer pressure of her mana.

Grim vanished—boosting his legs with mana reinforcement.

BOOM!

A fist missed his cheek by a hair.

He twisted mid-air, landed, and countered with a basic strike.

Mereoleona blocked it with her forearm, grinning.

"Hoh? You've got rhythm. Let's raise the tempo!"

She erupted in flame—Hellfire Incineration Armor cloaked her body.

Grim gave a theatrical stretch. "Let's not drag it out. I've got tea with Julius later."

He raised his hand.

"Singularity Magic: Lotus Veil of Samsara."

Light and mana spiraled from his palm. A radiant lotus formed beneath his feet—glowing with calming energy.

Rather than explode outward, the spell's effect dampened Mereoleona's flames within a five-meter radius, slowing the flow of mana and absorbing raw energy.

> "This... isn't offensive magic," she thought, stepping into the veil. "It's defensive? No... it's something more."

Grim whispered, "It absorbs chaos and tempers it. Like how Teresa taught me: 'Power must be contained before it's released.'"

---

The Turning Tide

Mereoleona smirked wildly. "HAH! I love it! A cub that counters fire with calm! But don't think that'll be enough!"

She burst through the lotus field with sheer will, fists igniting again.

Grim jumped back—his battle instinct activating. Time slowed for him.

He predicted her next six punches—sidestepped, ducked, reinforced his foot and launched a spinning kick into her side.

It connected—but only moved her a step.

"Not bad, cub!" She grinned. "But what'll you do against this?!"

She spread her arms wide, unleashing a spiral of fire:

"Crimson Dragon's Devouring Howl!"

The flames screamed toward him.

Grim yawned mid-motion. "Big move. Loud. Flashy. Very 'Captain.'"

He summoned the Lotus Veil again—this time expanding it. The radiant petals spun outward, slowing the flames, bending them into spirals before they dissipated harmlessly.

Even Mereoleona's eyes widened.

> "He... redirected my spell without extinguishing it. A spell that turns force into flow. It's not power—it's mastery."

---

Character Growth – The Flame Within

Grim's chest rose and fell. Sweat dripped from his brow, but his mana stayed steady.

"Why aren't you going all out?" Mereoleona asked suddenly.

He looked up at her.

She continued, "You've got raw power. Battle instinct. Talent. But you're holding something back. You're afraid... of something."

Grim's eyes narrowed.

"She sees through it. Dammit."

"Is it the past? The pain? You carry something heavy, boy. But if you let it chain you, you'll never fly."

Grim tilted his head, smiling wryly. "You're not wrong. But maybe I'm just scared of how easily I could stop holding back."

Mereoleona sat beside him, dropping the aura of a warrior. "Then learn to wield it, not fear it. Power isn't evil. It's intent that matters."

She glanced sideways. "You remind me of my little brother—Fuegolion. And a bit of myself too. But your light... it's different. It's old."

He blinked. "Old?"

She ruffled his golden hair. "Like someone who's burned before. And survived."

He didn't answer. But he smirked.

---

Sweet Moment – Lioness and the Cub

Later that evening, the fire died down. They sat near the edge of the crater, watching lava glow in the dark.

Grim held a roasted mushroom she gave him.

"I burned it," he said.

"You'll eat it anyway," she snorted.

He laughed. A soft, real laugh.

She raised an eyebrow.

"...You don't laugh much, do you?"

He looked up. "Not often. But... you're kind of fun to mess with."

She gave him a dangerous smile. "Tread carefully, cub."

He winked. "No promises."