Chapter 88: Strange Beach Episode (End)

[Third Person's PoV] 

Everyone stood by a volleyball net on the beach, ready for a game they had decided to play to pass the time while waiting for the night of the full moon.

Stephen, Asta, Wanda, Kahono, and Vanessa were on one side, while Magna, Luck, Noelle, Charmy, and Finral made up the opposing team. Gray had taken on the role of referee, transforming herself to look like Stephen. Gauche, uninterested in the game, refused to join in, preferring to admire a picture of his sister.

After a coin flip, it was decided that Magna's team would serve first. Magna stepped forward, tossing the volleyball into the air. "OOOH YEAHHHH!" he shouted as he leapt up, sending the ball sailing over the net.

"I got it!" Vanessa called, setting the ball perfectly for Kahono, who jumped and spiked it over the net.

Finral, Luck, and Noelle all leapt to block it. Asta dived into the sand, hitting the ball back into play. "NOT ON MY WATCH!" he shouted.

Wanda quickly joined in, her arms forming a platform to send the ball back over the net. Noelle intercepted it, setting the ball high into the air. Luck crouched, grinning wildly, before springing up and slamming the ball down with a powerful spike.

Vanessa, Asta, and Kahono all jumped to block, but Asta's short stature left him just shy of the ball. "I'M TOO SHORT!" he yelled.

"I got it!" Stephen exclaimed, crouching low and managing to save the ball, sending it toward Vanessa for another setup.

Vanessa executed a perfect set. Kahono jumped up again, shouting, "I got it!" But she faked the move, swinging her arm dramatically as the ball sailed past her. "Kidding~" she said, sticking out her tongue playfully.

Stephen, rushing forward, jumped just as the ball reached him and spiked it hard. Finral, Noelle, and Magna tried to block it, but Stephen's spike was too strong, grazing Noelle's fingertips before flying off to the side.

"I got it! I got it!" Charmy cried as she dived dramatically out of bounds. "I GOOOT ITTTT!!" Despite her effort, her arms and figure were too small, and the ball landed just ahead of her, securing a point for Stephen's team. Gray blew the whistle and signaled the point for Stephen's side.

"NOOOOOO! MY STUBBY LIMBS BETRAYED ME!" Charmy wailed, pounding the sand.

"WOOOOAH! That's one point for us!" Vanessa cheered, celebrating with her team.

Charmy turned to her teammates, looking remorseful. "I'm sorry, guys… it's my fault."

Noelle sighed. "No, I was the one who touched it last," she said, shaking her head.

"This is no reason to get discouraged! It's just the first point, and the game isn't over yet!" Magna said, trying to rally his team's spirits.

Next, it was Stephen's turn to serve. He carefully calculated his aim, swinging his arm back and forth before launching the ball over the net.

"I got it!" Finral said, setting the ball expertly. Noelle mimicked Kahono's earlier fake-out technique, distracting the opposing team as Magna jumped up, yelling loudly, and spiked the ball. Kahono and Vanessa tried to block, but the ball broke through their defense. Wanda dived to save it, but the ball hit the sand before she could reach it.

Gray blew the whistle, signaling a point for Magna's team.

"YEEEEAAAAAHHHH!!" Magna shouted, pumping his fists in triumph. Luck jumped up, cheering, and even Charmy joined in with a celebratory dance.

The game intensified as the ball flew back and forth across the net. Both teams scored points, keeping the competition fierce. Charmy revealed a hidden talent for playing libero, her small size and proximity to the ground allowing her to make spectacular saves. Asta, equally dedicated, frequently dove into the sand, making him and Charmy the sandiest players on the court.

Finally, Noelle scored the tying point, bringing the score to 24:24. The next point would decide the game. Everyone was drenched in sweat, their faces serious as they panted from the relentless pace. The atmosphere was tense, with everyone taking the game far more seriously than necessary.

Even Gauche had looked up from his picture of Marie to watch the decisive round unfold.

It was Vanessa's turn to serve. She smirked as she bounced the ball on her hand a few times before tossing it into the air. Jumping high, her movements were confident and fluid. She looked down at everyone, winked, and then slapped the ball with her palm, sending it soaring over the net.

As the ball flew, Luck's expression twisted into a crazed grin—more manic than usual. "I'M NOT GOING TO LOSE THIS ONE!" he bellowed. Lightning surged around him as he jumped up and shouted, "Lightning Creation Magic: Lightning Leg Armor!"

A pair of crackling lightning boots materialized around his legs. Flipping upside down, Luck delivered a bicycle kick that struck the ball with a deafening crack. "Hahaha! Let's make this round the craziest one yet!" he declared, cackling madly.

Everyone froze in disbelief as the ball, now surrounded by blue lightning, hurtled through the air like a meteor.

"LUCK, YOU BASTARD!" they all shouted in unison. The ball ripped through the air with the force of a railgun, sending up a cloud of sand as it came close to hitting the ground on the opposite side.

When the dust cleared, Asta stood firm, holding the ball back with the flat side of his massive blade. His grimoire floated beside him, pages flipping rapidly. "ALRIGHT! SINCE WE'RE GOING ALL OUT, DON'T EXPECT US TO HOLD BACK!" Asta roared, slamming the ball back with equal intensity.

Magna launched himself into the air, his fiery aura blazing around him. "ALRIGHT, LET'S MAKE THIS LAST ROUND AN ALL-OUT BRAWL! BLACK BULLS STYLE, BABY!" he shouted, summoning a flaming baseball bat. Gripping it tightly, Magna swung with all his might, his teeth clenched in determination. The ball hissed as it connected with the bat, nearly splitting in two from the force.

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" Magna yelled, spinning as he sent the ball hurtling back, now engulfed in flames.

And thus, chaos erupted.

The ball shot through the air like a streaking comet, zigzagging across the court. Magic erupted from both sides, filling the sky with bursts of energy and sparks. No one was safe from the ensuing pandemonium as each player used their own unique powers to counter and strike.

Noelle surrounded the ball with the head of her Sea Dragon and unleashed her Sea Dragon's Roar spell. Kahono leapt into the air, her voice reverberating as she created a wall of sound magic to block the incoming attack.

Charmy summoned her sheep, which stood tall at the net, using their cotton to bounce the ball back with playful precision.

Vanessa, with her thread magic, crafted a tennis racket and expertly returned the ball. Not once did it touch the ground.

Even Stephen conjured his Shield of Seraphim, blocking several attacks with precision and grace.

"PURE CHAOS!" Wanda shouted from above, conjuring a massive hand made entirely of chaotic energy. With a triumphant cry, she spiked the ball downward, confident it would be unstoppable.

But Finral smirked, opening a portal at the last second. The ball zipped through and reappeared from another portal, slamming into the sand on Wanda's side of the court. Stephen scrambled to grab his sling ring but was too late. The ball landed with a thunderous boom, leaving a smoking crater in its wake.

Everyone stood in stunned silence as Gray's whistle blew, signaling the end of the match. She motioned toward Magna's team and began blowing her whistle furiously in their direction.

"FINRAL!!!" Magna's team roared in unison as they tackled him to the ground, cheering wildly.

"I did it…" Finral muttered in disbelief before breaking into laughter. He stood up, pumping his fists in the air. "I ACTUALLY DID IT!"

Magna and Luck hoisted Finral onto their shoulders, parading him around the court while chanting, "Finral! Finral! Finral!"

Finral laughed like a king, waving to everyone and blowing kisses. He even turned to some of the women watching and made a "call me" gesture, grinning from ear to ear.

Meanwhile, Stephen and his team sat slumped on the ground, on their hands and knees, defeated and exhausted.

And that was how the Black Bulls spent the majority of their days—engulfed in utter chaos—until the full moon rose.

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