Faces Twisted with Jealousy?

Ah!

Vanessa let out a scream.

Even though she considered herself a mature woman—and a female drunkard at that—and was surrounded by plenty of carefree, even brainless chuunibyou companions, the telepathic connection with Carl still left her somewhat embarrassed.

Hearing Yami's words, Vanessa finally came to her senses.

Although she had released the Red Thread's control, she was still hanging off Carl. They had remained in that position the entire time, so it was no wonder the others had worn such suggestive expressions.

Vanessa hurriedly climbed down from Carl, straightening her dress as she did so, too embarrassed to look up at Yami.

Yami then asked,

"Did your Red Thread Magic seem to advance?"

Vanessa froze for a moment before looking at Yami and saying,

"I don't know. It's just that ever since this Red Thread Kitten appeared, my magic power has become unusually active. I can barely control it at all."

Yami immediately nodded.

"That explains it. I don't understand why, but it seems like some sort of connection has formed between you and Carl."

Yami glanced at the two squad emblems on Carl's body.

That wine-red cloak was practically identical to Vanessa's.

Without even blushing, Yami casually said,

"Looks like it's time to find a way to give you more training so you can control your magic power. Otherwise, our Black Bulls base is really going to suffer."

The others immediately nodded like pecking chickens.

Everyone had a headache over Vanessa's indiscriminate thread attacks just now.

If they had to be harassed by Vanessa like that every day, they might as well leave the Black Bulls. What was there left to stay for?

Magna looked as though he wanted to cry.

He got up from the floor, brushing the water off himself before saying unhappily,

"That Noelle was seriously underhanded. She was clearly aiming at Carl, but she ended up sneak-attacking me. By the way, Captain, are these two the newcomers? They're kind of interesting."

Magna swept his battle-hungry gaze over Asta and Carl beside him.

Then he pointed at Carl.

"Captain, I want to challenge Carl and let him learn where the most important senior member of the squad stands. Only after passing my test can he join the squad."

No one said anything after hearing that.

After all, the rule for integrating into the squad was to accept the trials of one's seniors.

But Yami's expression turned strange as he said,

"I'd advise you to pick another opponent."

Magna immediately looked displeased.

"Captain Yami, what do you mean by that?"

Yami casually took a drag from his cigarette, slowly exhaled a smoke ring, and said,

"I'm just afraid Carl will beat the shit out of you."

Magna froze completely.

"Captain, even if you're the captain, you can't crush a member's confidence like that."

Yami completely ignored Magna and instead said to Finral,

"You were hiding in the spatial dimension during that strike at the Royal Capital member selection. You should've seen it, right?"

Finral wore a helpless expression, his face drooping as he told Magna,

"Magna, I'd advise you to give up. Carl can block the captain's Dark Magic: Dark Cloaked Iai Slash. Are you sure you want to compete with Carl?"

"Holy shit!" Magna leaped backward in an instant, making a tactical retreat with an incredulous look on his face.

Then his expression truly collapsed.

"No way, does a rookie who just joined really need to be this strong? Where am I supposed to put my face?"

Magna's expression was extraordinarily colorful.

He had finally wanted to squeeze a soft persimmon, only to kick an iron plate in an instant.

Vanessa's eyes gleamed as she looked at Carl.

So Carl was actually this strong.

The others naturally revealed astonished expressions as well.

It could be said that Carl's strength far exceeded their imagination.

Luck, the battle maniac, immediately showed an extremely excited expression. Blue arcs of electricity occasionally flashed across his hands, crackling and hissing.

His expression was filled with excitement as he looked at Carl, and Carl suddenly heard the system notification sound in his mind again.

"Ding! Congratulations, Host. Battle maniac Luck's favorability has increased by 1."

Carl was somewhat baffled.

But he immediately became a little interested in the short guy beside him, whose face carried a crazed expression.

When he had saved Yuno, he had only gained a little favorability.

He had not expected this guy called Luck to directly give him favorability points on their first meeting. That was truly an unexpected delight.

Magna was clearly intimidated at that moment.

Then he turned to the white-haired Asta beside him and said to Yami,

"Captain, I can challenge this guy called Asta at least, right?"

Yami glanced at the utterly excited Asta before waving his hand.

"Do whatever you want. As long as you don't break the furniture, pick your own place."

Magna immediately became excited.

But Asta was also a battle-loving type. Hearing that Magna, a senior member, wanted to teach him, he became excited at once.

With a whoosh.

A black-and-red grimoire with a full five leaves suddenly floated beside him.

That alone was enough to shock everyone.

When he drew that Black Greatsword, which was as wide as a door panel, Magna's eyebrows began twitching wildly.

"What is going on with this guy? Is that some kind of sword magic? Why does that greatsword look so ominous?"

Magna suddenly regretted it.

It seemed that none of the people who had joined this time were soft persimmons.

Thinking of that, he secretly shrank back before forcing himself to rally.

"Whatever. No matter what, this guy needs to feel the affection of a senior. Asta, right? Come and receive my Fire Creation Magic—Exploding Scattershot Magic Ball!"

Boom!

Flames blossomed.

Magna instantly launched a crimson fireball, which flew wildly toward Asta after being struck by his baseball bat.

Yet Asta simply swung once and cut it apart, causing it to dissipate.

Magna immediately felt the pressure.

Seeing the two clash, everyone became interested.

But then they looked at Carl and turned to their captain, asking,

"Captain Yami, what about Carl's trial?"

Yami said,

"If you don't mind, you can all go beat him up together."

Everyone immediately grinned.

However, Carl unceremoniously grabbed Vanessa and said,

"Isn't this many people a bit unfair? Vanessa, right? How about I call you Big Sis from now on?"

Vanessa's face immediately turned red.

The fingers Carl held felt scorching hot, like lobster claws.

She nodded almost imperceptibly before saying,

"Alright. Are you going to fight them? I'll help you."

For a moment, everyone howled in misery.

Meanwhile, Noelle, who had long since run out of the Black Bulls, stood not far from the squad's fortress.

She cried so hard that her face was covered in tears and snot.

But after a long while, she turned back to look, only to find that the Black Bulls' doors remained tightly shut.

Noelle's expression immediately became even uglier.

Not even one person had come out to comfort her.

Those people were simply as hateful as her older brothers and sisters.

"Waaah~"

"Scumbags!"

At that moment, she hated herself deeply.

She clearly possessed unparalleled magic power, yet she could not control it at all. That had practically made her the laughingstock of the entire Silva family.

But whenever everyone mocked her, she truly did fail to live up to expectations.

It was simply too miserable.

A feeling of having nowhere to go surged into her heart.

Noelle then drew a target on the huge tree before her and began constantly firing magical water cannons at the bullseye.

But even from only two meters away.

Every one of her water cannons would curve in a different direction, deliberately avoiding the tree before blasting one enormous crater after another into the surrounding ground.