[HIATUS] BLACK CLOVER: The Whisperer - Yuno Grinberryall

CHAPTER VI. Fragments of the Past Pt. 1

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"What..." Revchi began with a frightened look, stumbling back with widened eyes and quivering hands, "what the hell is that?!"

The darkened hues of his eyes reflected the spoiled state of the demon-dwelling grimoire, filled with bloodlust and another that he couldn't put his hands on. A presence so intense, so pressuring that he felt that death would come knocking on his door.

Revchi sent his snake-like chains to launch themselves at the limping boy, not noticing how Xierra ran behind him. Her hands reached out to the chains that trapped Yuno tightly, marking his skin red in the end. Inari followed behind her, keeping watch whilst his flaming tail got rid of any other chains that came flying their way.

When Xierra finally came into contact with the chains that bound Yuno, her eyes locked with his, the latter unwavering when they met.

A flash of his words from before was recalled into Xierra's mind, causing her to get flustered and clumsily freeing the wind user. Her cheeks flamed up, albeit her brain trying to convince her that it may or may not be the heat of the battle between Revchi's chains and Asta trying to fend for himself on the other side.

Calming herself, Xierra cleared her throat. I'm sure he was just being considerate—

"Considerate" doesn't... fully describe his intentions, Master.

Oh, shush!

Yuno's glistening amber orbs remained focused on Xierra's form, causing her to look anywhere but at him. Out of all the things in the world to see, she suddenly found the ground to be the most interesting thing. A faint smile took the place of his usual stoic expression, softening at the sight of a blushing Xierra. To him, the sight entertained him to no end.

Composing herself, Xierra cleared her throat inaudibly, looking around for Yuno's grimoire. Unfortunately for them, the blast of mana between Revchi and Asta clashed against one another, causing another quake from the earth below them. She stumbled, quietly voicing her apology to Yuno for being unable to retrieve his grimoire from the hands of the former magic knight.

Yuno glanced at her, shaking his head with a smile that widened only just a little for her to notice. "You shouldn't worry about it," he spoke with reassurance and his ever-so-calm voice, "let's get somewhere safe first."

Nodding, Xierra followed behind him, trying hard to get away from the large fight.

"You little twerp!"

Debris flew everywhere, waltzing with the winds in every possible direction there was. It didn't help when the ground below them was unstably shaking without an exact rhythm to the way they moved.

Yuno and Xierra scurried over to stand behind the nearest brick walls still standing, hearing the man yell those words at the top of his lungs. A pair of chrome eyes kept following Asta's running form and a foxlike creature unknown to him neared him.

Yuno kept his hand on Xierra's slender ones when they ran earlier, paying no notice to how the female beside him was muttering several words he couldn't make out. However, when he turned to look at her, he, himself, panicked.

Steam was emitted from the top of Xierra's head, alerting Yuno to her somewhat warmer state. "Xierra, are you all r—"

"I-I'm all right!" she managed to squeak out, looking away, suddenly finding the ground more interesting than anything else in the world. "Quite all right!"

If he knew any better, Xierra's reaction was probably because of his confession.

Yuno's lips curled up into a soft smile, finding the girl's reaction quite adorable. It was another ghostly smile, but it was there. He just witnessed a new side of her he had never seen before.