In the shadows of an alley, where small rodents scurried along the filth of the streets, a small figure lay in the rot and decay, curled in tattered black robes, his body scratched and wounded all over.
'Where am I?' The boy wondered, struggling to get a decent view of his surroundings, an expression of confusion plastered across his face, 'Is this a dream? ...But it's so realistic how could it be a dream?'
Something small and hairy brushed against his ankle.
A shudder jolted through his body, causing him to revolt instinctively.
"What was that?" He thought, extending an arm and scrambling around for nearby support.
His hand stumbled upon the rough surface of a nearby wall, which he used to lift himself upright. The moment he stood, instant realization kicked in—he was... shorter. Noticeably shorter.
"What happened to me ... why am I so short?" He muttered, his voice different from memory.
He went into a panic, panting, his body shaking uncontrollably before stumbling back down.
"What's happening to me? Where even am I?" the boy wondered, quivering back.
'No, I must remain calm. Get a sense of my surroundings—to begin with... where am I?"
Standing back up, he began walking towards the faint glimmer of light ahead. Waiting beyond it, a beautiful city bursting with life all over.
"I don't recognize this place—where the heck could I be?"
He muttered beneath his breath, stepping forward into the city before him.
"Wow! This place is incredible. There are no flashy buildings like in the city, no roads nor cars, only walkways. And these buildings look like they've been ripped straight out of fantasy—also, there's something about the air that I can't quite put my finger on."
He froze, his gaze fixated on the towering building that loomed over the rest of the city.
"...Is that a castle?" he mumbled to himself, mouth wide open in awe.
He started walking, head twisting and turning to take in every detail, completely entranced by the city's beauty.
So much so, he didn't even notice the eyes beginning to watch him.
Not at all observant of his surroundings.
THUD!
He stumbled back, nearly falling off his feet once more. He bumped into someone.
She was taller than him—most people were now—but by her appearance she was still pretty young herself.
At her side stood a young man, tall and muscular, with black hair and blue eyes.
"Woah... This mana is incredible... there's so much—like it's radiating off of him. I've never seen anyone with so much mana," the girl said with curiosity.
She stepped in closer, her hand extended outwards.
"What do you say, kid... why not come with me? You will become one of my spirit guardians, won't you?"
The kid paused, his body shaking, his thoughts scrambling with fear... Undeniable fear.
"Wh—who are you?" The boy asked.
Silence filled the air.
...
"Who am I? You can't be serious, right? After all, I am no other than Princess Lolopechka herself."
'Wha--what? Princess Lolopechka... spirit guardians, wait, I recognize them from somewhere...' He pondered, looking back through his foggy memories. 'That's right, I do remember—they're from Black Clover. This girl is Princess Lolopechka of the Heart Kingdom, and so then this guy must be Gadjah, the leader of the spirit guardians.'
'But if that's the case... then am I somehow in Black Clover? Impossible... right?'
The boy stood frozen in place, dozens of thoughts racing through his brain all at once.
grabbed hold of the girl's hand to help pull himself from the ground.
"My apologies, princess, I wasn't paying any attention. I'll be sure to watch my surroundings in the future," the boy said in response, dropping to a knee.
"Heh, no need to kneel I take no offense. Although I am curious, how old are you?"
'If we're going by the memories from my old world, then I should be around—' the boy pondered before standing from his knee. "—I'm fifteen, and my name is Leonardo."
"What...?! Fifteen... that means you're my age—but there's just no way—you're so tiny, like a kid. You're really the same age as me..."
'Wait, really? So I guess wherever I am isn't coherent with the timeline of Black Clover then. If I remember correctly, Lolopechka is twenty-one in the show and manga, but if she's fifteen by calculation, this should be about six years before the main story, which gives me a ton of time to become stronger.'
"Well, are you a mage? Where's your grimoire? What magic can you use?" Lolopechka questioned, a smile of amusement locked on her face.
Leonardo paused for a moment. "Magic... I can't use magic—I don't even have a grimoire."
"Oh? All that mana, and you don't even have a grimoire to harness it. No, that can't be—we'll have to get you one right away." Lolopechka responded, grabbing hold of Leonardo's hand.
She ran, leading him somewhere.
Gadjah ran shortly behind, a gentle smile on his face—his heart warmed to see Lolopecka acting her age rather than like a princess.
"Where exactly are you taking me?"
"Nowhere really, only to get you a grimoire. If you're going to become one of my spirit guardians, then you'll definitely need one."
"I don't remember agreeing to that though. But then I am interested in magic. I wonder what mine is..."
"Well, if you're intrigued to learn more, you'll have to become one of my spirit guardians. And look, we've arrived at our destination. So if you accept, simply walk through those doors."
Before them stood a massive tower—it radiated with a mysterious energy. Leonardo, despite not quite understanding mana, was somehow able to sense instinctively he could feel the mana radiating from the building and something from within calling out to him.
"I accept your offer. If I'm truly as strong as you think, I'd love to put my magic to good use—who knows, it might be amusing in the end."
Leonardo stepped forth into the building, and instantly a spark of magic radiated from the top shelf—a book, a grimoire bearing the insignia of the heart kingdom with swords piercing through from all angles, came floating down towards Leonardo.
"I feel it—I can understand now. My magic, sword magic..."
'Tch, what even is sword magic... I don't really remember—wait, isn't it the magic Licth uses? Yeah, and I remember him being really strong—I mean, watching him fight in the anime was straight cinematic.'
"Well, did you get it? Did you awaken your magic? Huh, Leo?" Lolopechka asked, eager for a response.
"Yes, I got it—and it looks like I can use sword magic, I think at least."
"Sword magic? Never heard of it, though I'm sure you'll be able to make use of it, especially with your mana reserves." Lolopechka said, her eyes gleaming. "Now Gadjah, I want you to train the boy—make sure he's strong."
...