Strange use of Magic (Black Clover AU)

[Third Person's PoV] 

"Do you think those are real?" one of the robed mages asked as they cautiously turned their heads, eyeing all the versions of Stephen Strange with a wary glance.

"I... I can't tell... They don't look or feel like illusions. I can sense their magical power and presence. But I still can't be sure. If it is an illusion, it's a powerful one capable of deceiving even our senses."

All the Stephens thrust their hands forward, weaving them into a singular hand sign. From their Tao Mandalas, Eldritch whips shot forth, imprisoning the mages in cocoons.

Some screamed as a burning sensation spread where the whips made contact.

"We need to get out of here! Defensive maneuvers!" one of them ordered, igniting their magical power.

At that moment, the other Magic Knight Captains began appearing, surprised to see so many Stephens in their surroundings as they descended from the rooftops.

The robed mage who had activated her magic, though tied up, gripped her wand tightly and cast her spell.

[Gel Magic: Sticky Salamander]

A giant purple salamander made of gel materialized and grew to towering heights. As it appeared, it opened its mouth and unleashed a purple acid that burned through the Eldritch whips, causing them to snap and fall, freeing the mages.

Meanwhile, the Magic Knight Captains stared at Fuegoleon's condition in shock before springing into action.

Nozel's expression turned cold as his grimoire flared to life, and he activated his spell.

[Mercury Magic: Rain of Silver]

Small droplets of liquid metal floated in the sky before raining down on the giant salamander. Some of Stephen's clones were caught in the downpour as they moved.

"Oi, watch it!" one of them shouted, trying to dodge the rain.

Some exaggerated their reactions, crying out in pain as they began to melt, revealing skeletal structures, a sight that horrified those watching.

The mage with the wand used a magic item to enhance the salamander's abilities.

[Dark Magic Item: Special Properties + Alpha Absorb]

The salamander absorbed the liquid mercury, neutralizing Nozel's attack.

"Remember this, Magic Knights," one of the robed mages said ominously. "We are the Eye of the Midnight Sun, the ones who will destroy the Clover Kingdom."

"NOT IF I HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT IT!" Asta shouted, charging forward, the ground cracking as he propelled himself with raw strength.

The salamander struck out a limb to block Asta, but Valtos conjured a black portal beneath them, whisking them away.

Asta cut through the limb, but it was too late; the Eye of the Midnight Sun had vanished.

"DAMN IT!" Asta yelled in frustration.

…

The Eye of the Midnight Sun reappeared in a forest, surrounded by trees. Some examined their arms, noticing the burn marks slowly fading.

"So, it was an illusion after all..."

"A dangerous one. It felt so real—I could swear my skin was burning."

"Talk about unsettling... I want to dissect him. He's strange. Strange is good," one of them said, an ominous smile spreading across their face.

Even though it was an illusion, the slight burns remained. The group began making their way to their hideout, some with solemn expressions, others indifferent.

As they entered, a voice greeted them.

"Why, hello there... I'm not intruding, am I?"

They spun around to see Julius Novachrono, the Wizard King, standing with a bright, cheerful smile.

…

Nozel regarded Stephen with a neutral expression. "You can drop your dreadful illusion. My Rain of Silver spell doesn't have a melting effect—it's more of a piercing type."

Stephen shrugged. "It was a fifty-fifty chance. I had to make it convincing so they wouldn't suspect it was an illusion."

"You all took your sweet time getting here, didn't you?" Leopold said with a hint of irritation.

Solid scoffed, chuckling. "Pathetic. He's supposed to be your captain, yet he ended up like this? The Vermillion clan isn't what it used to be. I'm honestly embarrassed to be a Noble."

"SOLID!" Noelle yelled as she gave him a chastising look, "How can you say something like that!" 

Solid flinched slightly at Noelle yelling at him, the look Noelle had and the way she reprimanded him… All he saw was the face of his mother looking back at him like that, which only made him angrier. 

Just as he was about to give her a piece of his mind, Stephen looked back towards him with a cold expression, "Damn right you should be embarrassed to be a Noble, as you'll never be the kind of Noble Fuegoleon ever was. I too would be ashamed if I were you" Stephen scoffed. 

"You!" Solid screeched.

"That's enough," Nozel commanded, silencing Solid with a stern look. "We have more pressing matters. We need to fortify our defenses and ensure the capital is safe from any hidden threats or enemies."

…

Stephen stood in a room in front of a bed. On that bed lay Fuegoleon, whose arm was slowly being restored. Mimosa stood by his side, wearing her green flower robe spell as she assisted Stephen.

With a focused expression, Mimosa said, "I still don't understand. How are you making his body regenerate his missing limb? Regeneration is incredibly advanced for healing magic."

"That's because you're thinking you're the one regenerating the arm for him. But you're not. He's regenerating it himself; we're just providing the energy he needs to do so," Stephen explained. "That's also why this process is slow. If the body uses too much energy to heal one limb, the rest of it could shut down. Normally, before the body could accumulate enough energy to heal, the cells around the wound would have already died and sealed, making regeneration impossible."

"I see… The more time I spend with you, the more I realize how smart you truly are. I've learned so much from you in such a short time. Your knowledge amazes me," Mimosa said, focusing on Fuegoleon's arm with a look of genuine respect and admiration.

"Okay, now you're exaggerating," Stephen scoffed with a small smile.

Mimosa giggled. "No, I'm being honest. Before becoming an official Magic Knight, I studied in a neighboring kingdom to prepare myself. While I learned a lot about mana and spellcasting, I didn't gain much knowledge in the medical field. I'm not saying I didn't learn anything, but their expertise wasn't as advanced as yours."

"Come on, now you're just trying to make me blush," Stephen muttered, feeling warmth rise to his cheeks.

Mimosa chuckled, her own cheeks turning red with embarrassment.

After some time, the green light reached Fuegoleon's fingertips, and his nails fully reformed.

When Mimosa finished, she stepped back, swaying slightly before Stephen quickly grabbed her waist. "Whoa there…"

Mimosa blinked as she and Stephen locked eyes. She reached out and touched his cheek before retracting her hand, blushing as she stood upright again.

She offered a weak smile. "Sorry, healing all those civilians and now this... I've used up more mana than I realized."

"No worries, I understand. Still, you did great. Let's report back," Stephen said, clearing his throat as they both walked toward the Wizard King and the rest of the Magic Knights waiting outside.

Julius looked at Stephen apprehensively. "So, how is he?"

"He's alright now. He's in a minor coma, but he's out of danger. He should wake up in two to three weeks, as good as new," Stephen reported.

Everyone sighed in relief. "Thank you, Stephen," Julius said seriously. "Truly, you've done the kingdom a huge favor. I mean no disrespect to my men, but if it were anyone else, they might not have done as great a job as you did."

"Now I wonder how much I should charge you… You are the king, after all, so you'd be willing to pay a hefty bill," Stephen said with a smirk.

"Eh?" Everyone exclaimed, looking at Stephen in surprise.

"Sure," Julius nodded with a serious expression.

Stephen rolled his eyes. "I'm joking. No need to be so serious. I became a doctor because I enjoy helping people. Besides, as a Magic Knight, I'm just doing my duty to the kingdom. And I didn't do this alone," Stephen said, giving Mimosa a wink, which made her smile bashfully.

Leopold stepped forward and bowed. "Thank you. Because of you, my brother will be okay, and you even helped restore his arm. The Crimson Lions will forever be in your debt."

'I see now why doctors in my world would get big heads if they were constantly praised like this,' Stephen thought.

Stephen then looked at Julius with a serious expression. "Actually, may I ask for a small favor?"

"As long as it's reasonable," Julius replied.

Stephen pointed to Nozel. "Make him apologize to Noelle for what he said about her."

"Wha—" Noelle muttered, looking at Stephen in surprise.

Leopold burst out laughing, holding his stomach. "Wow! I didn't think you'd go that far! My rival is more ruthless than I expected."

Nozel's eyes twitched as he glared at Stephen.

Julius blinked, looking amused. "That's it?"

"Yes," Stephen nodded. "He hasn't apologized. I won't allow any disrespect toward the people I care about."

Mimosa looked at Stephen with growing admiration, while Noelle frantically waved her hands in front of her face, eyes wide with nerves. "T-T-There's no need for that! He doesn't need to apologize!"

Stephen looked at her seriously. "You need to realize that you can't let people disrespect you. If you do, they'll think it's okay to continue."

Julius chuckled, then looked at Nozel. "Well?"

Nozel stared at Julius in disbelief. "Are you serious?"

"I said I'd grant him the favor if it was reasonable, and it is," Julius said with a grin. "Now, go on. Make up with your little sister."

Nozel glared at Stephen, who wore a smug expression. He turned to Noelle, who stood trembling, unable to meet his eyes.

'I'M GOING TO KILL HIM!' Both siblings thought simultaneously.

"I'm… I'm… sorry," Nozel muttered.

"What was that? That was supposed to be an apology? I could barely hear it! Do you need more protein, or should I make you a diet plan?" Stephen teased, placing a hand on his hip and cupping his ear.

"Now, with more energy, and mean it this time."

Nozel's patience snapped, and he summoned his grimoire. "I'm going to kill you."

Noelle quickly stepped forward, giving Nozel a gentle smile. "There's no need to apologize again. I accept your first apology. I know how prideful you are, and that must have been hard. Thank you."

Stephen sighed, respecting Noelle's wishes and dropping the matter.

Nozel glanced at Noelle and saw their mother's face reflected in her features. He closed his eyes and sighed. "Just… work hard not to embarrass the Silva name," he said before turning away to join Solid and Nebra, who stared in shock.

Noelle looked astonished by his words and bowed deeply. "I'll do my best not to disappoint!" she said, hiding the tears welling in her eyes.

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