In Black Clover With Strange Grimoire

Zero pushed forward through the jungle, repeating the same process over and over. This time, however, this required overcoming mud, roots as well as pain that was building up inside him. He recalled how the climate felt: sticky, heavy, and humid as it hung to him. While on the move, he occasionally glared at the fire lizard that proudly resided on his shoulder. That little beast took advantage of him and blew a small flame into his face sending a few strands of hair up in smoke.

"Do that again and I might consider swallowing you for dinner," Zero irritatedly interrupted and swatted the lizard off his shoulder. The back and forth angered the spitting beast and managed to let out a hiss revealing her sparkling orange eyes.

On his neck snake coiled tightly enough to remind him of its presence. "Oh, don't you both start too, a multiple contact. You're both freeloaders. The least you could do is make yourselves useful."

His worries continued to rise with various sounds surrounding him including the distant chirping of birds and insects. All of it heightened his paranoia that prevented his vision from resting for too long as he began twirling his head around scanning the area in front of him always locking eye to danger.

"Just keep walking," he told himself. "No wolves, no falling trees, no insane surprises. Just one calm, uneventful—"

And then chaos erupted as his foot landed onto something made the temperature decrease.

Time seemingly paused as a guttural snarl echoed around him which was then followed by a succession of loud growls.

Zero stood still like a statue as cold sweat poured down his back. Looking down, he saw something that horrified him. What he stared at was a thick bushy tail and not just any tail but a very familiar bushy tail.

 As he whispered in soft and shaky manner – "No…" and shaking few times his head, he followed the tail with his eyes to the belly and finally the head. His focus met those of a muscular wolf, who glared at him with nothing but a murderous glare and golden eyes.

It was the same wolf. The same one who had chased him after accidentally kicking a stone at it. Just the small wound on the forehead heavily reminded him of their previous encounter. Though mostly healed, was a glaring reminder of their last encounter.

Clenching his teeth, Zero decided to speak: "That was Few days back! Are you still angry about what happened on that day?!

The wolf growled louder, its lips pulling back to reveal rows of sharp, glistening teeth.

It was just Zero making it angry, rather than dispersing the tension.

"You can't hold a grudge over a rock! You're a wolf! You're supposed to be above petty revenge!"

The wolf didn't seem inclined to forgive or forget about the previous event. Its muscles tensed, ready to pounce at Zero any given chance.

With a nervous chuckle, Zero raised both of his arms in a defensive manner. "Alright, alright! I understand you still are not happy about it. However, there is the possibility that we can—"

The wolf leaped forward.

Zero just managed to dodge an attack, tumbled over a root, and found himself on his hands and knees. "For the love of god…RUN!"

To his surprise, his feet were back, his panting breath filled with adrenaline as the snarling wolf approached him.

"I'm sorry!" Zero shouted over his shoulder, his voice cracking. "I'll never throw a rock again! I swear! Just…don't eat me!"

But the world said otherwise, as Zero helplessly witnessed all this happening around him. Terrible. The wrinkled-up face blended with the pernicious growl of the enemy wolf which only added to the fuel: the thumping of his heart.

The wolf's growl was all the response he needed.

Zero sprinted through the jungle like a madman, his breath coming in ragged gasps as branches and vines slapped at his face. Behind him, the wolf's snarls grew louder, its pounding steps shaking the ground—or maybe that was just his imagination fueled by pure panic.

"Please answer me, why on earth does this world despise me?" Why Why Why? Zero almost cried as he dodged a low branch, Only to make it worse, a snake on his neck was evidently getting panicky, later tightening up.

Zero then grabbed another rock and threw it at the wolf which surprisingly hit it in the eye disbalncing it letting Zero put some distance between then.

"Never knew my aim was that good!" Just as he said that and threw another rock but sadly it seemed Zero's luck had run out it missed really badly.

Just as Zero started making more distance btw himself and the wolf the snake on his neck tighten its hold on his neck.

"Hey! HEY!" Zero choked, his vision blurred, and he started struggling with the snake, "Why do you want to kill me when I'm already running for my life? I don't need you trying to kill me too!"

The snake wouldn't let go it's grip, in fact, in its own wretched ways started making screaming sounds. This sort of hissing sound came out, like it was declaring, We're going to die, we're going to die!

"Breathe! I can't—breathe—" Zero stammered as he struggled to take in air. "A little patience, be patient" Zero said as the snake tighten its hold on his neck". Oi you little, loosen your grip on my neck or I might die at your hands before the wolf"

Then, as if life was not already difficult enough, the fire lizard, his so-called companion, leapt from his shoulder and burrowed itself in the safety of his front pocket. It settled, its light radiating faintly from the pocket, displaying that it was in no rush to be anywhere but where Zero was, who was at the time preoccupied with the wolf.

"Such a nuisance. Fantastic. Just what I needed." Zero hissed and grunted angrily. "You are such a great companion. Just hide there when your master is getting chopped to bits."

He turned his head. The wolf, now roaring aggressively, continued its pursuit. Switching into turbo mode, Zero's thoughts flicked. He had to act quickly. He had to think of a strategy. A gun. A blade. It didn't matter.

His eyes caught his grimoire which was beating against his side as he ran, "Wait! I have magic!"

He awkwardly opened the hands of the book with one hand and began to run, almost falling in the effort. The jagged design on the cover seemed to leer at him, the blood-red eye on the back glowing ominously.

Zero went through the jungle at full speed like a lunatic as the heavy whispery breaks, vines, and branches slapped him on the face. However, the sounds of the wolf's growling getting louder and louder only further increased his fear accompanied by the sound of the wolf's strong paws racing behind him. Or maybe, this entire overstimulated feeling was all mental.

The only good thing that happened till now is the wolf tripping on an muddy area which let him put some distance between them but with his physical powers there was only so much he could run from it.

"Why does this world hate me?" Zero shouted, dodging a low-hanging branch. The snake around his neck, already panicking, suddenly began to constrict in sheer terror, its cold, scaly body tightening like a noose.

"Hey! HEY!" Zero choked, clawing at the snake as his vision blurred. "I'm already running for my life, I don't need you trying to kill me too!"

The snake didn't loosen its grip. In fact, it seemed to scream in its own reptilian way, hissing frantically as if saying, We're going to die, we're going to die!

"Calm down!" Zero wheezed, gasping for air. "I can't—breathe—"

Then, as if things couldn't get worse, the fire lizard—his so-called ally—scrambled off his shoulder and darted into the safety of his front pocket. It curled up, its fiery glow illuminating the pocket slightly, as though it were perfectly content to wait out the chaos while Zero dealt with the wolf.

"Oh, great!" Zero snarled, his voice hoarse. "You're a real hero, you know that? Just hide while I get mauled!"

Desperation gripped him as he glanced over his shoulder. The wolf was gaining on him, its golden eyes blazing with unrelenting fury. Zero's mind raced. He needed a plan. A weapon. Anything.

He glanced sideways at his grimoire which was flapping at his side as he ran, 'Wait! I have magic!' 

He clumsily yanked the book open with one hand while still running, nearly tripping in the process. The jagged design on the cover seemed to leer at him, the blood-red eye on the back glowing ominously.

Zero's eyes lit up with a sliver of hope, 'Alright, let's try this. Tether Magic!' he yelled as his voice echoed in the jungle. 

The grimoire shone and before his spellcasting, Two fingers were raised on the pages. Zero pictured an invisible tether that would ensnare the wolf and strangle it. 

He lifted his hand towards the wolf hoping to create a grip around it to brush it off or even nullify its movement. Anything to make it stop. 

But nothing happened.

Startled, 'What?!' Zero's eyes blinked. His voice seemed to tremble with desperation, "Why isn't it—Tether Magic!" he yelled again. 

The magic did cast some glows previously, but there was nothing of that sort this time. That is when Zero set his eyes on the wolf for it had gotten too close with its golden eyes and murderous intent.

Still scared at the fact of the distance btw him and wolf being reduced "Fine! What's the problem now?!" Zero snarled as his frustration set in. 

The grimoire did move and touched another page under Zero's command. The word Status engraved in it did flash.

"Alright, Status!" said Zero. The ghostly eye appeared in the grimoire which was risen beside him. A slight transparent window triggered before his eyes.

Name: Zero

Total Mana: 220

Mana Reserves: Depleted

"HOW?!" he yelled, sobbing this time round. "How can I have zero magic? I hardly used any earlier!"

While the grimoire was uninterested in his struggles, it shrugged off all excuses and lastly floated back to his side as it closed itself.

'"Are you joking!?" Zero shouted back, his fear turning into madness. The wolf was now within five feet range, claws now under the surface at this stage, Yawning them up and down as it got ready to pounce on its opponent.

With no other option remaining, Zero shifted his focus to the fire lizard. He pulled it out of his pocket presenting it to the gods, "Ok, you little parasite, here, burn it. This is your chance do anything!"

The lizard blinked at him, its orange eyes glowing faintly. Then, with a dismissive flick of its tail, it curled up into a ball and nestled back into his pocket.

"You're useless!" Zero howled, his voice breaking. The snake hissed louder, tightening around his neck to the point where he could barely breathe.