Review Black Clover Chapter Reviews

[Belserion]

Black Clover Chapter 197 Review by Belserion

Chapter Title: False Hope

Last week’s Black Clover chapter was really surprising with a demon suddenly showing up taking credit for the war between Humans and Elves. It was a bit out of left field, but there was always an undercurrent that there was something else at play, especially since the Shadow Palace was revealed and a different power from that of Humans/Elves was felt by Mimosa. This week we continue where Asta and Mimosa have joined the fray in order to aid Yuno against The Devil.

While Asta and Mimosa try to figure out what The Devil is, he decides to leave them alone and turns his attention to Patri. The Devil was pretty confident here, not even the least bit bothered by the new arrivals. Patri is still in shock, especially when he thinks about the kind of magic The Devil possesses. His Word Soul Magic allows whatever he says to happen in reality, so Patri wonders if he used it to re-create Ronne’s Switching Magic. He gets angry and unleashes his Light Creation Magic: Light Whip of Judgment. The Devil casually says “Vanish” and just like that Patri’s magic dissolves. The Devil continues his attack on Patri by launching Iron Spears at him. The spears pierce Patri all over, it happened so quickly he didn’t even have time to dodge.

Yuno and Asta suddenly power up and launch themselves at The Devil, with Yuno informing Asta that The Devil is the one behind everything. The Devil attacks them with Storm of Blades, which causes an unlimited amount of swords to rain down on Asta and Yuno. Asta realizes some of the swords are physical since his Anti Magic is useless against them, and even Yuno is finding it difficult to dodge them. The Devil seems to be having fun now and creates a Vacuum Wall that pulls them towards him. He then continues his assault using his Word Soul Magic by telling them to be Crushed, Smashed, Broken to pieces, Riddled with holes. Yuno and Asta appear to be buried under rubble afterwards, with The Devil lamenting that he won’t be stopped this time like he was the last time when Licht and the First Magic Emperor stopped him from fully incarnating. He tells Patri that after he was stopped the first time, he set his sights on him, a new sacrifice, beloved by mana, and easily swayed. He knew that tragedy and a sense of mission would be enough to get Patri to dabble in Forbidden Life Magic, which confuses Patri who claims Licht was the one that dabbled in the Forbidden Magic and reincarnated the Elves.

Now this is where it gets a bit iffy. The Devil claims he was the one that reincarnated the elves not Licht. He goes on to tell him that Licht didn’t want humans exterminated and the Elves were doing the exact opposite of what their leader wants, including their reincarnation. Patri has basically been walking the path The Devil prepared for him, leading others down with him. Patri has gone into full denial, calling everything he’s hearing a lie, but The Devil delights in telling him that everything Patri has done has led him to a future Licht didn’t want and ultimately The Devil’s reincarnation. Patri continues to ramble about how he’s like Licht, chosen by the four leaf clover, while The Devil mocks him by agreeing that he was chosen as his brilliant, foolish pawn. Patri screams out in agony while The Devil laughs in delight, saying the dreams and ambitions of Humans and Elves make excellent playthings.

Asta and Yuno choose this moment to make their grand comeback. They start mouthing off to The Devil accusing him of coming out of nowhere and screwing everything up. Asta calls him tough and scary but asks who The Devil thinks he is. Yuno says The Devil makes him sick, while Asta continues by calling him filthy scum. These two were on a roll with the insults. Yuno and Asta suddenly proclaim that their dream won’t lose to even The Devil, while getting obvious power ups since the matter surrounding Yuno starts disintegrating because of the magic welling up inside him and the overflowing Anti Magic flowing around Asta is erasing the magic around him. A badly injured Rhya wonders if Licht’s child is finally waking up inside Yuno while The Devil wonders if the other Devil inside Asta is resonating with his magic.

Asta and Yuno attack together, with Yuno targeting the physical blades and Asta targeting the magic blades. To Mimosa’s surprise they block them all easily. They tell The Devil if he’s going to get in their way then he breaks. The chapter ends with Asta attacking him with his sword.

This chapter was action packed. 8/10. I’m not sure how I feel about The Devil planning all of this, from the Human’s response in going after the Elves, to Patri’s blind obedience to “Licht”, but it seems a bit farfetched. I don’t mind the introduction of Devils, but I don’t like how everyone is suddenly blameless and poor pawns. I mean the Humans were manipulated into going after the Elves the same way the elves were manipulated into retaliating, so this war is basically all for The Devil’s amusement and has no basis.

Logically Asta and Yuno should still be no match for The Devil even with their power up because The Devil should be able to just say something and it would render their attacks useless. Not to mention if Asta’s anti magic is erasing all magic then how come Yuno’s magic is still working? I really can’t tell where this is going which I guess is a good thing as it keeps the story fresh, but hopefully the author doesn’t leave any gaping plot holes because these power ups are bordering on ridiculous at the moment, not to mention the power scale is officially broken.

 

[Seraph]

Black Clover - Chapter 198 Review by Seraph

Chapter Title: The Five-Leaf Clover Grimoire

This Week's Chapter of Black Clover picks up at the heated Cliffhanger from Last Week's Chapter with Asta and Yuno's combined attack having hit it's mark,the Devil or at least part of him. They landed an attack on his wrist,which seemed to have disintegrated from the impact or Asta's Anti Magical Sword,however any attempt at rejoicing at this feat is shut down as the Devil effortlessly heals his wound by using his Word Magic by uttering the words:"Heal yourself" while smiling in a creepy manner obviously enjoying his adversaries struggle. He recounts what just happened and wonders how Yuno,an Elf loved by Mana as well as a chosen one by the Wind Spirit and Asta,the owner of the Grimoire of Despair that should have belonged to him managed to strike him with an attack. His attention remains on Asta,he wonders what "kind" of Devil rests inside that Grimoire and his origin but he'll know soon enough as he is going to take the Grimoire back into his possession again.

Standing inside the Entrance to the Chamber we can see Rades and Valtos,the former subordinates of Licht that had sworn revenge on him,both are sweating all over obviously in fear of the Devil fighting the 2 Magic Knights. Rades wonders if Licht was nothing but a pawn to this Devil just like they were pawns to Licht,which means they were essentially all used by this Devil and their suffering and pain was caused by him as well. The scene goes back to Patri who is still impaled by the Dark Spears and falling deeper and deeper into Despair,much to the Devils joy as he is about to receive a new and powerful Grimoire of Despair from him. Rhya looks on as his friend is more and more falling into Despair,at the same time his grimoire is starting to change shape,it turned into a Five Leaf Clover Grimoire.

The Devil voices his happiness as he now aquired a Grimoire of Despair and a physical body,he can now return to the Real World and wreck havoc like in the Days of Old,with his Original Form and Power returned to him...
He continues his speech as he remembers how back when he turned Licht's Grimoire into one of Despair he felt resistance before he could take hold of it,that's why this time with Patri he made sure he would go for an Elf that has the necessary Grimoire and was revived with the Reincarnation Magic since it tainted his very Soul with Evil and wickedness. He continues to ridicule the Elves and praises them for being good little Stepping Stones for him to achieve Power. He looks at an angered Rhya saying it was a lot of fun to witness,as he finishes Asta and Yuno make their move and attack him.

The Devil doesn't even bother with turning around and announces that their Opponent is not him anymore,he whispers into Patri's ear to just let loose of his anger and rage knowing that an Elf that is overtaken by their Despair and Hatred is going to turn into a Dark Elf! Asta recalls his fight with the possessed Luck and remembers how he was about to lose himself completely before he dispelled the Reincarnation Spell on him,this is what could've happened to Luck as well. As the Magic Knights continue their charge they are immediatly stopped in Mid Air by Patri's newly achieved Demon Light Magic: Light Swords of Judgement! The Power of the Spell was strong enough to send them both crashing into a Wall,Yuno was barely able to dodge with his Manazone claiming that the Black Light is even faster than his normal Magic while Asta only managed to avoid a serious injury due to the Anti Mana covering his body. Patri has gotten much more powerful than before.

As the Devil makes for the Exit of the Palace he looks back a final time,claiming that Patri is now nothing but a puppet controlled by it's Emotions and will keep them busy while he makes for the Real World. He hopes that the illegitimate Child of an Elf and a Human as well as the "Magicless Defect" that wields the Five Leaf Clover Grimoire will meet their end here,now this is where things get a bit confusing,the Devil seemingly has an interest in Asta's body and not just his grimoire saying he should steal it before it dies with the other Devil inhabiting it. As Asta attempts to stop him he is attacked by Patri who tries to strike him with a Black Light Blade,he can block it in time and just as he blocks it Yuno strikes Patri with his Mana Zone: Spirit Storm! But Patri dodges it thanks to his Light Speed Movements.

Asta tells Patri to get out of his way as he blocks another incoming strike,he understands that the Elves cannot forgive the Humans despite the unfortunate circumstances on both sides. He also cannot forgive the Elves,but he knows they could understand one another if they really tried. As he finishes his Speech he sends Patri flying,who stops in Mid Air uttering the word "Hate" over and over to himself. He charges himself with a big amount of Mana and attempts to use the same attack that Licht used against Yami and Asta back in the Cave after their fight with Sally. Knowing the Danger incoming Asta is left sweating in fear,meanwhile Yami and Nozel arrive at the Chamber sensing the Mana emitted by Patri knowing exactly what is to come. Will they be able to arrive in time?

This Chapter was good,i'm not too much a Fan of how the Author is throwing more fights our way to draw things out in this Arc but at the very least i appreciate that there is story development happening with the Devil being introduced. I had a feeling that Dark Elves could be a thing ever since,ironically,the Asta vs Luck fight which was recalled in this Chapter as well. I did not think they'd aquire another Type of Magic though,it seems so convenient with Patri to be honest given that he has Light Magic by nature so it is easy to turn it into an evil,darker form but what if say Rhya had been manipulated like this? Demon Copy Magic? I'm not sure how this works entirely but what i understand makes sense enough i suppose. The Chapter also had me wondering about Asta's own origins,a fellow user and reviewer pondered with me if he could be a Hybrid as well but instead of having attained 2 Magics he received none at all. Which would be interesting given that we do not know the particulars behind the Hybrids and their Magics. I'd rate this Chapter an 8 out of 10 mostly because the Power Gap didn't get closed between Asta,Yuno and the Devil/Elves. I'm guessing that we'll get Yami and Nozel interferring next,possibly taking over the Fight for Asta and Yuno so they can chase the Devil again.

 

[Hermit]

Black Clover Chapter 199 Review by Emperor Spriggan
So here it is, the final chapter before the 200 hallmark of the series, and yep, as you'd expect it was brilliant. Shame I can't use emojis to express how good it was. Also featured the best character in the series so there was that.

The chapter picks up from where we left off with Asta and Yuno both battling an enraged Patri. They are both struggling considerably against him, and he unleashes a magic attack at them. Both Magic Knights combine to stop it. This is a testament to how strong Licht really is, considering Asta and Yuno ae both in their power up forms and need to combine forces to stop one of his attacks.

They succeed in it, but Asta's black form runs out of Mana as a result. For Patri it's a different case, his magic keeps on increasing dramatically and swelling. Fueled by his hatred, he launches another huge wave of magic at Asta and Yuno. They are powerless to stop the attack, but at that point Nozel shows up to save them.

He tells Patri that there is no way he can beat him. There's a short explanation about how magic affinities are important in battle. Byakuya's Senbonzakura Kageyoshi possesses both offensive (Senkei), and defensive abilities (Scatter), so his Bankai is able to adapt regardless of the opponent. Unless the opponent is Tsukishima. You don't want to anger Tsukishima, of course.

Patri fires a multi directional magic attack at him, which he easily defends against using his Mercury Magic. Nozel thinks about how he has the worst affinity to Fuego's magic, but he still has no intention of losing to him. Does that imply his flame magic can melt Nozel's magic? Much moreso with Salamander at his side? Interesting.

Nozel's time to fire back. He uses a shower of Mercury to attack Patri, something that impresses Asta. Patri dodges all the attacks, but it turns out the attacks were just a distraction. Byakuya's uses his reiatsu to control all the mercury in the room, before casting Gokei:Senbonzakura Kageyoshi. The dome conjured will trap Patri alongside his magic, which means he will be under constant siege from it.

Aimlessly, Patri tries attacking Byakuya one more time, but the Sixth Squad Captain effortlessly blocks the attacks. The prison shuts out completely, and Byakuya turns to Ishida and Ichigo, telling them that he will be the one who becomes Captain Commander.

Personal opinion:
Nozel was absolutely astonishing, excellent, exquisite and entertaining this chapter. Look at him go, he effortlessly man handled someone who almost killed Yami, and that too in a much stronger form. Nozel>>>>>>Yami, and it's not even close. At this point the only Captain stronger than Nozel is Fuego, he's head and shoulders above all the others. Though, I do wonder what will happen next chapter. Maybe Yami is fighting the Devil?

Chapter rating:9.9/10. .1 is because perfect things don't exist no matter how badly we want to fanboy them. Insert feelsbadman here

 

[Belserion]

Black Clover Chapter 200 Review by Belserion

Chapter Title: World of Light

This week picks up directly where last week left off with Dark Elf Patri utterly defeated by Nozel. Rhya laments that he’s now reached the end and looks to succumb to his wounds when Mimosa suddenly appears at his side and starts healing him. When Rhya questions her as to why she would do that, she calmly tells him she doesn’t need a reason to save someone, even if they’re an enemy from a different race. Rhya is a bit annoyed by this, noting Mimosa’s resemblance to Licht’s wife Tetia, and wonders if all humans are like that no matter what era they’re in.

Nozel prepares to kill Patri, but Asta stops him saying that’s not how it’s supposed to go. Nozel reminds him that Patri is the leader of the Eye of the Midnight Sun and while that’s enough reason for him, Yuno intervenes by mentioning that Patri’s body actually belongs to William Vengeance. Nozel points out the extreme differences between the two, but Yuno assures him that with the way he currently is, meaning his elf form, he can tell. Yuno goes on to suggest that Asta’s sword may be the key to returning William to Normal. Despite Nozel’s protest Asta is determined to try.

Asta proceeds to unleash his Anti Magic and realizes that he has a lot more than he’s ever had before. He suddenly remembers the warning the elf possessing Gauche told him before, that actions come with consequences and there was no getting around that. Suddenly Asta starts seeing Patri’s memories; whatever the sword absorbs was now flowing into Asta. All his hate, rage, and despair were being projected to Asta and it’s during this moment that Asta shockingly realizes that Julius has been killed.

Patri is having some sort of internal crisis where’s he’s wrestling with two beliefs. He keeps thinking humans are evil and cannot be trusted, but the other side of him remembers that he and William did manage to understand each other. Before that thought can fully take root, another surge of dark emotions engulf him and once again he reiterates his previous mantra that humans are evil and everything is their fault. Asta suddenly appears before Patri and introduces himself, noting that on the inside Patri is basically just a kid around Asta’s own age. Patri is shocked at his appearance and angrily asks him what he wants. This is where Asta drops some truth bombs. After laying out how wrong everything went for Patri, from being tricked by the devil to not being able to protect anyone or find his light, Asta urges him not to give up. He tells Patri that he was only running away, taking the easier road, which infuriates Patri who tells him to shut up because he knows nothing about it.

This is where it gets real. Asta grabs Patri and lays out his sins. He accuses him of killing the Wizard King, a man they all looked up to and aspired to be like. He accuses him of taking everyone hostage and the reincarnation hurting innocent people all over the kingdom. Asta hammers his point home by pointing out that the same way he can’t forgive humans is the same way Asta will never forgive him. Patri tries to stutter out an excuse but Asta cuts him off by asking where he got off on acting like he was when he did all that stuff mentioned before. Thank you Asta! This is so on point.

Anyway Asta continues to slap Patri with facts, telling him that despite everything that happened to him, with being used by the devil and going down a path opposite of what his friends and family would want, that he should not give up. He should actually want to help take down the devil because of those things. Patri is stunned by Asta’s persistence and asks why he’s trying so hard. Asta remembers his plan for when he becomes Wizard King, where everyone can live and joke with each other. He tells Patri that he is going to be the Wizard King so he won’t give up on the elves either. In that moment Patri realizes that Asta is exactly like the first Wizard King. He starts crying and grabs on to Asta. In that moment the spell that gripped Patri dissipates, returning them to the real world, much to the relief of Asta’s friends and to the shock of Rhya who can’t believe Asta brought Patri back.

We now see Patri fully restored and healed, albeit with one eye still reminiscent of his dark elf persona. After admitting he’s never seen such a stupid human, referring to Asta who calls him a jerk, Patri vows to stop the devil from getting what he wants. He asks Asta to stay with him until it was all over to which Asta agrees.

I loved this chapter. 9/10. There wasn’t a lot of action, with the chapter focused on Asta and Patri coming to some sort of understanding, which they did. It might not be everyone’s cup of tea and understandably so, but I loved the talk Asta had with Patri about not giving up and basically telling him to get over himself and actually be useful. I loved that Asta pointed out the hypocrisy of the way Patri and the other elves are acting when they’ve done equally despicable things. This is definitely something that needed to be mentioned so kudos to the author. Also I might be in the minority here, but I don’t mind the incoming Elves/Humans team up that’s about to happen. They have a stronger common enemy, and now that they know they’ve all been manipulated it’s only fitting. It might not be a popular decision but it makes the most sense and opens the way for a bigger storyline in the future now that we have Dwarves and Devils in the mix.

A side note, this chapter proves without a doubt that Asta is well on his way to becoming the Wizard King. He’s far from ready, and most likely there will be one or two before him, but this chapter he reminded me a lot of Naruto in the way they overcome intolerance and reach out to their enemies despite having every reason to hate. It’s why I’m more convinced when Asta screams about being the Wizard King than I am when the likes of Yuno or Nozel calmly state they will become the Wizard King. Like in this chapter Nozel wanted to kill Patri and Yuno was only concerned about saving William’s body, but Asta actually cared about the lost Elf trapped in his own negative cocoon. I guess that’s why in the end Patri asked Asta to stay with him, which was kind of sweet. Looking forward to the upcoming chapter now that the elves and humans seemed to have worked out their issues. Time to put a stop to the current battles and focus on dealing with the devil.

 

[Seraph]

Black Clover - Chapter 201 Review by Seraph

Chapter Title: The Shadow Palace - Top Floor

This Week's Chapter of Black Clover switches back to it's action-rails with the Devil reaching the Shadow Palace's Top Floor,where the exit of the Palace is located as well. To no surprise there is also a final obstacle to overcome in his way,that being noone other than Licht who despite not being fully awakened is intent on stopping the Devil. The Malicious being laments that Licht won't accept him,but understandably so,not only did he receive the Grimoire of Despair from someone else it was from someone that is precious to Licht: Patri. He looks ready to battle,pointing his sword towards the Devil in a challenging manner Licht takes his stance. The Devil praises Licht for his efforts,despite his soul being unstable he was still able to enter the Shadow Palace and almost complete the Reincarnation Magic,as a Reward for his hard work the Devil will do his best to get rid of him for good now.

The Devil starts his attack by using his Word Magic,he calls "Lightning Fang!" and a Lightning Halberd appears out of nowhere flying straight towards Licht who absorbs it with his Demon-Dweller Sword and sends it back with a quick slash. The Devil isn't short on defense as he proves next,he calls forth "Earth Shield!" and a Stone Wall erupts from the Ground to block the Lightning Halberd immediatly but that's not all as he goes on the Offensive again by calling "Blade Storm!",the same move that he used against Asta and Yuno before to prevent the formers Anti Magic from working. Licht effortlessly deflects and dodges the blades even as the Devil calls "Be crushed!" making the ground under his feet shatter he does not fail to defend himself or at least up till now as the Devil calls "Be bound!" and Licht is immediatly stopped from moving as his sword and body get bound by numerous black strings from the ground.

It's looking dire for Licht as his opponent readies an "Iron Spear!" aimed at him,the Devil explains that his Word Magic is capable of summoning Physical matter out of nowhere and that Licht won't be able to deflect this move with just 1 Sword in his hand. He bids the Elven Chief farewell as he shoots the Iron Spear towards him but his attempt is doomed to fail as a huge amount of Thorns catches the Spear and throws it into the Wall behind Licht. The Devil voices his surprise as he did not expect another Elf to be closeby apart from Licht,the Elf that appeared is Charla. The Elf who is currently inhabiting the body of the Blue Rose's Captain Charlotte Roselei,she explains that she was only able to find him due to the collapsed Baval she found in the hallway but not only because of that but also because of the traces of his Negative and wicked Magic Power in the air.

However,Charla is not the only reinforcement for Licht but to our surprise Yami found his way into the Chamber as well voicing his disbelief in beings like a "Devil" existing in their World. We learn that Yami and Nozel split up so they could follow both of the bigger Magic Powers in the Shadow Palace,Nozel ended up at Asta and Yuno's location to fight Patri while Yami ended up facing the Devil. Charla asks Yami if he plans to get into her way again only to be met by Yami freeing Licht from his bindings explaining to her that he has a lot of Questions for her and things to say but before any of that takes place they need to take down this "Thing" in front of them because there is one thing both parties can agree on: This is pure Evil. Charla agrees to work with Yami but only if he doesn't get into her way,Yami warns Charla not to get Charlotte's body hurt and they go for the attack.

Charla attacks using her Thorns again but the Devil counters her by calling "Flame Wave!",a wall of Flames consumes her Thorns rendering her attack ineffective,Yami uses his Dark Magic: Black Hole! to suck the Flames and the remaining Thorns in to make way for his own attack. He uses his Dark Magic: Dark Cloaked Avidya Slash! to attack the Devil but just as he is about to get hit he dodges the Captains attack by flying upwards and calling forth his Storm of Blades again which is countered again this time by Charla's Thorns. The Devil tries to create an opening by calling "Be withered!",which as expected results in the Thorns withering and just as they are about to dissolve Yami comes jumping out of the Thorns ready to strike the Devil who didn't anticipate his attack and left himself wide open.

The Captain of the Black Bulls attacks the fiend with his Dark Magic: Dark Cloaked Dimension Slash! in midair succeeding in hitting his target,it's unclear to say wether Yami severed his arm and wing of with this attack or if he just got slashed by this strike. The Devil praises Yami and Charla for their Teamwork given that they are supposed to hate each other,Yami can't help but wonder why he thinks that would be the case. We get a switch of scene to the House of Kira outside of the Shadow Palace,specifically Finral who is fully recovered now. Just as the Healer get ready to focus on Langris Nero flies to Finral and wakes him up by picking on his forehead. When Finral wakes up the Anti-Bird asks him to take them to where the Demon's bones are!

This Chapter was alright, 7.5/10 ,we didn't get much other than the fight against the Devil and the explanation on how Nozel ended up alone at Asta and Yuno's place. I pretty much expected Yami to fight the Devil given that his Magic shouldn't be too effective on him due to his nature,i'm not sure if these traits matter in Black Clover fights but i don't see any other reason why 3 Captain Class and beyond Combatants should fail to stop him to make way for Asta,Yuno,Patri and Nozel. Then again,his Word Magic is a counter to pretty much anything we know since he only needs to call something out and it starts existing. Nero is a 50/50 scenario in my mind right now since i've been suspect of this bird for a long time now,he could either be an aide of the Devil and wants Finral to take him to the "Devils Bones" because of the Magic Stone Tablet(Perhaps to open a Portal for the Devil to cross through?) Or for himself to reach the Shadow Palace since he initially wanted to enter with Yuno. Or he is doing it for Asta's sake and there is some sort of PowerUp for him waiting inside that Cave,which could be another Sword(Which would be sort of boring for me) or his actual/true Grimoire which i'd prefer. That is only if it really is a PowerUp though,i'd find it pretty cool if he was an aide for the Devil actually but we'll see.

 

[Belserion]

Black Clover Chapter 202 Review by Belserion

Chapter Title: From Another World

This week continues with Nero urging Finral to open a portal that would take them to the statue Demon Bones. Finral is still in shock over the fact that Nero talked, but Nero warns him they must hurry or they won’t be able to save the humans trapped inside the elves and that’s not even the worst of it.

We switch back to the fight between The Devil, Yami and Charla. Yami realizes that the Devil is able to manipulate spells and matter simultaneously when he uses Storm of Blades, and is shocked at this because it puts him on a whole different level from what they’re used to. The only silver lining is that Yami realizes there is a limit to the Devil’s power since he hasn’t straight up asked them to die. Charla realizes the Devil has a limited range because all her briars didn’t wither. While she tries to figure out how the Devil’s magic works in relation to the distance and amount of magic used by his opponent, Yami knows for a fact that the Devil can’t block his Dark Magic with his Word Soul Magic and launches an attack. This is proven when instead of blocking, the Devil dodges the attack Yami sent at him. Licht attempts to reflect Yami’s Dark Magic back at the Devil, but he dodges that as well, marveling that even half asleep Licht moves very well.

Yami continues his deductions stating the Devil is too overpowered. He considers some of the persons in the vicinity and works out a power scale with The Devil, Licht and Charla on the high tier, then the Royals, himself and Nozel, just below them. Then we have Nobles like Sol after them, followed by commoners like Magna and Asta on the low tier of the scale. If things stay the way they are Yami knows they won’t last much longer, noting that the Devil isn’t even flustered. This is confirmed by the Devil laughing at them and calling them a nuisance. He also thanks them for helping him acquire the grimoire which he now prepares to use. He calls on the magic of his own words, his Word Soul Magic, and casts a spell in what seems to be a different language, possibly the Devil’s original language. Yami is shocked that he still had magic that nasty up his sleeve. The Devil tells him that as creatures there is a big difference between them and that’s their dimension of origin. The effects of the spell he casted before suddenly manifests and something from the otherworld starts invading their dimension. Yami, Charla and everyone in the palace begin to panic, not knowing what sort of magic it is.

We are then taken back to the Demon bones where the statue of the First Wizard King resides on top of the skull. Nero tells Finral to place all the magic stones into the statue. After he does this, the statue begins glowing.

Great chapter. 8/10. The Devil is definitely too overpowered. So much in fact that it looks like the First Wizard King is about to be resurrected, at least for a little while, in order to help deal with the Devil. It’s not a route I expected this war to take, but I’ll keep an open mind and see where this goes. If the First Wizard King is indeed back, I expect him to fully awaken Licht and then they both take on the Devil. They do have experience with fighting Devils after all. Also there is the possibility of getting some answers in regards to Asta and Yuno’s origins. So I can definitely see the potential here.

 

[Seraph]

Black Clover - Chapter 203 Review by Seraph

Chapter Title: Now is the Time to break the Seal!

This Week's Chapter of Black Clover sends us back into the Shadow Palace again as Yami and Charla attempt to guard themselves from the otherworldly Magic used by the Devil but to no avail as the Magic absorbs and eats anything thrown at it,like Charla's Thorn Magic. As Charla is about to be eaten up as well Yami saves her with his Dark Magic: Dark Cloaked Black Reverse Blade Sweep! to get her out of range in time,unfortunately he didn't manage to defend himself in time and his arm got stuck inside the mysterious being. Yami manages to free his arm and to his shock during the brief moment it was stuck some of his Mana and Life Energy have been absorbed by the monstrosity and not only that it also looks like parts of his arm were chewed on and he is now barely able to move it making it impossible for him to swing his Katana properly.

The Devil confirms this by stating that this Magic from the Otherworld thirsts for Life Energy and that despite him having only opened the "lid" a little bit there is more of the mysterious matter streaming out than anticipated by him,as it starts spreading into the other Chambers by entering the hallways connecting the Spaces. He claims that this Spell will not stop until every Elf and Human has been devoured,meanwhile Asta,Yuno,Nozel and Patri get attacked by this matter as well but are quick to counter it dropping down from above with Patri's Light Magic: Light Sword of Judgement! and Yuno's Wind Magic: Tornado Fang!. Patri shouts that they are attacked by Devil Mana. But their defense is in vain as well as both attacks are being absorbed by the Devil Mana,a drop of the matter hit Patri making him realize that this isn't something they can fight off easily.

As Mimosa and Rhya are about to be swallowed up as well Asta jumps in,pushing both of them to the side with all his strength,he's instantly swallowed whole by the Devil Mana but breaks out just as quickly thanks to his Anti-Magic Broadsword!. To Patri's shock not only is Asta unharmed but his Magic is also a perfect counter against the Devil Mana,Yuno and Patri mention how unbelievable yet fortunate it is that someone like Asta is with them right now. Mimosa calls upon her Map and pinpoints that the Devil Mana is spreading from the Top to the Bottom meaning that everybody below them remains in danger,Nozel makes it his duty to aid the ones below them together with Mimosa because they need more Manpower in order to win and rescue all of their possessed Friends. He orders Asta and Yuno to head together with Patri towards the Top of the Shadow Palace in order to stop the Devil.

We return to Finral,Nero and the freshly awakened First Magic Emperor. Nero says that now with the Emperor awakening the seal on her,yes Nero is actually a girl,is broken as well as she reveals her true Form. She is happy for the "Prince" to have awakened after all this time,the Magic Emperor apologizes for being so late and tells Nero not to blame herself as without her he wouldn't even be here right now. Finral completely shocked by this turn of events can barely find the words to speak but catches himself quickly as he gazes upon Nero's true form and tries to flirt with her, but is turned down by her very cold gaze immediatly. Nero has the appearance of a young woman in her 20s of average height,presumably red or brown hair and wears a short black dress with feathers on it. The Magic Emperor steps forward,noticing that there is Mana out of this World in the Shadow Palace and concludes that "He" has aquired a body.

As Finral attempts to question how they both can know each other and how exactly the Magic Emperor was a statue,he is quickly filled in by the First Emperor himself. Who tells him that when he was on the verge of Death many years ago he asked Nero to use her Seal Magic on him which resulted in him becoming a Statue and her turning into a bird for the past 500 years. He explains all that while summoning what appears to be a Lance made out of Light with a 3 Leaf Clover as the Blade,Finral mentions that the Emperors Mana is really tranquil but immensely powerful and much stronger than any of the Elves was that he met before even. Just as he finishes explaining Nero grabs Finral's hand and right as he wonders why she did so the 3 of them fly off towards the Royal Palace at an incredible speed. In a Flash of Light.

As they close in on the Palace Nero uses her Sealing Magic: Reverse Dispel! which causes the entrance to the Shadow Palace to open once more,before they enter she lets go off Finral's hand. As he falls down the Legendary Magic Knight thanks him and tells him to stay strong as his friends will return to him soon as he enters the Shadow Palace.

This Chapter was a good Setup for the incoming Clash, The Devil vs First Magic Emperor, i rate it an 8 out of 10. The Devil's time is about to end with the Legendary First Magic Emperor challenging him once more,who also curiously enough uses Light Magic it seems. And an even stronger Version to boot,even Patri needed some time to reach Licht and Co. from outside the Kingdom but he did it in one second. And going by Finral's statement he is even more powerful than any of the Elves he's met so far so perhaps he is equal or even above the Devil in Magic Power. I'm curious to what we'll learn about his Past or any possible connections to our present day Hero's because this whole Yuno being an Elf Hybrid and Asta being possibly related to him Talk has been giving me hopes for a connection. Perhaps Asta's Magic has been sealed for some purpose and Nero can reverse it too,which would lead to Asta gaining his true Grimoire and Power. If he has to return the Anti Magic Grimoire that is,but there is a lot more input to come for us and i can't wait! Looking forward to it for sure!

 

[Seraph]

Black Clover - Chapter 204 Review by Seraph

Chapter Title: Wish for Demise

Last time in Black Clover we got to meet THE Legendary Magic Knight in the flesh,more or less at least: The First Magic Emperor! Who's actual name is Lumiere as we learn in this Chapter,which is the French word for "Light" which is ironic because Licht's name is the german word for "Light" as well so they share a connection beyond their friendship. Their names have the same meaning in 2 different languages. However,this Chapter we go on a trip back in time to 500 years ago as Lumiere and Nero,whose real name is Secre remember what happened not too long before they got sealed away. Due to her Magic being mostly useful for opening and closing "things" she had been deemed worthless and got appointed as a servant for the mana-abundant and bright,yet highly talented Prince. She expected him to be a snob but as she assures us straight away Lumiere surpassed her expectations and was way different than she expected at first. At the same time she enters the Prince's chambers and is greeted by him,while he is researching Ancient Magic.

Lumiere questions Secre about her Magic and its usage,as she reluctantly explains it to him she notes that her magic is rather crude which the future Magic Emperor denies as he finds it very interesting and filled with many possibilities. He asks her to help him create Magic Tools and other Magic related inventions for every day usage by people less proficient or without any sort of Mana and Magic,the goal was to push for a more equal society. Something which caused the rest of Lumiere's family to view him in a negative way as their Superiority would get questioned in such a society,but he wouldn't worry about it and continue pushing forward in order to realize his dreams. Something which Secre,whom he made a dress for even,admired him deeply. One day she would trail the Prince and his Sister,Tetia out of the Kingdom's Walls as they have been rather frequently sneaking out and nobody knew where. To her surprise Lumiere and Tetia would frequently go and meet with Licht and the Elves who were just as blessed with Mana as someone from Royalty in Clover.

Licht and Lumiere shared a special bond,both were blessed by Mana but from different races,both wielded a 4 Leaf Clover Grimoire and they were on equal footing as Licht is the Chief of the Elves while Lumiere is the Magic Emperor. The Humans had invented tools that can store and share Magic with whoever uses it while the Elves have the Magic Stones that amplify Mana and have a connection with the Spirit World. Thanks to their frequent meetings and exchanges of gifts they made quick and solid progress on the Magic Tool invention as well as the Humans relationship with the Elves,they were getting closer to a Human society that co-exists with the Elves. As Licht and Tetia were about to be married Lumiere had received a summoning from his Father so he'll be late to the ceremony,apparently his Family was not happy about Tetia marrying an Elf and bearing his Child to boot but as we know now that was because of the Devil holding the threads in his hand for the most part.

The Day of the Ceremony came and Lumiere seeked out his father in the Throne Room but as he enters the chamber he realizes that nobody is inside,out of nowhere he hears the words "Prohibit" and several black strings bind Lumiere where he stands making it impossible for him to move,suddenly the Minister steps out of the shadows. Lumiere is shocked but not by the Ministers presence but the evil and dark Mana inside him,he asks who he is and suddenly a dark spirit appears smiling at him. The Devil. He answers that the Prince can pick a name for him as he does not have one and he is the symbol for hatred and despair,he goes on to reveal that the Royal Family has gone to the secret location where the ceremony is to be held in order to massacre the Elf Tribe and take their Mana for themselves. The terrible twist is that only Lumiere was supposed to know the location of the Ceremony and will by extension be branded as a Traitor to his friend Licht and his sister Tetia.

As he hears this the Magic Emperor tries to free himself but to no avail as even someone of his calibre cannot break these restraints,the Devil made sure of that beforehand. Once he has obtained a Body and Grimoire he'll face him again,gladly at that. As Lumiere screams for help Secre shows up in shock,notifying the Prince that the Magic Tool to store and share Mana has been stolen. As the Prince hears this he hurries Secre to undo his bindings with her Sealing Magic,she follows the order and uses her Sealing Magic : Inverse Dispel! and the bindings disappear,they fly off immediatly to stop the Massacre but as they approach their target destination Lumiere notices that his Magic Tool is activated and collecting the Elves Mana already. They are too late,as they arrive they are met by nothing but a huge amount of dead Elves and Licht who is holding the also dead Tetia in his arms. As Lumiere and Secre faintly call out to Licht they are met by a cold gaze and a smile of their Friend.

Licht states that he knew the entire time that it wasn't Lumiere's fault that this massacre occured nor his aide Secre's,the latter notes that Licht now wields a 5 Leaf Clover Grimoire. We can also see that Licht is about to undergo the transformation into a Dark Elf as one of his eyes turns Black already,however,Licht is in control of his body as he managed to gain the upperhand against the Devils Control. He apologizes for doubting his Friend while the Demon urges him to give him control of his body completely,he continues by telling his friend that for their dream to continue and come true he remains as the last hope. He reveals that he has to keep absorbing all the Negative Mana in the Area in order to keep the Devil from getting his hands onto his Body and Magic,that will end up turning him into a Devil as well but he still has a single final request: "Lumiere,please...kill me!!!"

This Chapter was pretty good,a bit short as always but still,i liked it. 8.5/10 from me here. I'm not too fond of Flashback Chapters most of the times but this time it's different because this is a Flashback that shows us the other and real side of the Legend that everybody from present day only heard and knows about. We knew that the Magic Emperor became a Legend by beating a giant Demon but not that the Demon was his former Friend and an Elf as well as there having been a Mastermind pulling the strings all along,the Devil. I found it sad to see how they were used and in the end technically forced to fight to the death with one another,especially Licht who had lost his entire Tribe and his Wife to be Tetia for nothing but the Devil's schemes. Lumiere i found very similar to the Magic Emperor Julius and the Candidates aspiring to be like him or take over his post,a bit dorky,talented,powerful and very curious about all sorts of Magic while at the same time being small like Asta. I was surprised by the different expressions of Nero/Secre in the chapter too,since we only know her looking down and depressing but in this chapter she was shocked,she smiled and she was in despair. Perhaps this event turned her mindset back the way it used to be? We'll see. Licht vs Lumiere is probably going to happen in the next Chapter and i can't wait for it,the First Magic Emperor is a Hype Beast despite the fact that we only saw him fly to the Kingdom in a matter of seconds...Fanboying intensifies. See you next time everybody!

 

[Belserion]

Black Clover Chapter 205 Review by Belserion

Chapter Title: The Truth of 500 Years


We pick up from last week where Licht has transformed into a huge demon. The citizens of Clover Kingdom are panicking and running for their lives when Prince Lumiere appears before the demon. Lumiere believes he’s finally found the reason why he was born with so much magic power, and for that reason he won’t allow Licht, his best friend, to become a murderer. He creates a huge light sword and proceeds to go head to head with the demon.

Secre watches the battle from afar. She’s lost in her guilt because she thinks the magic items they made with her magic is responsible for what’s happening. As she wonders if there’s anything she can do to help, we see Lumiere’s magic punching holes through the demon. The Devil wonders what Licht was trying to accomplish by becoming a demon, stating that he should have just surrendered his body if being beaten by Lumiere is all he was going to do. He goes on to say that if he had gotten Licht’s body then Light Magic would not have worked on him. Both the Devil and Lumiere realize that at the rate the demon is going there will be nothing left, even if Lumiere manages to block the massive amount of power it’s preparing to launch.

Secre arrives and interrupts the fight riding on a magic object. She tells Lumiere that the magic item meant for peace and equality can be used to absorb the magic the demon was preparing to launch. Despite their efforts, the item breaks in the face of the demons intense power. Lumiere is not surprised by this, but the demon suddenly stops and they realize its negative mana is thinning. Licht’s voice calls out to Lumiere telling him to hurry. Lumiere tearfully pierces the demon with the huge light sword ending his rampage. The people of Clover Kingdom rejoice and call Lumiere their savior and messiah.

The Devil takes the opportunity while everyone is distracted to try and steal the 5 leaf clover Grimoire. He seems satisfied with that for now, despite failing to acquire Licht’s body. Secre stops the Devil and demands he hand over the grimoire. The Devil scoffs at her attempt, telling her that if she, one who is not beloved by mana, attempts to use the magic stones, she will lose her human form. Secre doesn’t care about that and proceeds to use the stones to boost her power. She uses Sealing Magic: Eternal Prison to trap the Devil much to his shock. He’s surprised Secre doesn’t care about the kickback in using the forbidden magic but shrugs it off and continues to plot reincarnation despite being imprisoned. He thinks of sowing more seeds of disaster, this time in Patri, and summons the Magic Stones from around Secre’s neck. For the sake of his eventual resurrection and incarnation, he uses Forbidden Magic: Noad Nephesh to send the souls of the elves to the future, promising to work more slowly and carefully next time in an era where people like Lumiere and Secre don’t exist.

A badly injured Lumiere checks on Secre who tells him the seal she placed on the Devil will be undone someday and the peaceful future they’ve worked so hard for will be stolen from them. She comes up with the idea to seal Lumiere with the Magic Stones, stating that while it won’t be perfect his life will be preserved. Lumiere warns her that using the stones will strip her of her humanity, but she reminds him that he’s the hope of the future so she can’t let him die there.

Years passed before Secre awakens after sealing Lumiere in Stone. She realizes she would need the help of the mages in the future since she was now the bird we know as Nero and was helpless in that form. She watched over Licht’s Grimoire that had been excluded from the natural realm, for 500 years until it was finally summoned. We see flashbacks of the moment Asta uses Licht’s Grimoire for the first time, to the current events happening with the Devil. Secre vows that they will put an end to this long fight today.

We switch to Asta, Yuno and Patri confronting the Devil. He’s surprised that Patri broke out of the Dark Elf transformation but declares he has no interest in toys he’s done playing with. Contrary to his words we see that he’s actually getting a bit worried by Asta’s Anti Magic. At the same moment, Lumiere and Secre arrive on the scene, to the shock of everyone present.


Thoughts:

I liked this chapter. 8/10. I really like the reveals. With this chapter a lot of our questions have been answered, from the mystery of the huge demon we learned about in the very first chapter, to the first Magic Emperor, and how things have reached their current climax. I’m not sure how the author will handle the First Magic Emperor since it’s clear he’s actually still alive. He was sealed while alive and preserved for this moment. Although I’m not sure if the seal healed the awful wound he received fighting the demon. Perhaps that will come into play when it’s all over, but while I don’t mind some instances where the “dead” come back to help, we’ve seen it in other manga with Naruto being the obvious one, I don’t like it if/when they stay. Their time has passed. So I’ll wait to see how this author handles the situation. Also the Devil sending the souls of the Elves to the future could explain how Yuno and/or Asta could end up being the actual child of Licht and Tetia and not just a reincarnation. This isn’t 100% but we can definitely see the signs beginning to point to it. I’m looking forward to the upcoming chapters. I’m quite tired of this Devil so hopefully they can defeat him and we can move on. With all the reveals during this war, there are so many avenues we can take and I’m ready to explore them.

 

[Seraph]

Black Clover - Chapter 206 Review by Seraph

Chapter Title: The Reunion that crosses Space and Time

This week's Chapter of Black Clover starts with Yami and Charla/Charlotte who barely prevented to be disintegrated by the Devil's Magic from the other World by protecting themselves within an orb made of Yami's Darkness Magic that has the downside of him losing Mana by the minute it seems, because Yami claims that he could not keep it up for too long if it wasn't for Charla who is able to use Healing Magic which not only restores his wounded arm but also recovers his Mana to an extent. Charla however complains that there isn't enough space for them both inside the orb,as they are both literally sitting atop each other. A reaction that reminds Yami of Charlotte,but he's also worried about what happened to Licht.

The scene switches over to the Entrance of the Shadow Palace,where the Devil had planned to escape from but was stopped due to the Magic Knights combined efforts. Asta,Yuno and Patri had just arrived at Licht's side but not just them,Lumiere and Secre also entered the Shadow Palace to face off with their old Nemesis once more to bring the dance they started to an end. The Keyplayers have arrived,the Final Battle can begin at last!
Asta and Yuno seem to recognize Lumiere from their time at Hage Village where he would "watch" over their home due to his body being placed fairly near their Orphanage. Asta enters full Fanboy-Mode as he sees one of his idols,totally forgetting that it should not be natural for the First Magic Emperor to move around in the first place in their time. Asta also recognizes Secre's presence but he can't make out who she reminds him of, Secre tells Lumiere that they should head over to Licht and break the seal placed onto him by the Forbidden Magic.

As they approach Licht we learn that the Forbidden Magic did indeed reincarnate his Soul and Body but did not allow him to "awaken" properly,which explains his absent state of mind and presence,she continues to break the seal placed onto him with her very advanced Sealing Magic that has been growing stronger ever since she met Lumiere. There is no Seal in the World that she cannot break. As Licht awakens the bright Light surrounding him enters his Blade and he greets his old Friend,thanking him for everything he did for them,as he watches on the Devil cannot help but ridicule Lumiere and Licht for their suffering at his hands in the past and that they won't be around for too long anyway. Meanwhile Licht,Lumiere and Secre land on a floating Rock along with Asta's group where the Elven Chief greets his comrade Patri and thanks him for everything he's done too no matter what everybody thinks of him. He knows the prize his friend had to pay just to come this far very well. Bringing Patri to break out in tears of sadness and happiness at once.

Licht and Lumiere declare that it is time to fight,to stop another tragedy from happening,to end the circle of hatred and pain from 500 years ago to today. A challenge the Devil merrily accepts because once he's devoured their emotions there will be noone left to stop him,as he finishes his statement the mass from the other World attacks once more. However his attack and bravado are cut short as Lumiere uses his Light Magic: Mana Zone,The Firelight of Avior - Gloria! to disperse the Magic only for Licht to use his Sword Magic: Brandish of Creation - Combo Attack! to cut and destroy it until nothing's left of it. The Devil is shocked at this counterattack as no Magic should be safe from being absorbed by his Magic but he explains this phenomenon due to Lumiere and Licht's involvement and interaction/s with the Magic Stones created by the Elf Tribe that are said to massively amplify the Magic of anyone coming into contact with them.

As he finishes his thought he is already being flanked by Lumiere from his left with a Big Light Sword thrown at him,although he manages to dodge the attack initially he is being attacked by Licht from behind forcing him to back away right into the trajectory of Lumiere's Light Sword which results in him getting send flying. Asta and Yuno are impressed by the amount of Force and Speed behind the Legendary Pair of Leaders attacks,the Devil won't be able to counter with his Word Magic like this,this is confirmed as Lumiere impales him with a Light Sword through his Torso at incredible speeds. Their surprise is replaced with shock as the Devil creates a Trident of other world matter to sever Lumiere's arm,Licht realizes that this Trident has the same ability as the huge scale attack from earlier while Secre wonders who can even take this beast down at this point. The Devil announces that while an attack like that is impressive it serves no purpose with him having a Body and a Grimoire.

He attempts to strike Lumiere again but is stopped by Asta who got sent flying towards him with Yuno's Wind Magic,countering his Trident with his Anti Magic. Licht and Secre wonder if the Anti Magic might be able to stop the Devil once and for all.

The Chapter was nice but it was mostly the fight: The Devil vs Magic Knights + Lumiere,Licht,Patri and Secre so other than their displays of Magic and the dialogue there isn't much to be commented on by me. What i do want to comment on however is Asta's sudden intervention,because i did rather have Lumiere and Licht deal with the Devil instead of him actually. It feels like he'll get the better of them now because his Magic is so broken and can counter everything Magic related,he failed before together with Yuno and Patri so i'd have preferred him to stay back now but that was wishful thinking i guess. So at the very least i hope it'll be a group effort of them to defeat the Devil. If he is meant to be defeated here that is. I'd rate this Chapter a 7.5/10

 

[Belserion]

Black Clover Chapter Chapter 207 Review by Belserion

Chapter Title: Ultimate Magic

This week the fight continues between our heroes, old and new, and the Devil. The Devil attacks Asta with a spear that usually breaks down everything it touches, but doesn’t seem to be working on Asta. The Devil uses Get Back to push Asta away from him. He follows this up with Storm of Blades, dismissing Asta as of no account when he’s on his own. Licht, Lumiere, Yuno and Patri all step in to deflect the blades from a relieved Asta. Yuno notes that Licht’s magic is overwhelmingly vast now that he’s fully awakened and wonders why he feels warm and nostalgic around Licht.

Lumiere’s arm is injured in the aftermath, and he’s healed by Secre using Sealing Recovery Magic: Closed Sorrow. Asta is impressed at what she does and admits to her that it doesn’t feel like the first time they’ve met. He tries to figure out what it is about her that feels so familiar but she pinches his cheek and tells him to focus on the fight. The Devil also seems impressed by Secre’s magic, remembering the seal she used on him as well even though she’s not even in possession of a four leaf clover grimoire. He quickly dismisses it as worthless against him now that he has a body . She interrupts his random speech and tells him to be quiet. We get a flashback of Secre and Lumiere talking about magic. Lumiere doesn’t think he’s anything special for having a four leaf clover and tells Secre that everyone’s magic is special and if they could all use their magic to help each other it would be a good country. This resonated with her because now she stands up to the Devil and tells him he can only exist by stealing from others, and that the same ones he looked down on, toyed with and stepped on will be the ones to defeat him.

The Devil finds Secre’s speech amusing, like he finds everything else, and tells her if that’s the case she better hurry because the otherworldly magic he unleashed a few chapters ago will continue welling up no matter how much they break it apart. Defeating him is the only way to stop it and the only exit is in the room on the top floor. He continues to taunt them by telling them if they take their time their friends on the lower floors will be engulfed and killed. This angers Asta as Patri notes that even Licht and Lumiere’s attack barely did anything. Licht dismisses the Devil’s warning as unnecessary as he and his companions will now launch a spell to wipe out the Devil. He asks those around him to lend their powers as well.

We’re now shown Fuegoleon on Salamander carrying the bodies of his defeated opponents up and away from the otherworldly magic, wondering what it is. So this is confirmation the he won his fight, something we were left wondering about for a few chapters. We see Charmy has emerged victorious against Lira which is a bit shocking, but also has potential. We move on to Yami and Charla who are still holed up together, defending against the otherworldly magic. Charla begins to glow in response to Licht’s magic which confuses Yami. Licht’s spell seems to be gaining power, because Mimosa senses an astronomical quantity of magic on the top floor, strong enough that it shocks even Nozel. Rhya recognizes the Magic as Licht’s as he and all the other fallen elves suddenly begin to glow. Licht has called on the magic of his companions, or more accurately, the wrath of the elves, just as he’d said, and launches Ultimate Sword Magic: Demon Dweller Sword Conquering Eon and proceeds to eviscerate the Devil. This shocks everyone around him, with Yuno even noting that the spell was in a whole different league.

Their attention is drawn to a mass floating among the debris of the attack, and they realize it’s the Devil’s heart. The heart suddenly forms a mouth that says Heal and everyone watches in horror as the Devil regenerates in front of their eyes. He laughs at them and tells them they can’t kill him. As everyone struggles with the fact that they’re possibly outmatched, Licht glances at Asta. Asta, still in awe of the power Licht unleashed with his sword, wonders if perhaps his sword is capable of something similar, some sort of power he has yet to access. He reflects on what happened earlier when his anti magic blocked the Devil’s spear. He deduces that while the anti magic was weak it still had an effect, so if he could fight like Licht and his companions then there’s a power he can use because he has no magic.

Thoughts:

This was an intense chapter. 9/10. We got answers to some open questions, like the outcome of some of the previous battles. Victories for Fuegoleon, Nozel and Mimosa and Charmy. I mentioned that Charmy’s defeat of Lira has potential because if we really consider it, Rill is a Captain class Magic Knight. Charmy isn’t even Vice Captain level. With the elf takeover/power up, Rill’s power got a significant boost pushing him above captain class. With Charmy’s now awakened Dwarf blood, she also got a power boost, which at her previous level should have pushed her to captain level at most. Unless Dwarves are stronger than Elves. Or Hybrids with their dual magic in general are stronger than Purebreds. Because it makes absolutely no sense that she should be able to beat someone of Lira’s level. That’s something the author can explore in an upcoming arc, both Dwarves and Hybrids.

Then we had that little moment where Yuno felt nostalgic around Licht. We can put it down to Yuno being possessed by the spirit of Licht’s unborn child, but we know Yuno wasn’t possessed at all. The child itself never awakened in Yuno, only the power. Unless of course, there was nothing to awaken because Yuno is the child. This is an over-analyzed theory but until we get concrete evidence that says otherwise, it looks like the author is subtly pushing us in this direction.

This now brings me to the interest Licht seems to have taken in Asta. He seems to have known, after his attack failed, that there was something Asta could do. We know Asta is in possession of Licht’s Grimoire, so it might be that he knows something Asta doesn’t about the power Asta could unleash. I’m looking forward to the next chapter to see what ace Asta pulls out of his sleeve. We know the Devil is wary of Anti Magic, so whatever happens now might spell the real end of him, which honestly can’t come soon enough.

 

[Seraph]

Black Clover - Chapter 208 Review by Seraph

Chapter Title: Sword

This Week's Chapter of Black Clover starts with 2 familiar figures that most of us had probably forgotten where even in the Shadow Palace,i'm talking about Revchi and Gueldre. The former Captain and Magic Knight of the Purple Orca Squad,who only entered the Shadow Palace to aquire ancient artifacts for themselves which they seemingly managed to find as the both of them are carrying a couple of bags with them. To their dismay they're unable to leave the Palace as the Mass from the Other World summoned by the Devil is surrounding them and if not for Gueldre's Magic they would have been dead already. Gueldre is wondering where the exit is as his Mana is running low and the moment he does they're done for. The scene switches to Yami and Charla who got saved from the Devil's Attack by Licht's Ultimate Magic,something that relieves Charla but awes Yami who wonders just how powerful Licht is. He thanks Charla for healing his Arm,he should be able to pull of at least one Dimension Slash now meaning that neither his Mana nor his Arm are anywhere near his peak despite time to recover and Charla's Healing Magic. Yami wants to rejoin the fight against the Devil but with no means to fly into the upper Chambers he is stuck for now,he silently laments this fact as his Darkness Magic works against the Devil and he'd need nothing but find an opening to strike and deliver a lethal blow against the Devil. He also concludes that the only other person that might be able to wound him is Asta.

The scene changes again this time to Asta and Co. vs The Devil,Lumiere is surprised by Asta being able to use Licht's Sword but is corrected by Secre that this is not the exact same sword as Licht's as this is a 5-Leaf Clover Grimoire that houses another Devil inside it that provides the Anti Magic for the Swords to use. Meanwhile Asta is struggling to maintain control of the Anti Mana overflowing from his body and blade,as a result his sword as if drawn by a magnetic force flies straight towards the Devil who tries to guard himself with his trident but to no avail as Asta slashes straight through the Weapon,while the Devil dodges his sudden assault. He's surprised by Asta being able to move as well as he does in this twisted and altered Space and his ability to shatter a Weapon from the other World,he shifts his attention back to Asta telling him that no matter who that Devil housing inside his Grimoire is he'll show him that any resistance is futile as he is out of his League against the Devil. As he announces that the Mass from the other World starts another attack against Asta,who is still struggling to control his power,some Snake heads form from the mass and attempt to attack Asta and he barely manages to dodge them until Lumiere rescues him by disintegrating some of the mass with his Light Magic but just as they made it out of harms way Asta's Sword reacts to Lumiere's Massive Mana and strikes him as a result. Which sends the First Magic Emperor flying into a wall.

Meanwhile Patri and Yuno struggle to defend against the Mass as well,the Elf acknowledges that his Light Magic is far inferior to Lumiere's despite them using 4-Leaf Clover Grimoire's and the same Element even. Backed into a corner Patri makes use of the Dark Mana inside him and uses his Demon Light Magic: Light Swords of Judgement! something that earns him praise from the Demon but ultimately futile as this Magic can't defeat him either. Asta seems to be getting the hang of his Anti Mana while Secre checks on Lumiere who seems to be perfectly fine just that he doesn't feel like he's able to use Magic for the moment. Secre wonders if she should use her Sealing Magic to unlock the Physical Limiters of Asta's body to make it easier to maintain control but at the same time it would put his life at risk,Lumiere tells her not to as things will be fine. As he finishes saying so,Yuno asks Asta just how long he's going to keep lagging behind while slashing through some of the Mass. It is revealed that Yuno used his Wind to gather some of the remnants from Lumiere and Licht's Magic from before to create a Sword capable of slaying the Devil. It's called Wind Spirit Creation Magic: Spirit of Zephyr! , Yuno tells Asta that if he can't master his powers he will never be Magic Emperor. Asta smiles as he starts telling his rival that he just figured out the trick to controlling his Anti Mana,as a lot of Anti Magic gathers around the Demon Slayer he announces his newest Spell: Anti Magic Demon Slaying Sword: Black Divider!

The Chapter was alright but way too short for me,7/10, as nothing other than the fight occured in this one but it still gave me 2 things to wonder about which would be Yami's Darkness Magic and Secre attempting to release the "limiters" on Asta's body. Now Yami's Magic working will surely be explained soon enough,probably due to its Negative Nature being able to cancel out the Devil's own or something of the sort,but Secre saying she can "release" Asta from his limiters is something i was confused about since it is either(Which is how i took it) the Physical Limiters that Humans have that essentially limit our strength so our Muscles and bones don't break or get torn apart by the output. I'm not sure exactly how much they limit us from the peak strength we individually have but if this is not it then i could see it being "Limiters" on Astas Magic reserves. Meaning he would have actually Mana but can't use it as it was sealed by someone and Secre became aware of it due to her being able to use Sealing Magic as well,which would make me wonder: Who and why? But all to its due time i guess,i just want this fight with the Devil to end and for us to move on to another Arc as this one has already served any purposes,for me at least. Looking forward to next time as always!

 

[Belserion]

Black Clover Chapter 209 Review by Belserion

Chapter Title: Wish

Last chapter, Yuno and Asta both hit a new level of power in order to make a last stand against the Devil who has proven to be the most powerful opponent they’ve faced to date. Now, everyone looks at the two in shock an awe at how quickly they evolved. Lumiere recognizes Yuno is using a wind attribute along with sword magic, something that’s familiar to him. However he can’t seem to place Asta. Secre tells him Asta is an idiot boy who was born without magic and doesn’t know his place. While that may sound cruel she goes on to admit that Asta has put in more work than anyone in the kingdom and is the worst at giving up.

Asta is excited by his new power and boasts to Yuno, despite the fact that he silently admits he won’t be able to maintain his power in that shape for long. Yuno is also excited and warns Asta that he’d better make his power last until they cut down the Devil. The two then launch themselves towards the Devil, who compliments them on their spirit but doubts they’ll be able to reach him at the speed they’re going. Yuno uses his wind power to push Asta faster towards the Devil who is taken by surprise when Asta slices into him before he could even think of dodging. Patri and Licht are amazed at the teamwork shown by Asta and Yuno to the point where Patri thinks the Devil is defeated.

The celebration is premature because we see that instead of being defeated, the Devil is furious. He calls them maggots, lower life forms, scum, even calling Asta a magicless nothing. He declares he’s tired of the fight and promises to slaughter all of them. Mouths start appearing all over the Devil’s body, and Asta notes that while he thought he hit the Devil’s heart earlier with his attack, it now appears to be somewhere else. The Devil starts chanting in otherworld language and summons more of the worm-like otherworldly creatures from earlier. Asta and the others are surrounded by the creatures, with the Devil promising to kill them all. The otherworldly magic begins leaking through the palace to where Yami and Charla are, and the duo notes that not only is this the Devil’s full power but that it would swallow everything if nothing is done to stop it. They can’t even get close to the Devil as they intended.

Patri attacks the creatures but realizes that even though their magic can hold against the Devil, it’s hard on them. Lumiere and Licht interrupt him and ask him to hold the perimeter for a little while, stating they can’t let the modern mages die as they’re the future of the Clover Kingdom. Meanwhile, the Devil keeps up his mantra about massacring everyone and even tells them farewell as he prepares to bring down the curtain. Asta and Yuno aren’t fazed by this and ask him who told him he gets to be the one to end it. After confirming that they were both still good to battle, Asta and Yuno prepare to shut the Devil up once and for all.

Secre watches on from below and admits that she first approached Asta with the intention of using him, a magicless boy that just happened to acquire a five leaf Grimoire that kept magic away. But as the time passed and she watched him fight, she started wanting to believe in him, to bet on him. Now, she asks him to please win against the Devil.

This was a nice build up chapter. 8/10. Despite it seeming like nothing much happened, we see the characters firming their resolves with the intention of ending the battle once and for all. It’s not just Asta and Yuno, but also Lumiere and Licht who seem to have some plan up their sleeve. They’re determined to protect Asta and Yuno so I won’t be surprised if they have a trump card, most likely some move the worked on together considering they have a similar dynamic to Asta and Yuno as best friends. The Devil has also stopped laughing at every little thing now that he realizes this current group is more powerful than he initially believed. He’s forced to be serious, something that infuriates him and relieves me as a reader since he was quite annoying with his smug superiority in the chapters since his revelation. I predict two or three more chapters left in this fight since everyone is a peak level now, including the Devil, so I’m really looking forward to the conclusion.

 

[Seraph]

Black Clover - Chapter 210 Review by Seraph

Chapter Title: On the Brink

This week's Chapter of Black Clover continues with the fight against the Devil as the powered up Asta and Yuno make a final stand against him,hoping to end this battle once and for all,as the Devil threatens and ridicules their lives and efforts once more. He keeps attacking the Duo furiously,which gives Yuno the impression that while his own Blade may not be able to defeat the Devil it can guard and deflect attacks coming Asta's way. He plans to create an opening for Asta's blade to pierce through the Devil's heart since his Anti-Magic can injure and potentially kill the Devil,apart from Yami's Dark Magic. Meanwhile Asta is about to reach his limit,this has been the longest amount of time that he has been using his Black Form while trying to keep control over his Anti Mana which keeps overflowing from his body,a final powerful Attack might be all he can still muster in this situation. Observing the young Magic Knights is Lumiere who will leave the Devil to the New Generation while he and Licht combine their Magics in order to save their friends who are still outrunning or defending against the Mass from the Other World summoned by the Devil.

The scene switches over to Jack and Noelle vs Fana,Jack attacks Fana with his Severing Magic: Death Scythe! claiming he is close to fully severing her Recovery Magic surrounding her Body. His opponent however is beginning to feel the tension as the mass is closing in from behind her and Jack about to attack her from the front,in her panic,she asks for a time out. As the Mass is about to devour her she is saved by the arriving Nozel who pushed her away with a drop of his Mercury Magic,he tells Noelle and Jack to evacuate as he is trying to get Mimosa into safety who is still healing Rhya. Suddenly Lady Mereolona jumps in to attack the Mass with her Mana Zone: Calidus Brachium Rapid Fire! but to no avail as her Magic is immediatly eaten up,but instead of being shocked about it she laughs out in excitement claiming that the World is a big place to harbor Magic like this. At the same time we see Charmy and Fuegoleon in their respective fighting areas trying to outrun and defend against the Mass on their own while guarding their defeated comrades,Fuegoleon is trying to outrun the Mass by flying on Salamander. Which looked pretty cool if i'm honest.

Meanwhile Lumiere and Licht have gotten ready to start their attack,Licht readies his Demon Dweller Sword as it is capable of absorbing and sharing Mana with and of those it is bonded to while Lumiere intends to send his Powerful Mana through the Sword to all the Magic Knights in need of help as it is capable of destroying and fighting the Other World Magic. Fusion Magic! Demon Dweller Sword: Protecting Light! and as the spell is used several beams of Light spread out towards the Magic Knights inside the Palace resulting in all of them being surrounded by powerful Light Magic like some sort of Shield capable of destroying and saving them from the Mass closing in on them. As Mimosa see's this she wonders what exactly happened,Rhya claims that this is the doing of Licht their Chief and the "Ol Princey" Lumiere. Through his connection with Licht he was able to see what was happening above and expresses his happiness as the 2 friends finally reunited,he is jealous of them. Back at Lumiere and Licht's location we see the Legendary Magic Knight claim that as long as Mana is flowing through his Body he won't allow anyone to die.

As they are about to be attacked we see Patri jumping in,defending them with his Demon Light Creation Magic: Light Whip of Judgement! The freshly resolved Elf won't let anyone attack his friends nor will he doubt his bonds with his comrades ever again. Meanwhile Asta is still struggling to keep his stance,and if not for Yuno guarding him he would've been dealt a lethal blow too. Yuno mentions that thanks to the Light Magic surrounding them now he is able to move at even greater speeds,while Asta readies himself to deal the finishing Blow to the Devil. Said Devil is still cursing the 2 Heros closing in on him,out of his curses a Hydra formed with the Other World Mass is created ready to attack them with him claiming that this is their end. The scene switches to Yami and Charla,where the former readies himself to strike the Devil with his remaining Dimension Slash to pay him back for earlier,since Charla(Like Rhya) can see and tell where and what Licht is doing she can give Yami exact directions as to where the Devil is and what he is up to as well. She tells the Captain to not miss with his one and only shot left, she creates a Magical Scabbard for him with her Thorn Magic in order for him to pull of a true Iaido Dimension Slash! At the same time Yuno and Asta ready themselves to deal a deciding attack too...

Good Chapter of Black Clover this week, 8/10, So the Battle is coming to a finish in the next Chapter it seems,with Yami,Asta and Yuno dealing the finishing blow to the Devil. Seems fitting for the present day Magic Knights to prove to Lumiere that they are able to protect and fight for their Kingdom just fine,even though Yami's feat will be pretty insane given his distance but we'll see if it delivers properly. I'm excited for what comes after this to be honest,or if we get to learn the identity of the Devil in Asta's grimoire before the end of the arc too. Seeing Yami together with Asta and Yuno at the end in order to deal the finishing blow makes me feel like he is more likely to be elected Magic Emperor to be honest,perhaps it's just me but while i acknowledge Nozel and Fuegoleon as proper and valid candidates for the post i feel like Yami always had this weird connection and vibe about him to Julius and the post of Magic Emperor that he'd sort of fit into the Job. Even though he hates working and high responsebility like Mereolona he knows when to strike and when it really matters to stay true to his mettle. Something he hardly gets acknowledged for i feel. Till next time everybody!

 

[Belserion]

Black Clover Chapter 211 Review by Belserion

Chapter Title: The Final Attack

This week’s chapter begins with Secre lamenting on her feelings towards Asta as she watches the ongoing fight. She reminisces about one of the times Asta proclaimed he would become Wizard King, admitting she didn’t think he could do it, that he could never be someone like the prince. Meanwhile, as the battle continues, Yuno seems to be getting more powerful but in contrast Asta seems to be getting weaker. Yuno wonders if Asta is at his limit and tries to motivate him by telling him if he can’t keep up then he would leave him behind. This has the desired effect as Asta charges towards the Devil in an attempt to keep up with Yuno.

The Devil is not impressed with Yuno attempting to use Elf and Spirit Magic against him and insults him by calling him a lowly human, telling him his wind can’t cut his heart. He insults Asta as well, calling him hopeless for allowing himself to be pulled along following the Wind Magic and not even following properly. He doesn’t think Yuno and Asta are anything to worry about. He's proved wrong in the next instant when it turns out Asta was actually hiding in the shadows of the severed magic and was approaching from one of his blind spots. It turns out this was their plan and they were attacking him from opposite directions, pulling each other in at top speed. They each land a severing blow to the Devil at the same time, with him frantically calling on his power telling them to “Stop” “Halt” “Bend” “Go back”, but no matter how much he compels them, they resist. However, all isn’t well as Asta suddenly powers down and it turns out he’s reached his limit much to Yuno’s shock and the Devil’s delight.

We switch to Yami and Charla who are surrounded by the Devil’s otherworldly power. Charla is impressed by Yami’s focus in warding off the power, but thinks it won’t be enough to reach the Devil at such a distance. Yami has a flashback of questioning Julius about his decision to make him a Captain since he’s a foreigner. Julius tells him he’ll be fine but Yami doesn’t agree, noting that not only will he make the biggest mess but the top guys won’t like it. He thinks it’s his unusual magic that’s impressed Julius, but Julius assures him that he’s watched him all this time and that he believes in Yami. With that on his mind Yami unleashes Mana Zone: Dark Cloaked Dimension Slash-Equinox which pierces through all obstacles and into the Devil himself, who acknowledges that Dark Magic can interfere with the magic of the otherworld, much to the shock of everyone.

Secre uses the Devil’s subsequent meltdown to heal Asta using Sealing Recovery Magic: Heavenly Prison: Faint Omen. Doing that, she’s sealed away his physical damage and it’s now up to Asta to try to access his Anti Magic. The Devil is screaming at them to die and Yuno, who’s still facing him down, tells him to do it himself. Secre asks Asta if he’s going to be the Wizard King and he answers yes, swearing that right here right now he will surpass his limits. Asta then unleashes a giant black sword that looks like a huge shadow over his previous sword, and slashes through the Devil.

Thoughts:

Chapter Rating: 9/10

I was really impressed with everyone here. Yuno and Asta’s teamwork especially is noteworthy. The glimpse we got of Julius and Yami’s past interaction when Yami was chosen to be a Captain was nice as well. It seems the fight is finally over, and all I can say is good riddance to the Devil. Now I’m interested in the aftermath of this war, especially with the Elves and their human hosts. It’s time to give back the bodies and move on, at least that would be my guess since it was all a big misunderstanding. Then there’s the question of the Lumiere. I think he’s technically alive given he was still alive when he was sealed, so I’m wondering how the author intends to handle him and Secre as well. There are still quite a few unanswered questions, so now that the main event is hopefully over, I believe we’re still a few chapters away from ending this arc completely.

 

[Seraph]

Black Clover - Chapter 212 Review by Seraph

Chapter Title: Destiny's End

A clean mighty slash straight through the tattered Devil's heart,Asta's attack has hit it's mark with the support of Yuno and Captain Yami. And with that this week's chapter of Black Clover begins: an all deciding attack!, as Asta's Black Form is dispelled the Devil laments and wonders how someone like him could ever lose to the likes of Humans and Elves. As his body starts to disintegrate he seems to enter a parallell Dimension as he is met by the Devil residing within Asta's grimoire,who greets him as his Elder,said Elder however is more concerned about this other Devils identity. The Anti Magic Devil responds that the Elder has no need to know that as he is about to perish no matter how strong he may have been he just lost to Asta and the Magic Knights which makes him a loser and he should just die. As he finishes saying so the Devil's body fades away entirely,with Lumiere,Licht,Patri and Secre looking on in disbelief and lost in memories of what occured 500 years ago due to the Devil. Both Patri and Secre were having flashbacks in this moment,from their first meeting to the battle between Lumiere and Licht. Secre looks up to Asta with a wistful expression on her face,thanking him for defeating the Devil and ending his tyrrany once and for all,meanwhile Asta who is completely worn out is caught by Yuno. Meanwhile Yami and Charla sense the Devil's fading Magic and conclude that the attack must've hit it's mark with the Devil defeated now.

Charla praises Yami for his skill and accuracy with the Captain cheekily responding that his name is Yami Sukehiro and it's his pleasure meeting another Sulky Queen of Thorns besides Charlotte,Charla introduces herself as well but instead of calling Yami by his name she calls him "Wild man". Suddenly the Mass from the Other World that was left behind by the Devil starts moving again and seems to be trying to tear the Shadow Palace apart,back at Asta and Co.'s location we see Lumiere lamenting that due to his lack of Mana and Strength he cannot get the Magic Knights out of the place with his Magic with Yuno wondering what they're supposed to do now. The other Magic Knights are making for the Top Floor while they're still protected by the Light Magic,but said Magic is getting weaker and weaker meaning they have to hurry or they'll die,meanwhile Yami notices a presence near him hidden by Magic wondering who it is. Back to the Top Floor we see Lumiere's body breaking apart more and more as some of the Magic Stones placed into his sockets are losing their power resulting in the Protecting Lights disappearance with everybody else still trying to make their way into the Top Floor but the Mass closing in on them,Asta cries out to his comrades. Suddenly a Black Hole appears above them created by Valtos Spatial Magic transporting all the Magic Knights into the Top Floor,which is his first step in atoning for his Sins as a Member of the Eye of the Midnight Sun.

Rades calls out to Asta,who has just reunited with Noelle and the others,that he does whatever he wants and feels like with Asta responding that they really didn't do anything here. Which is hilarious because it's the truth,but i guess Valtos deserves credit for saving their skin. Meanwhile Patri looking on at the scene transpiring thinks to himself that it isn't over yet as there is still something he has to do,an image of William Vengeance appears in his head hinting that he might be thinking of returning his body and have him reassume his post as Magic Knight Captain. Suddenly a Slash and Thorns are tearing through the ground below them revealing Yami,Charla,Gueldre and Revchi. Yami reveals that the presence he sensed was the camouflaged Gueldre and Revchi but that even his Magic can't conceal his Ki from him,it was a lucky coincidence since their Magics were conveniently useful to break through the other World Mass. Looking on,Lumiere shows relief as with all these kinds of different Magics and people his Kingdom really is in good hands and as he says so we see Secre look on in her usual gloomy manner while the Magic Knights bicker amongst themselves again. Asta announces that most importantly,before arguing or doing anything else,they should try and get out of the Shadow Palace now before the Mass swallows them for good. The Chapter ends with the Magic Knights and remaining Elves making for the Gate...

Personal Thought's
This Chapter was really nice, 9/10 , the Devil has been defeated and we got to see Asta's Devil interact with him too. Now i'm not too sure why his Identity should remain a secret to a fellow Devil especially since he was about to die but this is probably because the Anti Magic Devil will have further relevance and meaning in the story later on so i'm good with it. And the question as to what will happen to/with Lumiere has been answered as well i guess,since he is about to literally fall apart right about now. Perhaps Secre will remain as an Advisor and friend to Asta and the other Black Bulls? Since she wasn't sealed away but just transformed i thought,but maybe for some reason her "time" will have run out as well. It would be a fitting end i'd say,with the Devil gone their old Enemy is destroyed and the Elves as well as Lumiere and Secre can rest and find their peace together. Their Era comes to an end basically,now i'm looking forward to the next Chapter/s because i guess the conclusion of the arc is still a few Chapters ahead of us but the farewell from the Elves, Lumiere and the election of the next Magic Emperor should be interesting. Really curious who it'll be, most likely one between Fuegoleon,Nozel and Yami. Hoping for Fuegoleon although any of the 3 would deserve it.

 

[Hermit]

Black Clover Chapter 213 Review by Emperor Spriggan
This chapter feeds onto the previous one, a conclusion to the arc. All the fighting is over, so now the main cast is occupied with escaping the enemy stronghold. Oh, including the elves as well, pretty much everyone who survived the course of the arc. There's a hilarious scene with Charmy holding onto Yuno and vowing to never let him go.

The issue of the elves still rampaging through the kingdom pops up, and Mereleona says they could just roast them all. This is a pretty funny remark. Asta wonders what he can do with one sword, and Patri suggest they can use William's magic to counter all the elves. Valtos appears, giving Patri his grimoire. Patri then asks Asta to undo his reincarnation so that William appears.

Patri turns to Raia and Fana, telling them he will be heading out first. He entrusts Licht with the rest, before Asta calls back William to be in charge of the body. William realizes Patri has let go of his anger and resentment towards humans, and is happy for him. He also recalls his own troubled past, how he was tormented as a child because of the scar on his face. He also holds himself responsible for the war, so he feels equally responsible to have to bring an end to it all.

At this point, Licht and William combine their magics. The result is a large tree which spans a huge distance, and is visible to everyone in the kingdom. Now, I found this scene quite interesting because of one thing. Back when Julius was fighting Licht, Licht used that mega sized spell to try and wipe out the kingdom. It was visible to everyone in the kingdom, so they pretty much almost witnessed their own death. This time, everyone is bearing witness to William's heroics, so I can see it affecting whoever becomes the Magic Emperor later on. Julius said Magic Emperor is acquired by merit, and William has pretty much amassed tonnes of it by now from the citizens of Clover Kingdom.

The tree summons every elf's soul to it, then Asta uses his sword to expunge all of them from their hosts. This was a pretty clever way of having the main character get involved with saving the day. Rather than having him hog the spotlight. As the souls are being expelled, the Third Eye members tell Licht they can't go with him. Something about their original bodies having no souls (Which means they were reincarnated into bodies that were already dead? If im getting this right). Fana and Vetto bid Licht farewell, and Raia promises he will try living on, as much of a pain as it is.

Charla regrets she couldn't see her younger brother again (I don't know who she is referring to), but she admits that fighting with Yami was a honor. Yami looks amused at the fact she is being honest, and Charla says she doesn't want to be as tactless as Charlotte is around Yami.

Licht tells the First Hokage that he will go on ahead of him, since his sister is waiting for him. Hashirama is happy that they were able to behold the vision of a peaceful Konoha, so this time there didn't have to be any statues at the Valley of the End;P Kind of a shame for the fans, but oh well. Yuno wonders if the reincarnated elf inside him was Licht's son, but Licht tells him that wasn't the case. Still, he was glad that he was able to fight against Yuno, saying it felt like he was fighting alongside Sasuke. He wishes Yuno good luck for the future, then hands Asta his grimoire. After thanking the knights of the Clover Kingdom, Licht proceeds to disappear along with the other elves.

Now, my thoughts about this chapter are that it was a pretty neat conclusion to the elf plotline. In the end, everything ended up tying itself up into a pretty ribbon, so that was nice to see. I wasn't such a big fan of this arc, but I can see why most people found it epic. One thing I am wondering though. Does this mean the possibility of Licht and Tetia's child still being out there is a possibility? That would be a nice arc idea for later on, as long as it doesn't end up like that Onion brat from the Naruto Gaiden. Also curious about the next arc, as well as who the next Magic Emperor will be.

Chapter rating: 7.5/10.

 

[Belserion]

Black Clover Chapter 214 Review by Belserion

Chapter Title: Dawn

This week’s chapter picks up from last week, where our heroes are watching as the Elves leave. Rades suddenly gets angry and casts Wraith Magic: Soul Abductor on Licht. He says the magic is something he can only use on someone who’s been with him a long time and Licht qualifies. Rhya realizes the body that housed Licht’s soul has magic again but it’s not Licht’s, it’s Patri’s. The magic is not a reincarnation but a reanimation since the body was only a copy made by Sally. Asta wants to know what Rades is doing but he doesn’t even understand it himself. He tells Patri that he’s not going to allow him to go off and and be happy, he’s going to stay and think about all the people he trampled underfoot, specifically Rades himself. Patri asks if he should thank him since he’s given him an opportunity to atone, but Rades is still angry and warns Patri that he will kill him one day so he should spend his life trembling in fear. With that, he leaves with Valtos.

Rhya scolds Patri, telling him he got his just desserts by not being able to go with Licht. It wasn’t done maliciously, but fondly as Rhya smiled gently the entire time. William suddenly appears and hugs Patri, lamenting that he never thought he’d be able to touch him. He calls Patri his closest friend, someone who shares his sins, but before he can talk with Patri there was someone else he needed to apologize to first. He acknowledges his request as selfish but asks Yami to take him to Julius.

Elsewhere, Fuegoleon, Nozel, Yuno and the other magic knights attempt to start rebuilding the kingdom. Asta is being healed by Mimosa while Noelle scolds him for being reckless as usual. Lumiere, who is with them, takes the opportunity to thank them for breaking the Devil’s spell that had been in place since their time 500 years ago, ironically with the power of another Devil. Mimosa and Noelle question Asta as to his and Secre’s identities, seeing the similarities between Lumiere and the first Wizard King's statue. Asta shocks them by confirming that he is in fact the first Wizard King, and even more when he reveals Secre is actually Nero. Asta thinks Nero gained the ability to turn into a human but Secre corrects him stating she was a human to begin with and couldn’t speak until the Shadow Palace appeared. Secre continues to tease Asta, calling him impudent for telling the Prince he wants to be like him, while Noelle watches on thinking Secre is actually adorable in human form as she was in bird form. Lumiere says Wizard King is just a word to him but Asta and Yuno have shown him that the ideals he aspired to live on in their generation. He wonders which of them will become Wizard King and of course Asta says it will be him much to everyone’s disbelief as Secre continues to remind him he’s nothing like the Prince.

Lumiere suddenly starts to disintegrate and admits he doesn’t have the magic to hold his body together any longer. Even Mimosa’s recovery magic is useless. Lumiere asks Secre to watch their futures and ideals play out for him as well. Secre desperately tells him she would go with him, but he tells her he gave everything he had 500 years ago and it should have ended for him then, but because of her he was able to protect the future. While that’s enough for him he doesn’t want to see her cut off her own potential. He says he’s looking forward to the futures of the Magic Knights and also the Clover Kingdom they defend. He also silently admits he could not be more satisfied having seen his own descendants as well, while looking at Noelle and Mimosa. Secre grabs his hand and cries as she tells him being able to serve him made her very happy. He tells her he was happy as well and thanks her for 500 years of service before disintegrating completely.

Yami takes William to where he preserved the body of Julius, but to his shock the body isn’t there. Suddenly they both sense a familiar magic power and a voice apologizes for being a disgrace during a national crisis. The voice continues to explain stating that he thought the spell would take effect much sooner and that he’d stored 13 years of time but it was a gamble as he wasn’t sure it would activate properly. A young man suddenly appears before them and a shocked Yami and William realize it’s Julius. Julius smiles and congratulates them both on excellent work.

Chapter Rating: 8/10

I loved the farewell between Secre and Lumiere as well as the interactions between them, Asta, Noelle and Mimosa. I was surprised the rebuilding work began so quickly but why wait I guess. It’s nice to see that everyone not only fight together but work together to clean up the damage done to the Kingdom.

Now, on to the controversial aspects of the chapter. Firstly I don’t think Patri needed to be brought back. I really thought he earned his peace after being used so viciously and carrying around all that hatred. But I’m guessing Tabata has more use for him. I also see that despite inhabiting Licht’s copy body he still has the eye of his Dark Elf persona. I figured he would go back to being a pure Elf so that’s something to watch.

Next we have Julius coming back. I have no problem with this. I know his apparent death was 50/50 within the fandom but I personally wouldn’t mind learning more about him and his unique magic. The way he came back has a decent and believable explanation that it doesn’t look like something pulled from Narnia. I mean what he did by basically resurrecting himself, not really sure about the specifics yet, has shown he’s definitely the strongest in the Kingdom. He has his memories intact but it’s left to see if his power is even half of what it was. If not he might relinquish the title of Wizard King. I just don’t see how he would go back to blending in with a faction, be it his old one the Azure Deer, or he joins a new one, either the Golden Dawn or Black Bulls. How will the others treat him? With respect as the former Wizard King or as a comrade they can hang with? It will be an interesting dynamic unless he finds some way to age himself, which I highly doubt.

In regards to William, with Julius coming back and already complimenting him on good work, I don't think he will suffer severe ramifications of his actions. His greatest sin to date was killing the Wizard King and now that that's off the table, he will most likely only be scolded. If he leaves his position it would be voluntarily, but I really think he will be forgiven and will try to live up to his potential without the dark influence of Patri, who will also be around atoning for his misdeeds.

Finally, with Secre sticking around I definitely think she will join the Black Bulls. Her magic is unique enough, plus I think she will want to stay close to Asta, because despite the fact that she keeps telling him he’s nothing like the Prince, we know she likes him and believes in him.

There are so many questions now that the arc has ended, not to mention so many directions the story can take now. I’m looking forward to seeing what’s next.

 

[Seraph]

Black Clover - Chapter 215 Review by Seraph

Chapter Title: Three Problems

This week in Black Clover we pick up at last time's cliffhanger where Yami and William had set out to see about Julius preserved body who was believed to be dead this whole time only to encounter a much younger version of the current Magic Emperor, who is now 13 years old again!. Yami and William are still in disbelief over their friend and mentor's current state and most importantly that he is still alive, Julius himself is rather nonchalant about the situation as he is kidding and giggling about what occured. Yami questions how it is even possible for this to be real as he believed to have witnessed the Magic Emperor's Final Moments before,he teases and mocks Julius in a comical manner and lifts him up even but ultimately voices his relief about the fact that he's still alive because he thought he'd never see him again. Next up is William who mournfully approaches Julius while calling his name, as he is struggling to apologise for his actions he is cut off by Julius who tells him that while the crime of betraying the Kingdom and it's people as well as hurting it and them is a heavy sin that with time people and the country may recover from it but that doesn't mean he'll get to relax or just spend his time in a prison,the Magic Emperor won't let him get off that easy as he will have him do many various duties and jobs for the Kingdom and it's people's sake from here on out. Julius also blames himself because it was him that lost to Patri and it was him that promoted William to Magic Knight Captain or get him into joining the Magic Knights in the first place.

Yami mentions that this way of handling the matter is too lenient and lighthearted but thinks to himself that it's typical for Julius, meanwhile the Magic Emperor asks William if he is prepared to suffer and face the Kingdom's resentment for their actions and failures together with him and keep working hard to push past the frustration and bitterness build up and look forward to a better tomorrow. We see William saluting Julius under heavy tears and swearing to dedicate his Life and his Grimoire to him and Clover Kingdom from here on out, the scene switches to Clover Kingdom where Julius and Yami have summoned Asta and Co. to his side. The Magic Knights are all in awe and shock from Julius appearance and condition but he just brushes it off acting like everything is like always,until this moment at least, the Magic Emperor praises Asta and his friends for their services in saving and protecting the Kingdom but also mentions that the current situation while seemingly peaceful brought forth 3 certain problems that he fears will have rather severe consequences for the Kingdom and it's people. The first problem is that due to him being in his teen years again Julius can't resume his post as Magic Emperor for the time being,meaning there isn't a deterrent for enemy nations or a middleground between the Commoners and Nobles within the Country that will surely not sit still after these events that transpired between Humans and Elves.

Before Julius can continue his warning he is cut off by Asta who can barely contain his curiousity about the Magic Emperor's appearance and condition,Julius explains that it was possible for him to store Magic and Time away due to an object he found on one of his journeys which is called "Swallowtail". A name that is recognized by Secre because it is the device she built together with Lumiere, anyway, Julius Time Magic was extremely compatible with Swallowtail and allowed him to store both Time and some of his Mana inside of it. Proof of his contract with Swallowtail was the Mark on his forehead,while it did not work out as he hoped he is still glad to be alive. Asta tells Julius how glad he is to see him alive and well even while small and gets rewarded with praise for his efforts during the battle,suddenly he spots Secre whom he has never seen in her human form before and asks her in his usual manner about her magic and it's particulars to his dismay Yami intervenes and tells him to continue his warning as there is no time to waste for them given the Kingdom's state. Julius apologizes and mentions that the 2nd and 3rd issue are closely related to another,them being that Clover will end up destroyed at the hands of a foreign enemy nation like Spade or Diamond Kingdom and...that Asta might die resulting in everybody being shocked and scared.

Personal Thought's

I rate this Chapter an 8 out of 10.

The small Julius is something i need to get used to but it's a fun change of mood i give it that,doubt it'll be permanent but from the looks of it he'd continue to be Magic Emperor but he will have to step down for someone else to take over until he recovered and re-trained himself in using his Magic and Skills. Wise decision. His 3 fears make sense to me as well,he acknowledges that he isn't much of a help in his current state so he names the lack of his battle power and influence inside the Kingdom as a factor for disagreement and rebellion within the Noble Ranks and Magic Knights. And a deterrent to other nations being gone as he isn't nearly as powerful as he used to be anymore. Another Nation attacking Clover while it's at its lowest is something it can't afford but is highly likely due to their battle with the Elves and the Final Clash inside the Shadow Palace,they all need to recover and learn to use and control their newly found powers. We learned about new Races like Dwarves and Hybrids during the Arc and it is possible for pretty much anything to make an appearance from here on out as we do not know what Spade or Heart Kingdom is like. Diamond Kingdom isn't on the best terms with Clover either,but it would allow us to meet Mars again but i suppose we're in for new characters and magics with new Kingdoms being introduced and all. I'm hyped either way,Clover Kingdom would need time to recover and gain it's composure for a bit though. This fear of Asta dying is a bit confusing to me as he shouldn't be more important than any other Magic Knight in Clover despite his Magic to Julius,which makes me think that he is either considered a key factor in an upcoming battle with a foreign nation but not strong enough to face off with any of their Captains and Vice Captains(Which makes them fairly strong.) and hence will fall in battle. Either that or he is stricken with some sort of disease or condition that is going to be Life endangering at some point and Julius learned about it somehow,betting on his lack of Mana inside his body being not a coincidence but sheer misfortune perhaps caused by the Devil inside his Grimoire? We'll see here,i'm looking forward to it.

 

[Hermit]

Black Clover Chapter 216 Review- Re:Emperor Spriggan

Chapter was mostly a world building chapter, but done pretty nicely. It kicks off with Asta panicking about what the Fourth Hokage has forewarned him about, in regards to his death. Captain Kyoraku offers his condolences for Asta, albeit in a comedic manner. Julius continues to explain that Asta's anti magic comes from a devil, a detail that was a bit obvious to most of the readers.

Asta himself is shocked by this reveal, but he recalls a few times in the past where he felt his power was too ominous. Noelle herself affirms this, but she and Mimosa are unfazed by the reveal. It does nothing to change how they regard Asta. The Hokage continues to explain Asta is affected by a curse called 'Vegh', ala, Hollowfication. TL: DR-Asta is becoming a Vizard, so he needs to find a new group to train with and tame his powers.

Nero (I forget her real name, sorry), explains that in the past, she sealed off the devil in Asta's grimoire using a certain curse. The same curse is what has turned her into a parakeet, because it mixed into her own magic. As expected, Julius geeks out over Nero's bird form and explanation. Asta asks him to resume his earlier explanation, and he goes into detail about the Four Great Elemental Nations.

First off, is the Hidden Diamond Village. The first of the Four, we already saw it in part detail when the Black Bulls and the Golden Dawn entered that dungeon in the third arc, and Yuno got his Djinn. Julius explains them as a heavily militant nation, who specialize in human experiments and the like. They also had a custom in the past where graduates were supposed to fight to the death. Giving it a reputation known as the 'Bloody Diamond Village'.

Secondly, we have the Hidden Heart Village. It sounds like the most decent out of the other hidden villages, considering how they use mana from the earth and have no such issues with power and military might. That explanation makes them sound a bit like the Elves, at least the Mana explanation. Personally it's the place I am most excited about. Until we get a backstory later on that they tried raiding Clover to steal Hyuuga Mimosa as a kid;P

Lastly, we have the Hidden Spade Village. The big bad, out of the villages. They are said to serve the ancient horror that slumbers within the cold of their massive land (A Devil?) This is a huge reveal, so the author might be trying to integrate other races into the story. Like he did with Charmy. The country itself is also a winter country, plus covered in mystery. A bit similar to the Sand Village, and the One Tailed Shukaku.

Julius explains that the Clover Kingdom currently is severely weakened because of the fight they just had with the elves, plus the in fighting they had among those of them that had reincarnated souls. Asta tries rationalizing this, saying that those who turned enemy did not want to by their own means. If anything, all the blame lay with the devil they just beat. Julius echoes this, but adds on that the Magic Congress (A legal jurisdiction of sorts?) will judge the devil's power as being in the wrong here. That all points to Asta being used as a scape goat for the sake of the country.

Asta asks who will even lead the Magic Congress. Both Noelle and Mimosa, being nobles themselves, seem up to spec with what Julius is talking about. They explain that the Magic Congress is led by the House of Kira. The same as one of the King's middle names. At this point, we cut to a scene where Augustus is thanking Sekke for protecting him. Sekke himself is revealed to have been overwhelmed by what happened during the Elf Wars, but nonetheless he accepts Augustus's gratitude.

A group of people in hoods suddenly show up, plotting on taking Augustus's life. They reveal themselves to be part of the Eye of the Midnight Sun (Rly guys? Get with the times please), and Sekke is out of options as the King intends on using him as a meat shield. Just then, we see someone placing weights on a scale, kind of like Libra's power from Fairy Tail. The leader of the hooded people stops short, realizing all his Mana has been erased.

The mysterious savior of the King orders the assailants to kneel, accusing them of taking advantage of the war torn state of the country. One of the Midnight members asks him if he is from the House of Kira. The King identifies the savior as Damnatio, proceeding to complain about how soiled his clothes are. Chapter caps off with Damnatio swearing to judge Asta, since he is possessed by the Devil's power.

Personal thoughts:

Chapter was nice, the best part for me was the world building. Looking forward to the other Kingdoms aside from Diamond, so there is that as well. I don't really care about this new character, but seeing Asta turned into a pariah will be a nice development. I just hope that when it comes to it, both Mimosa and Noelle will help him escape. Then we will have the fated timeskip of the story, before skipping into Black Clover:Shippudden.

Chapter rating:7/10