A fluffy white cloud streaked across the sky at a breakneck speed, cutting through the wind like a divine arrow. Atop it lounged Saru, sprawled out on his back, snoring loudly and hugging his magical staff like a body pillow. The cloud sparkled faintly in the sunlight, giving off a divine golden glow—it was his Nimbus, an extension of his celestial power. Light as air, yet swift and agile, the cloud seemed to obey his every whim, effortlessly keeping pace far ahead of the others.
Trailing behind was a very different kind of ride.
Magna's prized broom, Cyclone, sputtered and shook through the sky like it was barely holding together. The long, flame-patterned handle was sleek but weathered, with a tail of red magic fire trailing behind it as it zoomed forward. It was clearly customized—part reckless speedster, part deathtrap.
Squeezed together uncomfortably on the narrow broom were Asta, Noelle, and Magna himself.
"Get your elbow outta my face!" Noelle snapped, trying to sit up straight while wedged awkwardly between the boys.
"I can't move, you're the one with the pointy shoulders!" Asta yelled back, half-slipping off the side.
"Quit whining and hold on tighter or you're gonna fall!" Magna shouted, gripping the front handle like his life depended on it.
Ahead of them, Saru lay peacefully, completely unaware of the chaos behind him. Noelle, already frustrated, cupped her hands around her mouth and screamed into the wind, "Saruuu! Take me with you! I don't want to sit here anymore!"
But her cries fell on deaf ears. Saru just snored louder and drooled onto the Nimbus.
They had already traveled more than half the distance to Saussy Village when Saru's snoring suddenly stopped.
His body twitched.
Then, without warning, he bolted upright on the cloud, eyes wide open and serious. The sudden movement caught the attention of the others, and Magna cursed under his breath.
"H-hey! What's with the monkey?" Magna asked, straightening up. "Why's he look so spooked?"
Saru didn't answer at first. He was squinting far into the horizon, where the outline of Saussy Village should have been.
Then he spoke, voice unusually calm and grave.
"The village is covered in mist... but not just mist." His brows furrowed, and his voice dropped into something heavy. "I can feel them. Fear. The whole place stinks of it."
All three riders on the broom fell silent.
A moment later, they arrived at the outskirts of Saussy Village. The group landed on top of a worn-down village wall, crumbling in places. Below them was the settlement, but something was wrong.
A thick, ghostly mist clung to everything—too dense for the morning air, too cold. It blanketed the buildings, hiding their shapes, turning the homes and streets into shadowy phantoms. The air felt... wrong. Still. Oppressive.
"What... what the heck is this...?" Magna whispered, cold sweat trickling down the side of his face.
Saru was already off the cloud, standing right in front of the mist. Without hesitation, he raised a hand and tried to pass it through.
But just as his fingers touched the edge, Noelle rushed forward and grabbed his arm.
"Are you crazy? Don't just charge into that!" she scolded, pulling him back.
Saru turned toward her.
Gone was his usual carefree grin. No mischief, no jokes.
His eyes were sharp. Serious.
"I can feel their fear," he said again, quieter this time. "And I don't like it."
For a moment, no one spoke.
Suddenly, Saru turned toward Asta, who stood nearby, tense and quiet.
"Hey, Asta," he said, pointing toward the mist. "Cut it. Use that sword of yours."
Asta blinked. "Huh? Don't be silly! Swords can't cut mist," he replied with a sheepish grin, scratching the back of his head.
"Don't be silly, idiot," Noelle snapped, hands on her hips. "That isn't ordinary mist. It's magic—and your sword cuts magic."
"Yeah!" Magna shouted, pointing forward dramatically. "Slice that fog to pieces, partner!"
Fired up by the sudden support, Asta reached behind him and summoned his massive Demon Slayer Sword in a flash of anti-magic energy. Gripping the hilt tightly, he stepped forward with a wild grin.
"Alright! Here I go! TAKE THIS—AND THAT—AND THAT!!"
He swung wildly, each slash tearing through the enchanted mist with heavy gusts. The anti-magic waves cleaved through the fog like fire through paper, causing it to ripple and vanish. With every sweep of the sword, the thick magic mist scattered, until—
The village came into view.
Noelle gasped, and even Magna's bravado dropped into stunned silence.
All of Saussy's villagers—men, women, and children—were gathered near the old church in the town square, kneeling. Silent. Trembling. The elderly clung to one another. Children buried their faces in their parents' robes. Their hands were clasped tightly in prayer, lips moving in desperate whispers. And above them—
Massive ice shards hovered in the air, hundreds of them, pointed downward, hanging like the blades of a guillotine.
The sheer scale of them cast jagged shadows across the stone walls.
"No..." Noelle whispered.
"They're gonna... drop those...?" Magna's voice faltered, a rare thing.
Then—
"Commence execution."
The voice was cold and void of emotion. A figure, somewhere above, hidden in the mist that remained, had spoken.
And then, the shards began to fall.
The villagers didn't scream—they were too far gone for that. They only closed their eyes tighter, embracing what they thought was their final moment.
"MOVE!" Magna shouted, snapping into action.
But he and Asta had barely taken a step before a golden light blurred past them with a loud whrrr.
It was Saru's staff.
Nyoi-bo spun like a divine windmill, streaking across the sky at impossible speed. A shining disc of gold, it whipped through the air and positioned itself between the villagers and the falling death.
Then—
A calm, focused voice echoed through the square.
"Extend, Nyoi-bo."
With a metallic shnk! the staff elongated in a flash, covering the villagers entirely like a canopy. It kept spinning, faster, faster, until the ice shards made contact.
CRACK—CRACK—CRACK!
Every shard that struck the rotating staff shattered on impact, bursting into glimmering dust. The fragments scattered harmlessly to the sides, unable to break through.
The villagers opened their eyes, startled by the noise... and looked up.
Above them was salvation.
Hope, warm and golden, began to reignite in their faces as the last of the shards crumbled away.
The staff slowed its spin.
A moment later, Saru landed.
With a dull thunk, he dropped to the center of the crowd, planting the bottom of his golden staff firmly into the earth. Standing atop the weapon's tip like a statue, arms crossed, his gaze turned toward the one who had given the execution order.
His expression had changed completely.
Gone was the boyish mischief. Gone was the playful grin.
What remained was quiet fury.
"I do not like fear and pain," he said, voice low and cold. "And I utterly despise the ones who cause them."
His words cut through the silence like a blade.
Everyone around him—villagers and squadmates alike—froze.
Even Asta, wide-eyed, stared up at Saru in awe.
"SARRUUUUU!!" Asta, Magna, and Noelle screamed in unison, their excitement bursting through their shock.
Their comrade had just saved an entire village with a single strike.
Saru didn't turn around. His eyes remained locked on the enemy the fury in his heart quiet but searing.