Hey, everyone. Sorry to not star off on a “happier” note for having more “Black Clover” chapters to talk about, but I’m looking back at the recent Boruto post, and…………. While I like the content– I have a problem with the images. Mostly that they……………. didn’t come out like I was hoping they would. In that…………. you know how I used to have images off to my old site? I tried that again over here with that post, and even made it a point of talking about it at the end there. Now I look stupid because he it just came out like any other post you see up here. Don’t know WHY, but there’s no point in fighting it; I just gotta make sure the images are nice and spaced out to make up for the lack of unique………….. would this be an example of “paneling” like in a manga? Whatever you call it– I see it differently during the actual post making process vs what you guys see just going to our homepage. I only now thought about explaining what happened with that post, and wanted to get that off my chest. Thank You. Now– 

BLACK CLOVER’S BACK!!!

And with a Double Chapter this time around!! 370 is kind of short– mostly comprised of double pages, so the page count might be a little “skewed.” And not much actual “discussion” to be had with it. But 371? Dude…….. BRO………… 37-Fr!ggin’-1. Tabata Sensei……………. has a similar problem to a lot of other Mangaka of this kind in terms of character utilization and- well; “Follow-Through.” But the characters he DOES use- He. Makes. THEM. SO FR!GGIN’ COOL. The Soul thing keeping this from getting the Short Review treatment is that chapter. I don’t know why, but it just got my “creative juices” flowin'(Grody). And even thinking about it, I actually think I see some of what Tabata Sensei was trying to convey. It’s just…………….. So Fre@kin’ Cool. And the Colorings it inspired are all so memorable I kind of want to use them ALL(even though I’m sure I missed a few here and there). 

I just love this series so much. I think deciding to change magazines and getting a quarterly schedule was a good move; it builds up hype and anticipation for the next chapter, and gives Tabata Sensei the time and energy he needs to make chapter 371. I mean– he just went off making all these Double page spreads. And according to his latest author comment, he was even able to return to his hometown in Fukuoka Prefecture with his Mom and Grandmother. He deserves his personal time like that. It also helps with the pacing, I think; chapter 370 was more-or-less just putting certain characters in the places their meant to be for the Finale- whenever that may be. There’s no padding or just “there” chapters anymore- it’s all going to be important going forward. To Be Frank: I feel like more manga might benefit from a schedule like this. At least a 2 week “buffer” if nothing else. My Hero, for one, would benefit from a better schedule. Might even be able to end it before the 11th Anniversary next year. If you’re reading that series with me- you can kind of understand what I’m talking about. Um…………… Okay, I didn’t have a segue; those shots were a tad “unwarranted,” I’ll admit. Let’s begin……………..

Chapter 370: “Demolition Charge“

Asta and Yuno manage to take out a set of Guardian Angels standing between them and their 4 pack of Lucius Clones. But before they can lay a single finger on them– a building next to them starts to crumble. The same happens all over the Capital- even the Royal castle begins to go up in rubble. Panic begins ensuing, and Asta relays to Yuno what Ryuya told him: Lucius is planning to use A Massive Compound Magic Spell- made by absorbing all the mana put out into the world by this battle- to fulfill his ideals. To the point where the ground beneath them is rent asunder by the draining process. Though Rill admits that the sight of it- would make for a D@mn Fine Painting. 

As Charlotte and William try to get back up, Asta continues on to tell Yuno what Ryuya said: The Only People In The World Who Can Defeat Lucius– Are The 2 of Them. But the Lucius Clones are just going to sit still and let them make it that far. Good thing they’re not alone today: Finral, Zora, Charmy, and Secre come through a black portal, deciding to take on the 4 knock offs and let the Would-Be Saviors go on ahead. Other Areas: Gauche and Marie show up to help Rill, while Vanessa and Grey decide to back up Noelle. Gordon is with William And Charlotte; Nacht and Ichika have come to aid Yami; and Luck and Magna- already out of Anti magic– end up staying with Henry in the Bull’s Hideout- which is on the rampage. You get it: They Got Back-Up Here. So their off to put Lucius’ ACTUAL head on a platter…………….

Chapter 371: “Indestructible Souls“

More And More Crimson Lion Knights begin to fall protecting Mereoleona from Morris’ tendrils. Up to the very last, leaving her………….. well, she’ll never be “defenseless,” but now has no “meat shields.” So he decides to take the chance to show her how one is supposed to use “Living Shields-“ Earth Magic: “MARCH OF HOLY FOOLS.” Hundreds of Dirt Soldiers begin to rise from beneath them– regenerating from every attack she throws at them and coming back for more. It’s starting to look pretty darn bleak for her, with Morris even commending her for having the guts to sacrifice those “incompetents” she had backing her. He recalls his time as a scientist working for the Diamond and later Spade Kingdoms: His mentality was always “The Dimmer The Person- The More They Talk About ‘Ethics.’” And that line of thinking is what got them killed before they could accomplish anything. So he just saw everyone as “Research Subjects-“ they can at least be of use that way. But no matter what he did to subjects like Mars and Fana- he always hit a Limit. But much like the Anti Magic Boy- He Never Gave Up. Which he thinks is what got him to this moment– that his perseverance was “Rewarded By God” in the form of the powers he now possesses. 

As he runs his mouth– Mereoleona is getting pushed back by the Holy Fool Dolls. And what’s WORSE: Her limit with “H#llfire Incarnate” is being reached again; her body’s about to fade away. Morris decides to once again offer her the chance to “transcend Human limitations” by joining with Lucius. But she hears that word “Limit,“ and she recalls a tale from her past………….. She was young– so young that she didn’t even have her Grimoire yet. But she always had that “Desire To Get Stronger,” and tries to find a training partner amongst Magic Knights. But they all opt out because she’s just too strong- so much so that the Knights even joke about it “killing their motivation,” or that she’d “get stronger even doing nothing.” At some point, she realized that no one in the Clover Kingdom could keep up with her. So she left- training in the Grand Magic Zones taking down every beast she came across. “Maybe I’m Alone, but…….. I can get stronger that way” she thought. 

Fighting in Grand Magic Zones like that made her strong– let her “scale a wall,” surpassing her every limit. But she hit a plateau right before the top- She can’t get stronger alone anymore. As her body begins to fade away into pure mana, the souls of those who had carried her to this moment- The Crimson Lions who sacrificed themselves on her behalf. FLASHBACK: She’s training the Crimson Lions at the Ultimate-Volcano Mountain Trails, and it looks like they’ve reached their limits. So she’s about ready to just leave them behind. But their Not Giving Up; even if they’ll never m=be able to match her- they want to keep trying. Back In The Present: Fuegoleon arrives, having taken care of all the Guardian Angels in their area with Salamander. He attacks Morris at a distance. Having her brother here with her- she’s not about to let him best her in this battle. With these revelations coming to light, she taps into a New Spell: ULTIMATE Flame Magic- “Excelictus Leonum-” a spell that REVIVES all the Fallen Crimson Lions behind her!! “Don’t Think Dying” she starts, “Means You Can ‘Take It Easy.’” She tells them that they’ll be following her even in Death. They chant “Yes, Ma’am,” and dive back into battle. 

Morris is completely confused by what’s happening, so Mereoleona opens his eyes by telling him that he’s just “throwing soulless clumps of dirt” at them- she’s brought back PEOPLE. He attempts to dismantle her with his tendrils, but he finds that there’s Nothing Solid under those flames- She has become PURE MANA, transcending her own limits by doing away with a physical form!! Morris cannot comprehend how she was able to cross into “their” territory(referring to what Lucius magic has allowed he and the other Paladins to do), to which the Lioness replies “The Men Who Risked Their Lives Taught Me The Ideal Shape of The Human Soul!!” She rains down a volley of Flaming fists on Morris, destroying his body faster than he can regenerate. He continues to lament that he was “Chosen By God-“ but she doesn’t care; he’s now just “fuel” for their “Evolution.” And tells him he should be “Pleased” to help them go further as he turns him to ASH. I think I might have a new Favorite Character. Sorry, Luck. 

REVIEW

There’s……………….. LOADS that I want to say. Like- LOADS. More than I could have imagines. And it starts with that Pillar Of Mana Lucius created. Now, the English release implies that it’s just a “Giant Magic Spell” Lucius has cooking up there, and……………. it’s not that I don’t think he could right now, but it’s more like……………. “That’s too Simple.” And on any other day, I’d be all for “simple.” But I think the Fan Translations off a better idea of what’s going on here. That pillar of magic power is loaming over the Never-Neverland is there for a F*cking Reason. I think that’s Lucius absorbing all the mana being put out by the battle– the mana from attacks like Noelle’s “Sea Dragons Roar-” the excess is converted to natural mana, which Lucius is taking up for a super charge magic spell. He’s actually using the “unpredictability” of this world to his advantage. Everyone- Fuegoleon, Yuno, Noelle- they’re all stronger here, so their “output” of higher scale magic attacks is better than it was before. And those are just Royals– that doesn’t even mention characters like William, Charolette, Yami, JACK, and the numerous Paladins doing the same thing. He may not be able to see anyone’s future right now, but he’s going to use that to his advantage- building up all this mana for a Compound Spell sooner rather than later. 

Another thing, while we’re on that topic: Rill. Like he said: “That’s Quite A Picture.” This twitter user said that the way the mana pillar looks is similar to the Tree of Yggdrasil from Norse Mythology- the “World Tree” that connects all 9 realms, including the Underworld. Now, Tabata Sensei has already used the Tree Of Yggdrasil as a topic in the story through William- even using it as one of the key components in the Tree Of Qliphoth. But mostly just a “cute reference” at minimum, and only to connect to the Underworld at most. I don’t think that Tabata Sensei wants to use William for a Norse Reference again. Rather; I think he’s going to use Rill again. Through fighting Megicula, he was able to draw “Twilight Of Valhalla-” giving his allies a boost and the briefest moment of Immortality. It also summoned a number of Valkyries. But the reference is clear: 

• The dead who reside in Valhalla, the einherjar, live a life that would have been the envy of any Viking warrior. All day long, they fight one another, doing countless valorous deeds along the way. But every evening, all their wounds are healed, and they are restored to full health.
• The Valkyries’ job is to decides the fate of warriors who die in battle, carrying the worthy ones to Valhalla where they will stay until the time of Ragnarok, in which they will fight alongside Odin. 

I think that Rill will be the one to Start “Ragnarok-“ this tree will be the “catalyst” in the same way Asta was for Rill back in Spade Castle, allowing him to draw the World Tree to bring down Odin, the Valkyries, and the Einherjar to help fight. It likely won’t be the same “Immortality” as “Twilight Of Valhalla,” but I don’t think it’s impossible for him to just draw both. Maybe “Twilight of Valhalla” will be at the top of the Tree this time, and Odin will come out of the doors. And while those Painting protect everyone on the ground– everyone who can still move(after being healed by Mimosa’s Ultimate Magic(hopefully getting a boost from a Never-Neverland Sized Mana Zone to heal everyone all at once)) can go up a and help Asta and Yuno. Something simple-but-effective like that. But that seems like it MONTHS down the line………….

Then of course there’s Gordon, William, and Char. Gordon – through training– is now able to “turn Curses into Strength,” letting Henry choose whose mana he absorbs. What can he do for William, more importantly; Char already found a way to convert her curse into power. Although………… that might have been a “Highly Specific Usage” because of who she was fighting. She was able to dampen Curse magic by turning it into “fertilizer” for her Briars, but…………… she’s not up against a Curse Magic use right now. So she might actually need a “Curse Conversion,” after all. For her; her curse just limits her power- for William; we don’t know what his curse is doing to him, but we’re left to assume that it was a way of “marking” the Bloodline that would possess half the magic required for the Tree of Qliphoth. Maybe it’s also limiting what he can achieve– maybe it’ll end up being a joint spell with Rill that summons “Odin(a copy- not the real thing).” And Char just might drain the enemy’s mana out right. Maybe. 

And then we come to my Favorite part of this Dual Release: Mereoleona Vermillion, as I live and breathe!! Seriously, I think Luck might have been replaced as my favorite character in the series. I’ve always loved Electric abilities- and Battle Maniacs. She’s another “Battle Maniac,” but her ability is Flames. Not a bad thing, clearly; just a difference. But she’s clearly taken Luck’s whole Reinforcement ability further. The more I think about it, the more I realize these 2 have been have some similar growth: Both of them prefer to be “Hands On” when it comes to combat, reinforcing themselves with magic rather than fight at a distance. And both of them have states where they’re completely enveloped in magic. Luck doesn’t seem to have taken it any further, but Mereoleona has gone Full Mana. 1) Joyboy Theories on Youtube made a video talking about an ability regarding Zoro’s eye. I’ll spare you the details and let you check out the theory for yourselves, but something about it stuck out to me- something that I think connects to this chapter in a cool way. 

One of the topics brought up in the video is “One Piece’s” Buddhist references, and I think one of those references applies to Mereoleona in this chapter. I think what Tabata Sensei has done is Free Mereoleona From The “8 Distinct Sufferings” Of Samsara- the Reincarnation process. These Sufferings are: 

1. Birth
2. Old Age
3. Sickness
4. Death
5. Loss of Loved One’s And Pleasant Conditions
6. Association With Unpleasant People and Unpleasant Conditions
7. Failure To Obtain What One Wants
8. Impermanence 

I’m putting together a…………… very LARGE “One Piece” Theory post, and I have been collecting information such as this for that purpose. So, you know: I’ve basically been studying. This stuff has gotten stuck in my head after a few repeated reviews. So when I saw what she did this chapter, I immediately thought “………….. She’s Achieved Enlightenment.” Because the goal of Buddhism is to “break away” from that cycle- to break away from the “Impermanent” Material world and achieve enlightenment and join the Universe in its “Emptiness.” And I think she’s done it, by breaking out of these “8 Sufferings:”

• Birth- She will no longer be “born.”
• Old Age- She no longer has flesh that’ll age(unless she wants to).
• Sickness- She no longer has a body that’ll succumb to illness. 
• Death- She can no longer be killed and can restart life in a younger body of her own making.
• Loss of Loved One’s And Pleasant Conditions- She can revive her fallen allies, and- as a royal- lives in pleasant conditions(though chooses not to). 
• Association With Unpleasant People and Unpleasant Conditions- She doesn’t associate with anyone she isn’t interested in and destroys her enemies. 
• Failure To Obtain What One Wants- She achieved her ideal body with no limits, and now has allies who are at her level to train with.
• Impermanence- She is now mere “consciousness,” existing so long as she desires to.

She has achieved “Enlightenment,” no longer have a physical form when “H#llfire Incarnate” is active. Whenever her body begins to age and deteriorate, she can just use the spell and………….. “create” a new body from scratch– one that’s as young and as strong as she desires it to be. She can- in theory- “Exist” INDEFINITELY. And thanks to her “Excelicitus Leonum(Lit. Translation: Invincible Lioness);” she can now share this power with her allies- reviving them from death, avoiding a “Loss of Loved Ones.” In a WEIRD WAY: She’s accomplished what Lucius is trying to do- only instead of having “Undying Bodies;” she’s just………….. “Gotten Rid of Them.” Much like what I speculated Dabi’s Singularity would end up being for “My Hero Academia.” Of course I say all of this, but– I don’t think she’s going to choose to “Exist Forever.” That sounds like a different type of “H#ll,” just having all that time…………….. Existing. And sure, she no longer has to lose her loved ones, but…………… a “Life Without End-“ that sounds pretty pointless.

Our lives only have “meaning” because they’re so short– that limited time inspires us to pack as much as we can into the time we have. Lucius seeks to take away that “meaning-“ Mereoleona would never. You don’t get to feel “The Heat of Battle” without “The Press of Death-“ she can’t enjoy combat without that feeling that says “I could die here.” It’s what gives her life “Purpose-“ or so I’d venture to guess. I don’t know this woman from a hole in the wall; I’m just sayin’. 

I liken it to Kenpachi Zaraki from Bleach- one of the series that inspired “Black Clover:” He’s always looking for a battle that can push him- intentionally limiting himself just so that he can enjoy the battle. Though the “Excelicitus Leonum” spell is also a reference to one of Captain Commander Yamamoto’s Bankai abilities, reviving an army to fight whilst engulfed in Flames. And it’s……………… I’m gonna level with you: Yamamoto’s Was Still Cooler. This Was Cool and all, but………… those were The Flaming CORPSES of people he’s defeated. As much as I love what she’s(potentially) able to do with it, Kubo just knew how to make an ability like this look AWESOME. Go look at that double page to see what I’m talking about. 

LAST THING I Wanted To Discuss: Why Mereo was chosen to fight Morris. I like videos that talk about themes in a story like this. So I sat and thought about the purpose behind this fight; why these 2 were chosen to do battle in the climax of the story. And in reading Morris’ backstory and how he felt about it, I think I’ve found out: “A Man Who Refuses To Give Up vs A Woman Who Refuses To Accept Her Limits-” or something “profound” like that. Morris treated everyone who wasn’t at his “base level” of intelligence as “Research Subjects-” tools in trying to further his own objectives of trying to “overcome natural laws;” “The Kindhearted Die Early, But They Still Have Their Uses.” And as far as he sees- He’s Been Rewarded By An Actual DEITY. And it’s him vs someone who…………….. couldn’t find anyone who could keep up with her. “The Isolation Of Strength,” I guess. Neither of them really saw a “use” for other people, and they took that in different directions: Morris- despite not seeing their value- still used them as a means to an end. And Mereo just plain left them behind. And to make sure that we know that her course of action wasn’t Entirely Unjustified- Tabata Sensei even goes out of his way to show that she’s managed to go Pretty D@mn Far on that path. 

But similar to Morris– who wouldn’t have “overcome these laws” without Lucius’ help- she couldn’t reach the “Top” without the Crimson Lions. And when she came to that revelation, she ended up with a spell that could keep those people around her- letting her keep climbing. While Morris, who relied on a power handed to him by a False God- became the same as he viewed everyone else: “A Stepping Stone In The Evolution Of Man.” Morris couldn’t get there without Lucius, and instead of seeing how far he could take this power- he stopped at the “Finish Line.” Mereoleona now has a new “Wall” to scale. Something “poetic” like that, although I don’t think that came out as “fluidly” as I wished it would. 

Conclusion

I finished that sooner than I thought I would. Seriously, I didn’t expect to finish this post until, like- Sunday. I thought I’d have…………. EVEN MORE TO SAY than what I ended up writing. This series, man– I love it, and I’m still a little upset that it has such a limited release. But if this is the type of content that he’s going to be giving us going forward, then I’m All For It!! Huh…………now I don’t even have that much to say now that it’s over. I think I said I had a story for you guys, but I think I may have told you guys that story before. And if not, then I think I’ll do that at some other point– when I have a better “segue” into it. Um…………….. WOW, I am having a Brain Fart right now. I think I’ll go ahead and end things here. Until next time, I guess; Stay Safe- Stay Healthy- Stay Magic. Later, everyone!!