Secre Swallowtail

Nero is an Anti-bird who decided to stay alongside Asta after encountering him at the beginning of the Magic Knights Entrance Exam.

Appearance
Nero is a very small bird with a pair of sleek wings, a pair of tails that form an arrow at the tip and a black beak. One of his notable features is his slanted eyes that give Nero a hostile aura around him. Nero's feathers are blue at the back and white at the front, in exception of his facial area where the feathers are red. In addition, Nero also possesses a pair of horns at the side of his head with a comb in the middle that consists of a pair of blue feathers.

Furthermore, the feathers around Nero's neck have a fuzzier texture then the rest of his feathers in which creates the sense of wearing a collar around his neck.

Personality
As an anti-bird, Nero is generally hostile towards people with low magical power. This particular side of him is noted by his constant annoyance over Asta by pecking his head, which he had never done to anyone else. Additionally, he also has a penchant to use this tactic to get his thoughts across to the latter as well, or when he is disagreeing with him.

In contrast to the way he treats him, Nero is very loyal to Asta, as he has never left his side since he has met the latter. He also constantly helps Asta in every predicament, such as guiding him through the dungeon or showing him the path to an artifact behind the wall.

Biography
Nero and a flock of anti-birds are present when the Magic Knights Entrance Exam is held. They pester several examinees prior to the start of the exam. After he encounters Asta, Nero decides to land on top of his head and sneaks into his clothes for a couple of days without revealing himself to the former.

After Asta's fight with Heath Grice ends, Nero decides to come out of Asta's clothes and takes off to observe the Sosshi village from above. He then locates the magic stone within the attic of the village church. Nero takes it to Asta and uses it to peck Asta's head in order to wake him up. Nero then tries to hold the item as tight as possible when Asta tries to take it from him with the intention to return it to the villagers.

Afterwards, Nero begins to chase Asta around the village while pecking his head, with Noelle Silva following them from behind. He then lands on top of Asta's head while the latter is giving a few words of encouragement to one of the children of the village.

Nero then follows Asta, Magna Swing and Noelle back to the Black Bull headquarters to report about the mission. During that time, Nero meets Vanessa Enoteca, who compliments the cute little creature. Later on, Nero follows Asta, Noelle, and Vanessa's venture to Kikka, where he remains in close proximity from Asta.

When Yami Sukehiro informs several Black Bull members about the emergence of a new dungeon, Nero sits on top of Asta's head while Noelle pets him. Subsequently, he joins Asta, Luck Voltia, and Noelle to the dungeon when they are assigned on a mission to conquer it. On their way to the inner-side of the dungeon, Asta and Noelle start arguing on the name that they should use to address Nero. The argument heats up when the bird begins to peck Asta's head to show disagreement of his suggestion. However, Nero quickly agrees to Luck's suggestion.

After they walk in the dark for quite sometime, they finally arrive at the inner-side of the dungeon. During the time, Nero remains silent while Luck is pulling a prank on Asta and Noelle and leaves almost immediately or when a trap is activated and a member of the Golden Dawn squad, Yuno, saves them from it.

Nero continues to remain silent while Asta and Noelle have a conversation with Klaus Lunettes, Yuno, and Mimosa Vermillion. Later on, after both teams go their separate ways, Asta and Noelle continue to explore the dungeon. Nero finally breaks his silence by showing them a path after he sees that both Black Bulls do not know which direction they need to go. Asta and Noelle are still unable to reach their destination as they are lost in an area with an unusual gravitational field. When Asta tries to ask Nero about it, the bird decides to ignore him and returns to being silent while watching both of them.

After a while, Nero, Asta, and Noelle finally find the correct path and cruise through it towards the center of the dungeon until Asta decides to take a detour to save Luck. While the Black Bulls fight against Lotus Whomalt of the Diamond Kingdom, Nero lands on top of Asta's head, but quickly flies away to avoid being a hindrance to them. After Lotus is defeated and manages to escape, Nero follows the Black Bulls to the center of the dungeon. When he arrives along with Noelle and Luck, Nero sees that Asta and Yuno are prepared to fight against another Diamond Kingdom's mage, Mars.

After Asta manages to render Mars unconscious, Nero returns to Asta and lands on top of his head. Not long after they enter the dungeon's treasury, Nero quickly tugs Asta towards a wall that has the same locking mechanism as the door to the treasury. He then immediately starts pecking Asta on his head when the boy does not understand the hint.

Suddenly, Mars breaks through the treasury's door and manages to incapacitate everyone except Asta and Mimosa. Mars then sends Asta crashing through the wall that Nero showed to Asta earlier. Seeing that Asta is inside the hidden room, Nero quickly follows and flies over him before landing on the pommel of a sword covered with dirt. After Asta is finally able to understand Nero's hint, the boy takes the sword and resumes his fight.

After Mars is instantaneously defeated by Yuno, Nero remains close to the fainted Asta as all of them rush towards the exit as the dungeon is collapsing. The anti-bird immediately lands on top of Asta's head, the moment the boy awakes and Klaus suddenly hugs him.

A week after the mission, at the Black Bull's headquarters, Nero joins Asta on a feast that is given to the latter for his performance during the mission. He also remains close when Asta and Noelle need to go to the Magic Knights headquarters at the Noble region to report about the mission. Nero remains silent and does not bother Asta in anyway while the latter is in audience with the Magic Emperor, Julius Novachrono, nor when he is attending the ceremony and banquet that honors several members of the Magic Knights.

However, when Asta begins to get annoyed while his comrades are being humiliated by those honorary Knights, Nero decides to take off from Asta's head as he watches the latter confronting them. After the commotion dies down when someone enter the banquet hall to inform the Knights that the Royal Capital has been invaded, Nero returns to Asta's side as the latter joins the Knights' discussion regarding their counterattack strategy. Not long after, the anti-bird follows Asta when the latter decides to move out before the others. Nero remains by Asta's side until they find the man behind the invasion, Rades Spirito.

While Asta is fighting against Rades, Nero stays on top of a little girl's head that Asta saved from the latter. Nero remains unruffled even when the little girl is about to be attacked and Noelle steps in to protect her in Asta's place. Afterwards, Nero stays put on top of the little girl's head while they are observing the fight from afar. When Asta returns with the Magic Emperor after being captured by members of the Eye of the Midnight Sun, Nero immediately leaves the little girl's head and greets Asta by pecking is head.

Later on, Nero stays on top of Asta's head as the Black Bull members prepare their departure from the Royal Capital. The anti-bird also remains composed when Yuno sends his farewell to Asta by launching an attack towards him. As they arrive at the Black Bull's headquarters, Nero keeps himself comfortable on top of Asta's head while the Black Bull members are having a conversation around him.

During a blind date, which Asta attends alongside Luck and Finral Roulacase, Nero remains in silence as he observes from the top of Asta's head. However, when Nero notices Sekke Bronzazza is also in a blind date, the anti-bird quickly takes off to the latter's table and intensely observes him. Nero then shifts his attention and observes Asta, alongside Noelle, when the boy is taken into an alley by his date, Rebecca. At then end, Nero returns to Asta's head as the latter asks Rebecca the purpose of a blind date.

Nero then stays by Asta's side when the latter visits Rebecca Scarlet at Nairn. The anti-bird flies away when Gauche Adlai, another Black Bull mage, assaults Asta. After returning to Asta's head, Nero then discovers Noelle who decides to watch them from afar. He approaches the noblewoman and stares at her as Noelle learns about Asta's decision to stay at Rebecca's house. After dinner, Nero goes to sleep next to Asta in one of the bedrooms. However, the moment Gauche sneaks into the bedroom and causes some havoc, Nero quickly flies outside from the hole, which the mirror mage had made. When they realize that the children of Nairn had gone missing, Asta and Gauche, along with Sister Theresa from the church, set forth to pursue them. However, Nero decides to stay at the town alongside Noelle and Rebecca.

Nero follows Asta to the Witches' Forest. After all of the fighting is over, Nero lands on the Witch Queen's shoulder and pecks her magic stone earring. When the Black Bulls return to the queen's throne room, Nero sits on Asta's head while the queen hands over the stone and tells them about the Elf Tribe. He remains on Asta's head while the Black Bulls bid farewell to their new friends, return to their base, and greet the other returning Black Bulls.

During the Star Awards Festival, Nero sits on Asta's head. When the Black Bulls are ranked second, Nero flies off of Asta's head before Yami throws the boy on stage.

A week later, Nero accompanies Charmy Pappitson to the Royal Knights Selection Exam. She hides the two of them in a ball of cotton within Noelle's hood. He silently watches the matches from atop Charmy's head.

Several days after the exam, Nero hides in Asta's clothes before the boy is taken away by Mereoleona. He pops out when Licht confronts Asta and Yuno. The bird pecks at Asta's forehead but flies away to avoid Licht's attacks. He sits on Mimosa's head and watches the fight. When Licht blasts the humans out of the dungeon, Yuno protects Nero and Mimosa as they all fall down into the water below. Nero remains on Mimosa's head while the remaining Royal Knights regroup on the lake shore and decide to return and defend the kingdom.

The bird follows Asta and Yuno when the two leave to defend Hage from attack. He watches the fight from the church's steeple. He flies down after Asta exorcises the elf spirit. He then settles on Asta's head and travels with the boy to a town in the Common Region. He watches the fight from afar and, after Lufulu is exorcised, flies down to settle on Asta's head again. He remains on Asta's head while the Black Bulls return to their base and they travel to Hecairo. He remains in the base when Asta is fired from a cannon.

After Drowa is exorcised, Nero flies over and sits on Gauche's head. He stays on Gauche's head when the Black Bulls remain behind to fight a group of possessed Golden Dawns. Nero reacts to Yuno's magic stone opening a gate to the Shadow Palace. The bird follows Yuno and Charmy but the gate closes before he can enter.

Nero flies over to the destroyed throne room of Clover Castle where Finral has finished recovering. Nero pecks at the Black Bull's forehead and then asks to be taken to the Demon God's skeleton.

Abilities

 * Mana Sensory: Nero possesses the ability to sense mana within living creatures and inanimate objects. Additionally, his abilities allows him to locate magic items from a long distance and through walls. He also could use it to determine the quickest path towards the mana that he is sensing.

Trivia

 * Asta wishes to name him "Toritarou" (トリタロウ) while Noelle wishes to name him "Sylvants Schnauzer" (シルヴァンタス シュナウザー) before agreeing on Luck's suggestion, Nero, which means "black" in Italian.
 * His name may be a reference to the Roman emperor Nerō Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus.
 * Nero ranked fifth in the first popularity poll and nineteenth in the second.
 * Nero's favorite thing is the tops of people's heads (the softer, the better).

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