Episode 60

Defectors' Atonement (離反者の贖罪) is the 60th Page of Yūki Tabata's Black Clover.

Summary
The Witch Queen watches through her orbs as Asta took down Fana. She realizes that he wasn't all talk. She looks to her other orb which is showing the Diamond Kingdom invading on the other side of the forest. Zell flies before the Diamond army. He tries to talk to Mars. Ladros recognizes him as their old teacher. Ladros is gleeful that he gets to attack Zell. He sends an attack his way but Zell blocks it. Zell sees that neither of his students are as they used to be. Zell asks if they have any intention of turning back but Ladros just laughs and says that that's his line. Ladros explains that their king is really sick and that the Witch Queen has lived for hundreds of years. The king wants to know how that's possible even if he has to kill everyone in the forest. They heard that the Eye of the Midnight Sun was also attacking the forest and decided to take advantage of the chaos. Ladros says that taking what they want by force is the Diamond Kingdom way. Zell says that's exactly why he left. Zell attacks but bypasses Ladros and Mars for the army behind them. He attacks multiple mages at once and is recognized by them as a traitor. One says that they should kill him and get the reward money. Zell notices that neither Ladros nor Mars take advantage and attack because it's hard to attack when your allies are all in one place. Zell says that there is only so much he can do and is counting on Domina and Mariella for help.

Below, Mariella is sneaking in reinforcements and Domina is working on the golems. Mariella and the witches attack. One of the mages wonders how they are able to predict their moves so easily. Mariella comes up behind him and tells him that it's because she used to be part of the Diamond Kingdom's assassination squad. Mariella remembers when she used to kill people who were doing everything they could to survive. She tells the mage that this might not atone for what she's done but that she'll put an end to their tyranny. She blasts him with magic. Domina summons the golems and they blast the mages in the sky. She tells another witch that she used magic items and skills to modify the golems. Domina tells the witches that nows the time for them to teach the invaders a lesson for destroying their houses. She yells for them to not underestimate them as witches as she directs the witches on their attack. Ladros says that they set traps for them below the treeline but that it looks like fun so he dives right in. Zell is there waiting for him and he catches him with his winds. He asks Ladros again if there's a chance of him turning back. Ladros says no because he wants to kill lots and lots of people. Ladros points out that Zell was the one who trained them to be murderers and now he wants to live as a good person. Zell tells Ladros that he promised Asta that he's done running and that he wants to live. He slashes his sword at Ladros.

It flashes back to when Zell was training Ladros and Mars when they were youngsters. Zell realizes that his attack might not be enough to take out Ladros. He goes in for another but Mars stops him. Zell knows that he can't beat Mars in close quarters so he uses his wind to send him back a few steps. Zell turns back to Ladros and blasts him with a gale of wind. Ladros doesn't have a magical attribute and always had a complex about that. Zell must take him out first just in case he's developed a powerful long-distance spell. Zell asks that he forgive him. Suddenly, Ladros smiles because the magic hasn't harmed him. Instead, he'd been eating Zell's magic. He tells Zell that he had the army surgically modify him and that he gained a certain magical ability: absorption and emission. He can absorb all the magical attacks on his body and fire them back whenever he wants. Ladros warns Zell that he should go save anyone that he brought with him into the forest. Zell turns to go search for Mariella and Domina. Ladros says that Zell can race his magic to them. Ladros releases all of the magic into a million lasers that target those in the forest. He gets so worked up that he even kills some of his own mages.

Ladros finds Zell laying on the ground. He had thrown an air shield around Domina. Ladros kicks Zell before picking up Domina. He tells her that she recognizes her as the girlfriend that Zell ran off with. Zell tells Ladros that he should be using his powers to protect people. Ladros says that he didn't go through special training for that. He says that using his power in battle is the best. He wants to be acknowledged and that's why he climbed up the ranks to the Eight Shining Generals. Ladros calls Zell a coward for having run away. Domina uses her wand to hit Ladros and claims that Zell isn't a coward. Ladros says that he's going to have to get rid of Domina first. He throws her into the air and blasts power towards her. Before it can hit her, Mars cuts it in half with his diamond sword. He lands on the ground with Domina in his arms and tells Zell that his lessons got through to him. That he uses his power to protect people. Ladros asks Mars what he's doing. Mars says that their target is the Witch Queen and that they don't need to kill unnecessary people. Ladros says that Domina and Zell are enemies of the Diamond Kingdom that to let them go is to betray their kingdom. Mars says then that's what he's going to do. Ladros celebrates because now he can finally kill Mars legally. Mariella sneaks up behind Ladros and fires diamond knives into him. Ladros turns to attack her but Mars steps in front of her and attacks Ladros.

Zell asks Mars why he's protecting them. Mars says that he wasn't expecting to see Zell here but that he's on his side. He also says the details can wait but they have to do something about Ladros. Mars says that one way to defeat him would be to feed him so much magic that he self-destructs. The other method is anti-magic. Zell says that Asta is on the other side of the forest and that they can lure Ladros over there. Mars agrees. Ladros comes after them but Mars and Zell slip behind him. They come up after him and use reinforcement magic to throw him towards the other side of the forest. Meanwhile, Asta is telling Fana that they have her surrounded and that resistance is futile. He tells her that she's still young and that she shouldn't throw her life away. That her friends and parents will be disappointed if she does something stupid. Fana's third eye begins to glow and she tells Asta to not talk about her friends.

Fights

 * Asta, Vanessa Enoteca, Finral Roulacase, and Noelle Silva vs. Fana
 * Fanzell Kruger, Dominante Code, Mariella, and Witches vs. Diamond Kingdom Army
 * Fanzell Kruger and Mars vs. Ladros

Events

 * Invasion of the Witches' Forest

Items used

 * Brooms
 * Security Golem
 * Wands

Petit Clover
You Got Through to Me: Various characters guess Fanzell's age. Most of them say he is older than he is, which makes him feel bad. Mars is the only one who gives a correct answer since he remembers Fanzell's lessons.