Episode 145

Rescue (奪還) is the 145th Page of Yūki Tabata's Black Clover.

Summary
Marie Adlai wakes up in a strange place surrounded by the Devil Banishers and remembers the kidnapping. She recognizes Secre Swallowtail as a friend of Asta and Gauche Adlai and asks her if she knew the kidnappers, to which she replies that she does not. Secre deduced that the only only connection she had to Marie was that they were both put on trial for being servants of the devil. Upstairs, Kabwe Carillon, Dazu Tayak, and Bow Nocde are speaking of how justice will be served.

Later on, in the city of Lehart, a large crowd has turned up to witness the death of the servants of the devil. Various squads of the Magic Knights are hidden in the shadows of nearby buildings. Julius Novachrono contacts them and informs them that the Silver Eagle and Crimson Lion squads will protect the civilians in the crowd, the Green Mantis and Blue Rose squads will secure the perimeter, and the Black Bull squad will confront the Devil Banishers themselves. Yami Sukehiro complains about Damnatio Kira being along for the mission due to his subordinates being responsible for the situation. Damnatio tells Asta to avoid using his devil power, lest he cause an uproar. Marx Francois informs Julius that the other squads are guarding the Noble Realm, just in case the execution is actually a distraction for something else.

The Black Bulls, with the exceptions of Asta, Gauche, and Yami, spread out through the crowd and wonder how they can locate the Banishers in a crowd full of people who are shouting for the death of the devil. Vanessa Enoteca is approached be a pair of Banishers who tell her to leave or else the hostages will be killed immediately. Vanessa agrees to leave with them, believing that her squad mates will be able to handle things.

At the stroke of noon, the Devil Banishers still have not shown up, but they then appear with their prisoners as Kabwe undoes his Permeation Magic spell. Nozel Silva realizes that the Banishers are wearing bracelets that hide their magic power from being sensed, but Fuegoleon Vermillion notices that only three Banishers are wearing them. Kabwe announces that the two girls on stage are servants of the devil and are to be executed for their crimes against the Clover Kingdom. He then calls out to Asta and offers to let Secre and Marie go free if Asta turns himself in.

At first there is no response, so the Banishers decide to execute the girls. Asta responds to the call and walks through the crowd, who insult him and express their hatred. As a Banisher is about to take his grimoire, a second Asta appears above the Banishers with the Demon-Dweller Sword drawn and the Black Bulls charge in. The first Asta transforms back into Grey and Asta nullifies the Barrier Magic around the Banishers. One of the Banishers throws a potion, so Asta retreats in case it is another sleeping potion. Finral Roulacase then opens a portal to try and save the hostages, but Siona Caverly drives him off with Dagger-Folding Early Summer Rain. The other Magic Knight squads and the Banishers in the crowd join the fight.

The Devil Banishers decide to retreat and Asta chases after them. The rest of the Black Bulls are held up by a smoke that disrupts mana. The Magic Knights defeat some of the Banishers fairly easily.

In another part of town, Vanessa asks her captors where they are leading her, to which they respond that they are not taking her to any specific place. They simply wanted to remove her from the battlefield because of her ability to change fate. Vanessa believes that enough time has passed that her squad mates will have already saved the hostages and decides to fight the two Banishers. The Banishers admit that they cannot beat a Magic Knight, and knowing that the Magic Knights read the memories of prisoners, they release a potion that causes both of them to be incinerated. Vanessa wonders what plan could possibly be worth them sacrificing their lives so casually.

Asta confronts the Banishers, who threaten to kill Secre and Marie if he does not surrender and hand over his grimoire. Asta complies and allows them to put a set of handcuffs on him after placing his grimoire on the ground. Kabwe wants to kill him immediately, but the other Banishers oppose this idea. Asta tries to fight back and manages to get Marie, but Siona corners him and attacks him with her paper blades, reminding him that if he dodges, the blades will hit Marie. Asta is saved by the arrival of Yuno, Klaus Lunettes, and Mimosa Vermillion. The Devil Banishers retreat, taking Secre and Asta's grimoire. Yuno says that it does not matter that Asta does not have his grimoire because that is not where his magic comes from. Asta breaks his cuffs and states that his true magic is never giving up.

Later on in the Royal Capital, Marie is resting in Owen's office. Gauche rushes in and begs Marie not to die, but Asta confirms that she is just sleeping, much to Gauche's relief. Gauche says that he is once again in debt to Asta.

In the meeting room, Damnatio apologizes to the Magic Knight Captains for his subordinates who are now confirmed to be with the Devil Banishers. William Vangeance suspects that the Banishers might be under the manipulation of an unknown party who might want Asta's grimoire. Julius informs them that the memories they searched through from the Banishers they captured revealed that the group is mostly made up of hired help. A guard enters and delivers a message from Kabwe; in a panicked voice, Kabwe tells the Magic Knights that the Devil Banishers were a fraud and were in fact devil worshippers who want to gain the devil's power, the "Devil Believers".

Items used

 * Communication Magic tools