Episode 158

The Beginning of Hope and Despair (希望と絶望の幕開け) is the 158th Page of Yūki Tabata's Black Clover.

Summary
A hooded man struggles to cross a Grand Magic Zone and is determined not to die until he can deliver his message. In another part of the Grand Magic Zone, one of the Spade Kingdom's mobile fortresses moves through the area by drawing out mana from imprisoned citizens. One of the soldiers comments that Candelo is useful but requires a large amount of mana to make it functional. The captain informs him that they should use only half of them to cross the Grand Magic Zone even if it depletes their life energy indiscriminately.

From a nearby pool of water, a clone of Undine espies Candelo and shares her vision with Lolopechka in the Heart Kingdom. Lolopechka thanks the Magic Knights who have assembled in the palace on short notice and informs them about the enemies' whereabouts. Gadjah announces that the Spade Kingdom has already taken over Diamond Kingdom in the last six months and has now begun to advance towards the Heart and Clover Kingdoms. The Magic Knights strategize about their counterattack, and Lolopechka worriedly informs them about how the enemies are mistreating their own people. Hearing this, Asta suddenly takes off from the meeting, and as the others worry about what to do next, Lolopechka smiles and says that it is better for him to go attack now. Gadjah is amazed at Asta's development and how he has become stronger than the others, despite their training methods being for those who are loved by mana.

In the Candelo, the Spade soldiers order the next set of prisoners to enter the magic-draining chamber. A woman begs them to leave her little sister since she is a child and has very little mana. A soldier admonishes her for talking against him and for being weak. He tears the woman's clothes and grabs her, but the Demon-Slayer Sword crashes through the window and barely misses the soldier. Landing in the fortress, Asta calls the Demon-Slayer Sword back to his hand and analyzes the situation. The soldier recognizes that Asta is a Magic Knight from the Clover Kingdom and mocks him for lacking mana while forming a huge suit of armor. The soldier boasts that he can defeat Asta in an instant. To his surprise, Asta cuts through the armor and knocks him out in one blow. Asta then challenges the other soldiers and defeats them quickly.

Asta introduces himself to the prisoners and reassures them that he will not harm them. The woman cries out about their situation and feels hopeless since they cannot escape either the Grand Magic Zone or the captain possessing inhuman magic. Sensing that the people are frightened, Asta claims that he will defeat all the soldiers, but is suddenly interrupted as the enemies drop down and start attacking. Asta quickly draws out his Demon-Dweller Sword and slashes the enemies using Black Slash. Sensing the captain's ki up above, Asta charges through the ceiling and defeats the other soldiers present, while making his way towards their captain. Asta cuts open into the captain's room, and the captain senses that Asta shares the power of a devil. Asta questions the captain on mistreating his own people, to which the captain replies that they were mere sacrifices for the prosperity of Spade Kingdom. Asta is suddenly paralyzed as poison starts spreading through his body. The captain reveals that Asta cannot escape from his high-level Poison Magic, Basilisk's Breath, and claims him to be even useless as fodder to the Candelo. Asta uses the Demon-Destroyer Sword to erase the poison, which astonishes the captain. Asta enters his black form and compares their level of devil power. Asta adds that he will crush them all for sacrificing their own people, and uses Black Divider to cut through the captain's spell and the upper portion of the fortress while the image of the Anti Magic Devil looms above it. Meanwhile, Noelle flies towards the Candelo while carrying Mimosa Vermillion and Finral Roulacase.

Asta drags the knocked out captain down to where the prisoners are and informs them that he has defeated everyone so they can relax now. Noelle reaches the Candelo and releases her spells, dousing Asta and Finral in water. Noelle complains on how hard it was on her to maintain a transport spell in Grand Magic Zone and inquires Asta on leaving them behind. Noticing the woman who was assaulted by the Spade soldier, Finral tries to flirt with her but backs off as he remembers that Finesse Calmreich is the only one for him. Mimosa's Princess-Healing Flower Paradise recovers the people's stamina. Noelle notices that the people are still sad, since they have lost their home to the soldiers. The woman replies that the soldiers were cruel enough to kill the people who resisted and they will be killed immediately even if they return. Noelle smiles and asks them not to worry as Leopold Vermillion and Luck Voltia have headed to the town to defeat the spade soldiers. During the earlier meeting, Lolopechka divided the forces to back up Asta and to liberate the occupied town.

In the town's fort, Luck and Leopold defeat every soldier using their new skills. Luck pulls out a Communication Magic tool and informs Asta that they have finished their work. Hearing it, Finral marks the current location and heads to the town. Observing their progress, Lolopechka is happy that it ended well but realizes that the real battle is yet to begin. The woman inquires what they are going to do to the town since they need to obey the strong in order to live. Asta smilingly replies that it is their town and that the Magic Knights will not be doing anything, and informs them that Finral will teleport them all back, which delights the prisoners. Asta says that their role is to defeat the devil in the Spade Kingdom. The woman reveals that the Spade Kingdom is currently being ruled by mages known as the Dark Triad and how their strength is almost like that of a devil.

In the Spade Kingdom castle, the Dark Triad meet with each other. Dante Zogratis asks Zenon if he has grown accustomed to the power of the devil yet. Zenon says that he mostly has, and adds that the fortress which they have sent to Heart Kingdom and base near the border has fallen. Dante pays no attention to it and claims it to be mere work so their soldiers will not get bored. Vanica complains that Zenon went to the Diamond Kingdom all by himself and that she wants to do something big too. Zenon states that he was more suited for the mission but Vanica replies that Zenon used only 40% of his devil power, which even she can do. Dante compliments Vanica for growing up and informs them that it is about time that they made their move. Vanica is excited to finally consume the delicious treat that she has been saving up. Zenon asks why they waited half a year. Dante tells them that everything was to prepare them for the moment that shall be upon them, and that it would be no fun if the game is over so soon. Dante adds that they are going to destroy everything in the world and that the necessary keys are within their reach. Zenon infers Dante's sentence as the two Arcane Stage mages. Dante tells them that they cannot escape and everything is in the palm of their hands.

In Hage, Sister Lily steps out of the church and discovers the hooded man lying on the ground, and he mutters Yuno's name.

Items used

 * Candelo
 * Communication Magic tool

Petit Clover
Comparing Heights (背比べ): Leopold brags about growing taller, but Asta argues that they are both the same height. When Asta comes up short, Mimosa boosts him up with plants under his feet; however, she gets overzealous and makes the plants taller than Leopold.

Trivia

 * To celebrate the anime's fifth anniversary, episodes chosen by the series' staff and cast were rebroadcast weekly. Character designer for the anime, Itsuko Takeda chose Episode 158, and it was re-aired on December 4, 2022.