Chapter 5 (Quartet Knights)

Chance Encounter (邂逅) is the 5th chapter of Tashiro Yumiya's Black Clover Side-Story: Quartet Knights.

Summary
Yami says that Karna cannot be the one who is attacking the Magic Knights, but Klaus assures him that they have solid reasons to believe that she is collaborating with the Eye of the Midnight Sun which would cause a great deal of trouble for the Clover Kingdom. Klaus goes on to say that the best course of action is to investigate the truth. The group then heads off to the Dungeon of Lava in the Strong Magic Region.

Klaus, Yami, Yuno, and Asta go explore the dungeon, while Mimosa and Magna stand watch outside. Inside the dungeon, Asta complains about the heat, and Klaus marvels over the staggering amount of mana within the Strong Magic Region. Yami questions if Klaus's information about Karna being there is true, but Klaus tells him that they already know the layout of the dungeon thanks to Mimosa's Magic Flower Guidepost spell. They expect to find something lurking in the dungeon's final room. Meanwhile, outside the dungeon, Magna tries to make small talk with Mimosa but it does not work. Magna wishes that Asta and Yami could hurry back soon because the awkward silence is driving him crazy. Mimosa wonders how things ended up like this considering she wanted to go on the mission with Asta. It's noted that Magna was chosen to stand watch because his Fire Magic should excel in this location, and Mimosa was chosen too because she's a skilled support mage and should be prepared if something happens. Asta says they should do their best since everyone else is also trying their best to find a way to return their captain back to normal. Yami says that Finral's slacking off. However Finral was actually out of mana.

Klaus tells them to be on guard for any Trap Magic, however Yuno's Wind Magic should be able to help them navigate. Suddenly, Asta steps on a trap. Lava erupts in front of Asta, but he quickly cuts through it with the Demon-Slayer Sword. Klaus scolds Asta for not being careful, and tells Asta that he would be dead if the lava had hit him directly. Yami suggests they should cut their way through. Yuno then creates a Heavenly Wind Ark to lift himself up in the air. Asta yells at him, saying that flying on his own is not fair, but Yuno challenges Asta to race against him to see who can reach the bottom of the dungeon first. After all, are not they rivals? Asta agrees and runs off, shouting that he will not lose. Klaus, shocked by their behavior, calls out to them. He then tries to ask Yami to do something, but Yami decides to join the race. Klaus stands frozen, thinking about how there is not a single normal person among them, but he then realizes he's been left behind and chases after them.

Outside of the dungeon, Mimosa has created her Magic Flower Guidepost, which Magna questions her about. She explains that she's checking on the team's progress through the dungeon, and finds that they are near the bottom. The update delights Magna, but suddenly Mimosa senses an evil presence within the dungeon. She tells Magna that they need to get the others out of the dungeon immediately.

Inside the dungeon, Yuno and Asta continue with their race while cutting through several traps. As Asta and Yuno bicker, Yami sees himself and Karna in them. He swears to himself that he will bring Karna back. Asta sees a huge door ahead and wonders if that's the last room. To everyone's shock, the door suddenly explodes. Karna steps forward out of the settling dust, noting the pathetic limits of something made by humans. Karna then notices the presence of the Magic Knights. Asta and Yuno look at her in confusion, but Yami screams Karna's name. He asks what she's doing here, and yells about how the others have been worried about her. Klaus notices a broken tablet behind Karna, and tells everyone that they need to get out of the dungeon right now. He explains that the tablet maintaining the dungeon has been destroyed, and that the dungeon will soon collapse. But it's already too late and columns of lava begin to erupt around them. Yami demands to know Karna's reasons for doing this and questions the purpose behind her actions. Karna answers that this is all for her revenge on the Clover Kingdom. She summons mages to her side, and tells the Magic Knights that they should play for a while.