Black Clover's Asta Has Finally Surpassed Yuno At The Worst Moment

Warning! Spoilers ahead for Black Clover chapter 321!

A formula that Black Clover normally employs involves either Asta swooping in at the last moment to help Yuno or vice versa to vanquish their foe together. But this time, Yuno just came to aid the Clover Kingdom's seven of nine captains as they protect Asta - and he's not doing a very good job at it.

This is a pivotal moment in Black Clover as the human realm battles against its greatest threat, Lucifero, the self-professed King of Devils. Only Asta's anti-magic appears to actually hurt the devil, but the young magicless boy doesn't seem to possess the strength or ability to wield it effectively enough to end his opponent. In fact, Lucifero just stomped Asta into a comatose state in an unadulterated, bigoted rage after a peasant like Asta had the audacity to slice off one of his horns. And as the seven captains try to keep Lucifero from finishing Asta off, Yuno has come but, according to the unofficial translation of chapter 321, can only land hits without actually hurting him.

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Based on how previous battles have played out, this should have been the moment when Yuno somehow overpowers the opponent that Asta couldn't defeat on his own. In chapter 154 during the Elf Reincarnation Arc, the elf-possessed Yuno had just come to his senses and jumped in front of Asta and the cross-born Mimosa when Asta was greatly overpowered by the elf-possessed Klaus Lunettes and Hamon Caseus. Only with Yuno's help was Asta able to vanquish their foes. Then in chapter 196, Yuno found himself alone confronting Zagred, the first devil that entered the human realm, and actually came to the conclusion that there was no way that he could beat the devil by himself when Asta, of course, came at the last moment, allowing the two to survive long enough until help arrived. But now in the current chapter, Yuno actually just acknowledged that the difference in his and Lucifero's power is just too overwhelming. Further delegitimizing Yuno's abilities is the fact that Lucifero is more concerned by the temporary captain Mereoleona Vermillion as her power continues to rise exponentially. Additionally, the time for Yuno to pull himself together and land an effective hit is running out quickly because Asta has risen back to his feet, though he's bleeding profusely and still in terrible shape. But based on typical manga tropes, this is the perfect moment for Asta to dig deep and experience some type of awakening that will allow him to overpower the vastly stronger enemy - without Yuno.

All of this predates a string of successive failures for Yuno that further adds insult to injury. Even though he assumed the role of Crimson Dawn vice-captain in mere months, Yuno still suffered a monumental defeat when he failed to protect his captain William Vangeance from the invading Dark Triad member Zenon in chapter 237. Yuno not only lost but was dealt an almost fatal blow from Zenon who had only unleashed 55% of his devil power. Then much later in chapter 308, Yuno had a chance at a rematch with Zenon again, and would have been defeated once more, if he didn't remember the vow that he had made to Asta, giving him the strength to stand up and win. (This is assumed even though the manga never actually showed him win.)

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Now, more than ever, Yuno needs this win to bring him back on top, but it appears as though Black Clover won't give it to him. If Asta experiences an awakening and holds off (or even defeats) Lucifero on his own, then Asta will have assuredly surpassed Yuno.

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