Review
Alright, so today I’m back with yet another chapter review, and today we will go over chapter 242, which is insane. So be sure to stick till the end because you don’t want to miss it!
Flashback to Ness’s Past
We begin chapter 242 with a flashback into Ness’s past. Ness explains that both of his parents are scientists and that ever since he was born, they drilled into him that everything in the world can be explained through logic. At some point when he was younger, he had gotten a wound on his hand and went to his father, asking if he could heal it with a healing spell. Unfortunately for Ness, his father told him no, saying he needed to clean the wound and disinfect it quickly. He warned Ness that if they didn’t clean it, it could get infected, slow down the healing process, and even become necrotic, potentially leading to death. That’s a lot to tell a kid!
However, he soon after went to his mom to ask if that was true. She denied it, and overhearing this, his brother and sister began calling him stupid. He later asked his siblings if it were possible to summon a monster and bring it to life. They were tired of his imagination and told him it was impossible, insisting there was no magic in their house. But Ness wasn’t going to let that stop him. On a winter day, he built a snowman, made a magic wand, and set up a summoning circle around it. He told the snowman to give him all of his strengths and come to life. But during the spell, his siblings interrupted him, saying he was too loud and distracting them from their experiments. When Ness explained he was practicing magic to get a pet, they got angry and destroyed his wand and snowman, which even shed a tear as it was destroyed.
Confrontation with His Family
Later, his siblings told their parents about Ness’s magic practice and questioned if he was even related to them. His parents explained that snow is composed of frozen water crystals, but also contains dirt particles circulating in the air, and instructed him to wash his hands. His father told Ness that they are scientists, and it’s their duty to observe, research, and explain natural phenomena. But that wasn’t enough for his father, who bluntly stated that people who foolishly believe in the impossible are not wanted in their house. His father’s harsh words made Ness fall to his knees and cry, while his siblings just went back inside, claiming Ness definitely got the short end of the gene pool.
Ness’s Desire for Magic
Ness was furious at them, saying they reject magic because they can’t explain it scientifically and are unable to understand the sadness in his heart. He explained that he truly believes magic exists and ever since he read a book about it, he had been so excited he couldn’t sleep all night. He said that none of them could explain what he felt in that moment, and since then, he searched for magic every day. Unlike the rest of his family, Ness preferred dealing with fiction over fact. If his family brushed off fiction as magic, he believed the world was filled with magic and adventure. He experienced both indescribable happiness and profound sadness during his younger years.
One day while watching a football match, he felt something he couldn’t explain. When a player scored a goal, it was like magic flowing all around the pitch and striking Ness. He looked at the player celebrating and declared that football is true magic; a single goal or player can ignite the crowd, whip the entire stadium into a frenzy, and provide a sense of euphoria that transcends logic. At that moment, Ness was happier than ever as he finally realized football players are magicians. After that day, he trained like crazy, knowing that it was what he wanted to do.
The Struggles of Aspiring to Go Pro
His siblings wondered if he was an idiot, while their father told them to forget about him, insisting he would come back crying in no time. But Ness was determined, believing that one day he would go pro and show them he would be called up to the national team. During a game, he had a one-on-one with the goalkeeper, shot an incredible goal, and confidently stated he would become a player who would enter the world with his magic.
After celebrating with his teammates, someone approached Ness and suggested that if he was interested in going pro, he should try out for their club, which he did. When he went to Bastard Academy tryouts, he faced a lot of older and more experienced players. Ness noted they were huge and strong, but he knew he had to show them something. If he could impress them in this scrimmage, the chances of him scoring a pro contract with Bastard Munch, the strongest club in Germany, would skyrocket, and his dream of becoming a magician would come true. As kickoff began, Ness started with the ball, dribbling past two players flawlessly.
A Harsh Reality
Suddenly, someone in the box told Ness he was open, but he thought he was too slow and decided to pass. Out of nowhere, an opponent stole the ball. Ness was confused, as he had already gotten past the guy, but he was back again, and soon the other team managed to score. Ness realized these players were on a totally different level from what he was used to. Even though he could keep up with technique and creativity, he fell short in tactics, coordination, and play transitions, realizing he was facing a completely new level.
Two players blocked his path, causing him to fall, and Ness understood that his magic was powerless against the world. His teammates shouted at him, saying he was too slow and needed to get rid of the ball quicker. One even called him a slowpoke. As he lay on the ground, he started hearing the words of his family again, saying there’s no such thing as magic and that those who believe in it aren’t wanted in their home. He began to cry, expressing his hatred for his magic. But suddenly, he looked up and saw someone with long hair who called him a loser and asked if Ness believed in the impossible, turning around to meet Ness’s tearful eyes. The text at the bottom stated that as he sees, his magic gets stymied. During the Bastard Munch tryouts, Ness lost the will to fight.
The Future of Ness and Kaiser
Lying on the ground, his ego in tatters and on the verge of despair, Ness looked up to see Kaiser towering over him. The chapter ends with the question: How will these two combine forces to join the footballing giant, Bastard Munch? The next chapter is titled “The Blue Rose and the Magician Part Two,” suggesting it will be a follow-up chapter, which I am all for!
Final Thoughts
I’ve gained a brand new perspective on Ness after this chapter. Earlier, I was a bit of a Ness hater, even though I admitted to liking him at times. However, now I’m definitely on his good side. I want to clarify that not everyone with a sad background instantly earns my sympathy. However, Ness is special; you can’t tell me his wizard look doesn’t pop off—he looks like he came straight out of Lord of the Rings! I also dislike his siblings and his whole family for treating him so awfully.
However, Kaiser seems to get a free pass from Ness for some reason. I don’t know how to explain it, but I really like him after this chapter. He’s just a character who doesn’t deserve hate, maybe aside from when he’s awful against Isagi, but whatever. I’m really interested in seeing Ness and Kaiser link up for the first time in the next chapter, assuming Ness will be the playmaker and Kaiser will be the one actually scoring the goals. Super cool!