Black Clover chapter 342 was officially released on Sunday, October 30, bringing with it some fascinating history to Yami Sukehiro and Yami Ichika’s childhood. Fans also finally got to see the aftermath of the purported slaughter, which Ichika is convinced her brother Sukehiro was involved for. Indeed, Black Clover chapter 342’s exposure of these events surely makes it hard to defend Yami considering how plainly guilty he is. Although there will certainly be some explanation to exonerate him (the beginnings of which are evident in this issue), fans have little option but to believe him guilty based on existing evidence.
Black Clover chapter 342 delivers supporters virtually incontrovertible information against Captain YamiYami clan’s origins and upbringings Black Clover chapter 342 opens with Ichika telling the history of the Yami clan, who are reputedly descended from a gang of assassins known as “kijin.” During times of war, these forefathers of the Yami clan distinguished themselves in various battles, before being placed in charge of guarding the Goshunregion, governed by the Ryudo clan. Black Clover chapter 342 next have Ichika narrate the history of a five-headed monster rampaging over Hino Country, until being halted by a heavenly girl. The dragon’s yoryoku purportedly seeped out after, “turning the water dark and stagnant, warping space and time, and linking it to Hell.”
The scene then moves to Ichika and Sukehiro’s childhood house, where their father is raving about the Yami clan’s illustrious roots, and how they shouldn’t be protecting this far-out region. He asks for confirmation, which Sukehiro doesn’t offer, pushing him to approach closer Sukehiro when he spots Ichika giving him a look. This sets him off as he begins shouting and raving about how she’s the spitting image of her mother, who died during childbirth, before dubbing her a “deadweight who can’t fight.” Sukehiro blocks his attempt at assaulting Ichika, reportedly impressing his father in the process. His father applauds Sukehiro’s power, stating he’ll be the one to inherit the “Demon-God” moniker, awarded to the clan’s best warrior.
Sukehiro claims that nobody cares, departing to take Ichika fishing. Black Clover chapter 342 then has Sukehiro fishing fish, while Ichika and other Yami clan members observe. Ryudo Ryuya then enters, seeking to join in the merriment, while someone refers to him as “young master” to warn him of his clothing getting muddy. Ryuya then joins his pals Ichika and Yami, where he begins sharing his idea of Hino Country becoming a paradise where everyone lives and laughs together equitably. Black Clover chapter 342 has Sukehiro initially tease, but later embraces Ryuya’s comments while Ichika’s memory takes a little pause.
Black Clover chapter 342: Yami’s wrongdoing and a struggle begins
Black Clover chapter 342 then returns to the present, where Ichika is labelling Sukehiro a liar, branding him a “Demon-God… worse than father.” Ichika’s flashback then resumes, showing a bleeding Ryuya and Ichika gazing in disbelief at something. The following panel shows display a bleeding Sukehiro, standing with a katana amidst at least a dozen dead victims. Ichika reports that aged 13 years old, Sukehiro slaughtered their father and their whole kin. Black Clover chapter 342 returns to the present, where Asta remains in disbelief. Ichika, meanwhile, berates her brother for abandoning her and Ryuya and going to the Clover Kingdom, “living the easy life overseas.”
Ichika ridicules Asta for trusting him, but he doubles down on his faith in Captain Yami, stating there must be some kind of mistake and that he believes in the Captain Yami he knows. Ichika, visibly growing irritated, labels him an idiot while insisting she observed the events with her own eyes. Asta, however, refuses to back down, even if she is Captain Yami’s sister. A furious Ichika pulls out her Yoryoku Scroll, urging Asta to prove it by utilising the strength Sukehiro gave him in a training session. She informs Asta she’ll also get serious, performing a spell that changes her armour akin to Noelle’s Valkyrie Armor in idea, but with Dark Magic instead. The spell’s formal name is “Dark Yojutsu: Dark-Cloaked Black Warrior.” Black Clover chapter 342 then comes to a conclusion as Ichika warns Asta not to blame her if he dies.
Final thoughts
Black Clover chapter 342 is, altogether, an intriguing chapter which finally sheds clarification on exactly what Captain Yami may have done as a youngster. The issue also does an excellent job of further defining Ichika, depicting her as someone who feels betrayed by her closest ally. However, there is certainly some explanation as to what transpired that night which would finally exonerate Sukehiro. The issue also finally provides fans with an opportunity to witness precisely what Ichika can achieve.
While the training sessions in the arc thus far have been a fantastic tease, they only scrape on the surface compared to what she’s likely capable of. While Anti-Magic will likely win the day for Asta, the duel should at least be exciting and allow Ichika an opportunity to show her stuff. The issue also presumably offers a genesis narrative to the Yami clan’s Dark Magic powers, which both Ichika and Yami seem to possess, as does most likely the remainder of the clan. Assuming the location of the Yami clan guards is where the five-headed dragon’s yoryoku flowed out, this explains why Ichika chose to commence her flashback with that. It may also be used to also explain why Sukehiro massacred his kin.