Clear Note (クリア・ノート Kuria Nōto) and Vino (ヴィノー Vinō) are the main antagonists of the King Festival Arc. They specialize in Annihilation Magic, the most destructive type of magic, and are the last and most powerful antagonists in the series. They placed 3rd in the battle overall.
Clear Note is the main mamodo antagonist of theKing Festival arc of Zatch Bell!. After Zatch defeated his brother, Zeno, he gave Zatch a letter that revealed that there was an evil power even greater than his still out there. Shortly after the King Festival began, Zatch was confronted by Ashron, one of the finalists, who revealed that this evil was Clear Note, one of the remaining mamodo. It was revealed that if Clear Note became king, he intended to use the King's Privilege to unleash genocide upon the mamodo World, and then kill himself, making all mamodo extinct.
Biography
Early in the Battle
At some point before Zofis began his plan with the Ancient mamodo, Clear and Vino crossed paths with Ashron, who was overwhelmed and scarred as a result of Clear's power and made it his personal mission to nullify his goals. Sometime after this encounter and before the King's Festival began, Clear met with the mamodo Gorm, who had always been alone in his life, and his partner Mir. Gorm struck a bargain with Clear, offering the power of his Black Room to help him become King in exchange for being the only one left alive in the mamodo World. Clear agreed.
King's Festival
Clear first appears in the King's Festival to Brago and Sherry in France. His youthful human-like appearance does not deceive Brago and Sherry from sensing the power that he holds. However, in spite of their best efforts, Clear easily dominates them and is kept from annihilating them only by the timely arrival of Ashron and Zatch.
Ashron then faces Clear in a rematch of a previous battle that had ended in a draw. They appear to be evenly matched at first until Clear reveals that he hadn't even been trying hard. He begins using more powerful spells, dominating the battle and severely wounded Ashron. Just as he is about to deal the finishing blow, Zatch intervenes, demanding to know Clear's reasons for wanting to use the King's Privilege for genocidal purposes. Clear calmly replies that it was why he was born. Zatch and Kiyo object to this and hit him with a Teozaker, which fails to damage him. Clear continues by saying that the evolution of the mamodo had given birth to him, the power to destroy the mamodo, much like the humans' science had given birth to nuclear weapons, the power to destroy the humans, dodging Zatch's Ganreizu Zaker all the while. He states that it was his instinct to lead the mamodo to annihilation, and then attempts to use his Radisu spell, but Zatch uses his mantle to guard against it.
Conflicting Opinions
The attacks pause as Clear goes on to talk about the battle to become the mamodo King, stating that the orchestrator of the battle is unknown; by no mamodo's will, the books simply appear every one thousand years, the order to decide the king is issued, and the battle begins. Clear states that it is called the "Trial of God", and while the god and the purpose of the trial are both unknown with certainty, Clear states that he believes that it is to keep order in the mamodo World. With so many powerful mamodo like Zatch and Brago, if they were left to do what they wished freely, the mamodo World would become a place of endless war. The battle serves as a way to eliminate mamodo who think differently, which helps keep the race as a whole alive. Much like the humans, due to a lack of communication and conflicting opinions, there was no end to the war.
Zatch yells for him to shut up, stating his own opinions on the matter: none of the living mamodo wanted or deserved to disappear, and he swears to Clear not to allow him to kill any one of them. Clear calmly states that now they know each other's opinions clearly, but the gap in power was too great for Zatch to make a difference. However, this is quickly proven untrue; Kiyo's Answer Talker was reawakened thanks to Zatch's speech, and Zatch now had a stronger will to win, which results in the Zakeruga they launch damaging a vital point on Clear. They exchange blows again, Clear stating that Zatch's power makes his heart dance with excitement, and tells him to bring everything that they've got, and that he will surpass them and destroy all mamodo. Thus incensed, Kiyo casts Baou Zakeruga, and Clear counters with his strongest spell, Shin Kuria Seunousu.
At first, they appear evenly matched, but the annihilation energies of Clear's spells consume Baou Zakeruga from the inside out, leaving Zatch and Kiyo defenseless and Clear's spell with enough power left to annihilate them. Zatch attempts to bear the blow, but Ashron blocks it with his body, entrusting Zatch with the hope of the mamodo world, as his book was already burning. He tears off his arm and discards it, trusting Zatch to give him a new body in the mamodo World. Clear attempts to destroy them with Raajia Radisu, seemingly eliminating Brago and Sherry but failing to kill Ashron, Zatch, and their partners, having used up too much of Vino's energy in his battle with Baou Zakeruga. Lightened without his wings and arm, Ashron plans to use his Shin spell to eliminate Clear, but Clear reveals that though he only has weak spells left, he also has spells that can increase his speed, and states aloud that he'll dodge Ashron's attack since he's returning to the mamodo World anyway. However, Brago and Sherry survived Clear's attack due to Ashron's discarded arm, the dragon scales providing a strong enough defense against it, and use the energy they had stored up to bind Clear in place with Nyuuborutsu Ma Gravirei long enough for Ashron to impale him on his head spike.
Clear Note's second form
However, despite the seemingly fatal wound, Clear proved to be too resistant and, with the help of Gorm, escaped into the Black Room, where he would be unable to attack, but also unable to be attacked. Before leaving, he reveals that in 10 months he will be at the apex of his power, and will destroy them all. Brago and Zatch attempt to stop him, but he manages to escape.
Preparation for the Final Battle
During the 10 month period, Clear's body undergoes a transformation inside a cocoon where only his face could be seen. Meanwhile, Zatch and Kiyo gathered all of their allies and, with the help of Dufort, trained to build up enough power to defeat Clear. Near the end of the ten months, Gorm comes across Purio, who had recently befriended Kanchomé. He attacks Purio, whose best efforts prove useless against Gorm's black holes. Kanchomé arrives and keeps him at bay with his new spells. Near the end of their fight, Kanchomé befriends Gorm, but his and Purio's books are burned by a long distance spell cast by Clear. Gorm considers Kanchomé's offer of friendship, and subsequently asks Clear to spare him in the end as well, but Clear refuses. This leads to Gorm's defection from his loyalty; while he loses half his body in their fight, he transports Clear and Vino to the Rocky Mountains in America, and he and Mir convey this to Zatch and Kiyo before they burn his book at his request.
The Final Battle
This occurs three months before Clear's deadline, so the remaining contenders gather their power and attack four days after Gorm's defeat. Clear realizes this, and proceeded to launch an attack at the plane that was transporting Zatch and his allies to the battlefield. They manage to fend off Clear's two strongest spells, but Tia and Ponygon lose their books in the process. Directly after this, Clear sends the remnants of his last spell towards them, but it is destroyed by Brago, who had managed to get within point-blank distance of Clear while he was distracted.
Clear's Ultimate form
During the rematch of Clear and Brago, the former transforms into a very powerful, sleek body covered in slim armor. Zatch soon arrives, teaming up with Brago and succeeding in destroying Clear's last and strongest spell. However, this somehow enables Clear to access his final and most powerful form (which even Vino was surprised by), fusing with his last spell and becoming a towering demonic creature as large as Faudo, composed of pure annihilation energy. He then merges with Vino, changing his form to provide a bottomless supply of heart energy, and unleashes powerful waves of annihilation, destroying Zatch and Brago's most powerful spells and leaving them both crippled and at his mercy.
Will of the King
Just as he prepares to finish them off, Zatch and Kiyo's willpower turns their book to a golden color, and he begins to utilize spells from other mamodo: Danny, Wonrei, Rein, Arth, Kido, Laila, Pamoon, Victoream, Ashron, Ted, Cherish, Bari, Yopopo, Penny, and Byonko all lend Zatch their best spells, and they repel all of Clear's attacks. After losing most of his body parts, an infuriated Clear flies up into space to destroy the planet, thinking that Zatch would be unable to follow. This turns out not to be true, however: after Tia heals them, Kolulu and Ponygon help Zatch and Kiyo to follow Clear, who fires the blast he had been charging. However, the blast passes through the planet, which was nothing but an illusory duplicate courtesy of Kanchomé.
Following this, all the spirits of the mamodo world lend Zatch their power, as does Brago, the only mamodo still on Earth. With all this power, Zatch unleashed his ultimate attack, Shin Beruwan Baou Zakeruga, against Clear. Clear attempts to stop the colossal electric dragon, but even with Vino's endless heart energy, he is easily overwhelmed and ripped to pieces. Clear's last crystal shatters, breaking the protective barrier surrounding Vino, allowing Zatch's electricity to incinerate Clear's book.
Aftermath
White, the reincarnation of Clear Note
Clear is given back his body like all the other mamodo when Zatch returns to the mamodo world. However, Zatch's spell destroyed Clear's annihilation powers along with all his evil emotions and memories. After Zatch becomes King, he remakes Clear as a small, innocent mamodo child, about six or seven years old, that becomes known as White; at the end of the series, Zatch is the only one in the mamodo World who knows of White's previous form.
Vino
Vino is Clear's partner, a small baby that usually wears a hood and sits in a cradle. During battle, Vino is suspended in a protective floating bubble made by Clear, which is said
Vino
to cut Clear's power in half. This bubble has so far shown to be completely indestructible. Nothing is known about where Vino came from or how Clear had found him, but he seems to be able to speak in complete sentences even though he is just a baby. Vino seems to enjoy helping Clear, and also seems to derive some sadistic pleasure from hurting other mamodo and their bookkeepers. It is possible that Clear is controlling Vino's heart and mind with his power; this is evidenced by the glazed, near blank stare in Vino's eyes. During the final battle between Clear and Zatch, Vino had 'merged' with Clear's demonic spell form, despite being scared of it, and was changed by Clear to have an endless supply of heart energy. When Zatch's ultimate spell destroys Clear's last crystal, the protective barrier surrounding Vino is destroyed causing Clear's book to be burned. Kiyo immediately used a spell to protect the unconscious Vino from the vacuum of space, and catches the infant in his arms. After the battle, Vino was taken in by Dr. Riddles who planned on using his Answer Talker ability to look for his parents.
Spells
Clear Note's spells are based on the power of Annihilation. His defensive spells are able to nullify or crush the spells of his opponents. His attack spells likewise are able to crush or weaken his opponents.
Description: Clear's most powerful spell. Summons a god-like beast that uses its hands to demolish the opponent's spell, then destroys anything it touches by crashing its body into it.
Known user(s):
After his first transformation, Clear receives two new spells, known as the left and right-hand spells respectively. They seem to be related in some way to his ultimate spell and are represented by two orbs in the hands of Clear's second form. When one of the spells is defeated, its orb breaks and Clear's body absorbs its power, transforming him into his third form.
English Name: Shin Kuria Seunousu Bādorerugo (シン・クリア・セウノウス・バードレルゴ)
Type(s): Attack
Episode: N/A
Chapter: 304
Description: Summons a tremendous beast in the form of a skeletal bird, composed of pure annihilative energy, and attacks the foe with it. The bird can move at an absurdly fast pace, and the annihilation energy it is composed of makes anything it touches wither away. Eventually, this energy begins to eat away at the spell itself, breaking it down into nothing. However, this results in its speed increasing even more. Also known as Clear Note's "Left Hand" attack.
English Name: Shin Kuria Seunousu Zarefedōra (シン・クリア・セウノウス・ザレフェドーラ)
Type(s): Attack
Episode: N/A
Chapter: 301
Description: Clear summons a gigantic multi-turreted cannon that fires powerful beams able to destroy everything within its targeted path. A huge military-styled figure (very similar to Belgim E.O.) commands the cannon to "fire". After all the turrets have been fired, the cannon itself can be launched at an opponent followed by the cannon's platform. Also known as Clear Note's "Right Hand" Attack.
Some of Clear Note's spells are themed after medieval weaponry such as spears (the Ranzu Radisu family) and cannons (Shin Kuria Seunousu Zarefedoora).
The word vino is Italian and Spanish for wine.
The color of his book, which is not a color but a transparent book, was revealed by the author on his blog.
Clear technically (with his left and right-hand spells) has more than one Shin-class spell, making him, along with Ashron and Brago, one of the only mamodo with that privilege. He would also be the only mamodo with three Shin spells.
Clear's clothes, at least in his second and third forms, seem to be a part of his body. While he is in the cocoon, his headdress can be seen growing while the rest of his body is regenerating, and when he transforms into his third form, his headdress and cape disappear, being replaced with armor. It's possible that the armor even replaces Clear's skin in this form. Clothes changing with the characters who wear them is a common trope in manga, but it is almost never taken this seriously.
Since Clear's Partner is only a baby, he has the youngest known partner in the entire mamodo fight.
Clear Note has the distinction of being the last remaining mamodo who is taller than his partner.
Vino's mature and sadistic personality is more likely than not due to Clear's influence on him, but this is never confirmed. It is unknown if Clear can exert this influence on other people in a way similar to Zofis' heart control ability.
