| “ | "You probably don't know anything about me, but I've known about you all along. You useless fool, I wish you would go and disappear!" | „ |
| ~ Zeno |
Zeno is a villain of the Zatch Bell! series and is the twin and elder brother of the protagonist, Zatch Bell. He is the main antagonist for a large portion of the story, though he doesn't take over as the immediate threat until the Faudo Arc. He is also responsible for the loss of Zatch's memories.
Appearance
Being the twin brother of Zatch, Zeno bears a strong resemblance to him but sporting a differences in appearance, Zatch having blonde hair while Zeno's is silver, Zatch's cloak being blue with a white bow while Zeno's is white but with a blue bow, though in the manga his cloak and bow are completely white and sports sparkling purple eyes while possessing sharp teeth. While Zatch has two lines on his face, Zeno has four.
Early life
Zeno was born as the son of the late King Bell along side his twin younger brother, Zatch Bell. However, being exact opposites, Zeno has inherited his father's ruthlessness and bloodlust, since Bao is a obstacle that consumes evil, it was Zatch who ends up inheriting Bao while Zeno inherits the other half of Bao, Jigadirasu Uru Zakeruga. Fearing that Zatch would also become corrupt by Bao's power, he and Zeno were forced to separate at birth, Zeno was forced to partake in harsh military training under the guidance of a mamodo named Rajin while Zatch was to live somewhere far away. Jealous and angered, believing Zatch to be living a easy life, he began to argue and question why wasn't he was the one to inherit Bao, his father explains that Zeno would not be able to handle it and would consume him. When Zeno mentioned Zatch, his father in return responds stricking him with his lightning and told him to never mention Zatch again.
Zeno believing his father to love Zatch more, a newfound hatred began to build up for his brother.
Biography
When the battle for king took place, Zeno saved a man named Dufort from dying in the middle of the cold, after killing the people who were doing mental and emotional experiments during his childhood and left him for dead, Zeno took him and made him his official bookkeeper and partner. He and Dufort would later travel to England and confront his younger brother, expressing irritation upon meeting him for the first time, he then showed hatred and disgust, expressing how much he's been thinking about him before having his bookkeeper cast a spell and attack him. Once attempting to burn his book, he decided against it, believing it wouldn't be enough and he would go back to his easy life. Wanting to make him suffer as he did, he begins to erase his memories from the mamodo world, where he will hopelessly suffer during the battle for Mamodo king and left him injured in the middle of the forest.
When he somehow realized Zatch and his new partner, Kiyo Takamine were arriving in England to search for clues about Zatch's past, Zeno hired a man named Steng and his mamodo Baltro to kidnap Kiyo's father and lure them into a trap. Upon hearing their defeat at the hands of Zatch and Kiyo, Zeno attacks and burns Baltro's book as punishment for their failure as well as remind them of the rules of the battle for king. Although Zeno does not encounter Zatch for the second time but rather glances down from afar and secretly tells Zatch to live his life while he still can while the horrible truth will be in stored for him.
Zeno hasn't made an appearance since until a misunderstood encounter with a man named Apollo and his mamodo Rops, he expressed sheer annoyance when he mistakened him for Zatch and began to question Zatch's whereabouts and dismisses the fact on how Zatch progressed only to be taunted in return, Zeno in curiosity asked if he wanted to battle but Apollo declines the offer, despite this Zeno refused to allow them to escape so easily and called Dufort for a battle and despite Apollo's and Rop's efforts, Zeno and Dufort were the ones to easily seal the victory, once subdued Apollo began to question Dufort's humanity, causing Dufort to respond violently and prepare to unleash a somewhat powerful spell but Zeno protests not to go all out, not seeing Apollo as a true threat but their bickering does not stop them from mercilessly burning Rop's book, Zeno and Dufort then disappear to somewhere unknown, eaving a grief stricken Apollo behind.
Zeno and Dufort's whereabouts were revealed to be in Europe, Zeno however left to go on a investigation after being the first one to witness a mysterious tower, once finding out that the mysterious tower is actually the ancient massive living mamodo weapon, Faudo, Zeno took interest and decides to be the one to control Faudo. He does so by creating a scarecrow-like figure from the strain from his hair and manipulate the one charge of Faudo, Rioh to set Faudo's release as well being manipulate Zatch and co. to make Rioh seize control of it and stop his plans. Zeno and Dufort remained hidden inside Faudo until finally revealing himself to Rioh whom fears greatly but refuses to give up his possession and attempts to fight him, Zeno however proves to be too much for him to handle and was defeated with great ease. Now having the jewel, the key to Faudo in his possession, he announces himself as the new ruler of Faudo but willingly allows Rioh's underlings to serve him and gives them some of Faudo's power in return of their loyalty. However, the mamodo Cherish was unwilling to serve him and was forced to be loyal after striking and torturing her with his lightning as well as giving her a badge with a symbol of a lightning bolt that symbolizes his lightning, putting her in a traumatized state but this state of fear would be broken by Ted after helping her overcome her fear.
Anime
His book was burned by Zatch, but under radically different circumstances in the manga than in the anime, although in both versions the book is burned as a result of a struggle between Zatch's Bao Zakerga and Zeno's Jigadirasu Uru Zakeruga. In the anime, he does not reconcile with his twin brother and remains resentful of Zatch right to the bitter end, breaking the jewel that controls Faudo out of spite before vanishing back to the Mamodo world. While in the manga, Zeno becomes aware that Zatch had as hard a childhood as he did, and regrets his own foolishness. The jewel breaks due to Zatch breaking it, and Zeno gives his power to Zatch (the power their father wielded was split between them).
Powers and Abilities
Zeno's ability is lightning. However, unlike Zatch's, his lightning is blue, and instead of coming from his mouth, his lightning comes out of his hand. However his abilities can only be executed by his partner Dufort whenever he casts a spell in the human world. Though most of Zeno's spells are different from Zatch's.
Additionally, Zeno does not lose consciousness during the spells and thus knows what he is doing while they are being cast. His cloak also has magical abilities, allowing him to protect himself and his bookkeeper from harm, and to teleport himself and his bookkeeper to another location.
Zeno also has the ability to erase one's memories, When attacked Zatch and erased all of his memories of the Mamodo world.
It is also noted that due to his harsh military training, Zeno appears to be a skilled combatant and can even hold his own without any need of using spells.
Personality
Being the opposite of Zatch, while his brother inherited their mother's soft and gentle nature, Zeno inherits his father's ruthlessness and bloodlust, coming off as aggressive and merciless.
He is also known to be jealous and power hungry, wanting to inherit Bao instead as well as being the one to take control of Faudo and expressing anger and deep hatred towards his brother, thinking he was living a easy life while he had to suffer harsh military training.
He also has shown some signs of sadism, when he mercilessly attacked his own brother while erasing his memories and make him suffer as he did and as well as forcing a mamodo named Cherish to do his bidding by torturing and using her fear of his lightning against her in order to make her cater to his whim, even going as far in calling her his "thunderstruck kitten".
Despite all this he does show a sense of pride, honor and even remorse when he realized that Zatch has also suffered as he and did not hesitate to apologize his younger sibling. He has become more overprotective of Zatch ever since they reconciled their differences.