Earth Land, Ishgar, Kingdom of Fiore, the Village Hidden in the Leaves.
December 7, x787.
A few more weeks have passed since Alfonzo introduced Naruto and Kurama to each other. And in that time, Alfonzo taught Naruto how to enter his mindscape. And every time Naruto came out, he complained about how gloomy the sewer system was.
Unfortunately, Alfonzo was unable to explain to Naruto how to manipulate his mindscape. Even though he had done extensive research into the soul ever since he started working on the [Soul Armaments], an inner world and a mindscape were different. The mindscape was more of a representation of the mind than the soul, after all.
Luckily, there was someone Naruto could ask. And that was Ino's father, Inoichi Yamanaka. Though, Naruto and Ino did have to spend a while convincing Inoichi that they were not dating… or thinking about dating… or secretly dating before Inoichi would help. But in the end, he was able to get Inoichi's help. And in the future, what it ended up turning into was a huge, multi-story version of Ramen Ichiraku… To absolutely no one's surprise.
As for the other kids, they continued to make good progress. However, it was obvious that Sasuke was starting to get impatient with Saeko's sword training. Because she refused to teach him any advanced techniques until he made the basics second nature. However, Sasuke felt that with his Sharingan, all that training in the basics was useless.
But other than that little hiccup, things went on as usual.
On another note, Lee was also pushing himself harder during training. That way, he would have more excuses to see Wendy at the hospital. And because of the little falling out Wendy and Carla had not too long ago, Carla was not interfering in Lee's courting of the blue-haired Dragon Slayer, and Wendy seemed to be responding positively, as well.
But today, Alfonzo was once again meeting with Hiruzen in his office.
"So, you have to return to prepare for the S-Class promotion Exam, huh?" Hiruzen asked before taking a toke from his pipe. "I suppose there's nothing that can be done about that."
"Yeah, but don't worry, we'll be back in about two weeks." Alfonzo replied casually.
"We?" Hiruzen asked in a confused tone. "Are any of those other girls S-Class like you?"
"No." Alfonzo said while shaking his head gently. "But two of them will probably be participants this year."
"I see." Hiruzen replied as he opened a drawer of his desk. "*Sigh* I'll have to write up another two missions to have you escorted in and out of the village then, won't I?"
"Sorry for the extra work." Alfonzo replied with a shrug.
"It's not your fault." Hiruzen replied. "It's just a village thing."
"As allies, I don't even know why you're making this such a big deal.' Alfonzo said in a genuinely confused tone. "I mean, no one from Fairy Tail would ever betray an ally."
"It's a law from the First Hokage's era." Hiruzen said in a tired tone. "And getting it changed would be more trouble than it's worth at this point. So, I just leave it how it is."
'I bet Tsunade would have that law changed immediately.' Alfonzo mused. 'As someone who's led a guild, she knows how important it is to have people coming and going from the HQ. Otherwise, the economy gets stagnant. And this village has been like that for a long time. Probably since the last war.'
"So, how is Naruto's training going?" Hiruzen asked while writing out the escort mission.
"As of right now, he's handling Nine-Tailed Fox's influence pretty well, I guess." Alfonzo replied, once again shrugging his shoulders as he did so. "I mean, his magic power flow is much more stable. So, he's gaining control of it much faster than before."
'Hiruzen will probably have a heart attack if I tell him that Naruto is trying to be friends with Kurama.' Alfonzo thought to himself. 'And he'll definitely try to put a stop to that if he finds out. I should probably make sure that Naruto knows not to say anything about hat to anyone, too. At least not for now, anyway.'
"That's good." Hiruzen said while continuing to write. "I was afraid he would not be able to graduate if that wasn't taken care of. With his Uzumaki bloodline, his magic power naturally grows at an astonishing rate, making getting adequate control a constant struggle."
'And you just let that shit fester because of Danzo.' Alfonzo thought to himself. 'I wonder if you even really care for the kid. I mean, he's your grand disciple's son for God's sake. You could have at least tried to get some better conditions for him.'
"I've been teaching him the [Sealing Arts], too." Alfonzo continued while not letting his thoughts show on his face. "And he's been taking to it like a fish to water. And thanks to his creativity, no doubt honed through all the pranks he's committed, he's probably gonna be some kind of trailblazer in the field of [Sealing]."
That was enough to make Hiruzen look up and stop writing for a moment. Just the thought of another grand master in the [Art of Sealing] coming from his village made him happy beyond belief. However, when he thought about the possibility of those [Seals] being used in Naruto's pranks, he could not help but start dripping cold sweat from his forehead.
"*Sigh* I can only pray for the citizens of the village." Hiruzen said in a wistful tone as he looked back down to his scroll and started writing again. "I'm sure he's gonna get some payback on all the people who bullied him in the past. Even worse, there will probably be no evidence that it was him."
"I wouldn't put it past him." Alfonzo replied with a smile. "But at least they won't be too malicious… Probably."
Hiruzen could only sigh once again. However, he did not stop writing.
"So, is there anything else?" Hiruzen asked.
"No, that's it." Alfonzo replied. "So, I'll get going. I need to pack. Then, I'll train the kids before getting a good night's sleep. We'll be leaving around dawn."
"Understood." Hiruzen replied. "I'll include the departure time in the mission details. I assume you'll be returning around the same time that you have for the past two times."
"Yeah, that's right." Alfonzo replied. "And we should be back on the twenty-second."
"Understood." Hiruzen replied. "Oh, and the mission you commissioned for us to spread those devices all over Ishgar should be completed before you get back."
Hearing that, Alfonzo could not help but smile as he stood from his seat in front of Hiruzen's desk.
"Alright, I'll have the rest of the payment for you when I get back." Alfonzo said before turning around to leave.
Though it was not previously mentioned, when Hiruzen accepted Alfonzo's mission request, it was agreed upon that half the payment would be made up front while the rest would be paid once the mission was completed. In total, the Hidden Leaf Village would be receiving one billion Jewels (equivalent to 10 million USD) for this long and tedious mission.
With that, Alfonzo took his leave while Hiruzen continued to write the scrolls for the two escort missions. And while Alfonzo was on his way out of the Hokage Tower, he could not help but smile. Though, this smile would be rather scary for anyone who saw it.
'Finally, the lPhone's coverage network will cover all of the land on Ishgar.' Alfonzo thought to himself while smiling maliciously. 'And after the Seto Group finishes installing the ones in Ishgar's territorial waters, there will be nowhere for you to hide, Junko Enoshima. I don't know what your plans for the future are, but as long as your anywhere controlled by Ishgar, I'll be able to track your magic power signature. And then, you'll pay for all the shit you've pulled over the years.'
Eventually, Alfonzo left the Hokage Tower. Then, accompanied by Kakashi, he returned to his borrowed residence where he would train the kids from the academy, prepare dinner, and get ready to return to Magnolia so he could join Fairy Tales wizards to set up Tenrou Island for this year's S-Class Promotion Exam.
Earth Land, Alakitasia, Alvarez Empire, Vistarion
In the throne room of the Alvarez Empire's imperial castle, Zeref sat upon his throne silently with his eyes closed. However, that silence was soon broken by the sound of the throne room's heavy wooden doors being pushed open.
"Invel, do you have something to report?" Zeref asked without even opening his eyes.
"I do, Your Majesty." Invel replied after approaching the throne and bowing reverently.
"I would assume it is not good news." Zeref said, finally opening his eyes as he spoke.
"I'm afraid it is not." Invel replied as he straightened his back while keeping his head lowered.
"Well, let me hear it." Zeref said, seeming not to be bothered by the apparent bad news that was coming.
"Yes, Your Majesty." Invel replied before adjusting his glasses. "It has been some time since the last report we received from Irene and Brandish arrived. Over a year, in fact."
Hearing that, Zeref raised an eyebrow.
"Normally, that would not be cause for concern." Invel continued. "Both of them have been on missions that required them to break contact for long periods of time in the past. However, when this mission started, they contacted us, at least, once every three months. However, they have missed their schedule four times since the last report. And in another month, it will make that total five times if we do not receive a report in the coming month."
While Zeref found that unusual for Irene, Brandish was often found it too troublesome to send regular reports when she was out on long-term missions. So, he did not think much of it in her case.
"Another thing that caught my attention was the fact that Heine Lunasea and Juliet Sun, Irene's sentient swords, received a message from Irene almost three months ago." Invel continued. "And a little over a month ago, they both boarded a ship headed away to Caracole Island."
"Hmm…" Zeref hummed in interest. "Going through Caracole Island is the only way to reach Ishgar without raising much suspicion."
Caracole Island is an independent resort island situated between Ishgar and Alakitasia. As a popular tourist destination, neither continent has been able to lay claim to it, without causing a war. So, it is common for those trying to reach the two continents to stop there first when trying to move without having to deal with either continent's navy.
"Though the implications could be rather concerning, I doubt Irene would betray the empire at this point." Zeref continued while wearing a contemplative expression. "Still, just to be safe, send Jacob to ascertain Irene and Brandish's situation. However, he is under no circumstances to engage in combat. Only have him collect information on Irene's situation and return."
"As you command, Your Majesty." Invel replied as he once again bowed in reverence. "Then, if you'll excuse me, I shall relay your orders."
"You may go." Zeref said nonchalantly.
With that, Invel backed a few steps away from the throne, all with his head lowered. Then, he turned on his heels, not raising his head until he was facing away from Zeref. After that, he strode towards the throne room's doors, closing them behind him as he left.
Meanwhile, Zeref was left contemplating the information he just received.
"Is it possible that Irene could have betrayed me" Zeref asked himself. "The only way I could see her doing that was if someone on Ishgar was able to reverse her [Dragonization]. But that should be impossible, right? She's been trying to do that for centuries with no results, after all. And she is one of the most brilliant people I've ever had the pleasure of meeting when it comes to magical theory."
Shaking off that line of thought, Zeref once again closed his eyes and returned to thoughts of other things… Things he truly deemed to be important. Because even if Irene and Brandish were to become his enemies, that would only mean there were two more strong wizards to deal with when he finally invaded Ishar. However, even with their help, no one would be able to stop him from reaching his goal.
"I will have the [Lumen Histoire]." Zeref said quietly. "And when it is mine, with its unlimited magic power, I will finally be rid of this curse. I will also be able to regain everything I've lost during these long centuries."
With that said, the throne room once again fell silent.
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Earth Land, Ishgar, Kingdom of Fiore, Magnolia.
December 8, x787.
The following day, Alfonzo, Wendy, Carla, Saeko, Rika, and Miyuki piled into the S 600 to leave the Village Hidden in the Leaves accompanied by Team Guy. Naturally, Saeko, Rika, and Miyuki were blindfolded until the group reached the Vally of the End. Then, after arriving at the valley, and after the blindfolds were removed, the group chatted for a short while. This time was mostly used by Lee to talk with Wendy. He even managed to get her to agree to have dinner with him one day after she came back with Alfonzo.
Then, after bidding each other farewell, Alfonzo's group once again piled into the S 600 before making the trip back to Magnolia. Meanwhile, the people of Magnolia were discussing some news that had been spreading around the town for the last couple of days.
"Hey, did you hear?" The woman who ran the shop, Snitches Get Stitches, asked the owner of the shop next door to hers. "Someone finally bought the land where the Fairy Tail guild master's house used to be."
"OH, you mean that place with the frozen pile of scrap is?" A middle-aged man asked as he flipped the sign on his shop door from "Closed" to "Open." "But I thought it was too cold there for anyone to live on that land."
"Yeah, that's the place." The owner of Snitches Get Stitches replied as she also flipped the sign on her shop door. "Apparently, it was one of the new members of the guild. You know the one with red hair that looks like that one girl who always wears armor… Titania?"
"Oh, her…" The middle-aged man drawled. "I guess she must be pretty strong, then. I mean, that place has basically been uninhabitable since Alfonzo and Elicia got married two years ago, right?"
"That's right." The woman replied, once again nodding her head. "I'm not sure what happened, exactly. But I remember it getting really cold in the town the day after their wedding. Then, news of the whole house collapsing into ice shards spread throughout the town. And no one has lived there since. No one was even willing to buy the land because the place was frozen over completely."
Similar conversations could be heard taking place all over the town. News of someone buying the frozen wasteland of a property was big news to the common civilians of Magnolia, after all. Meanwhile, the woman in question, Irene, was looking over her newly purchased property. And standing at her side were a pair of young women.
The first was a slim, black-haired young woman of average height with shoulder-length hair and bangs that covered her forehead, swept slightly to the left, and frame her face and sharp black eyes. This young woman wore a bandana on her head with gold trim and a crescent-moon patterned hair ornament on the back of her head, a navy blue cloak with a crescent moon stitched on its back, and a full black body suit with net patterns stitched into its sides and forearms.
On the opposite side of Irene was a young woman with a child-like figure with brown eyes and orange hair tied into twin tails, secured with brown bows, and straight-cut bangs that covered her forehead. Her attire consisted of a long-sleeved white coat with golden bands around the cuffs of the coat, the biceps, and two bands around the torso with a pair of golden lines running down the chest, a white skirt with golden frills, and a pair of white pants tucked into a pair of white, fur-lined snow boots.
These two women were Heine Lunasea and Juliet Sun. However, despite their appearances, the two were not actually human. Instead, they were a pair of swords Irene [Enchanted] to take on a human appearance and gave personalities with her magic.
"Irene, are we really going to live here?" The orange-haired young woman, Juliet, asked while looking at the pile of ice shards curiously. "Well, I guess it's a good thing I didn't change clothes yet. Otherwise, it would be really cold here."
"Juliet, mind your words." The black-haired young woman, Heine, said sharply in a reprimanding tone. "It is not our place to question Lady Irene's decisions."
Hearing the sound of her two subordinates back and forth, Irene could not help but smile lightly. She had missed them during the time she was on Ishgar after all. And just last night, they had finally arrived after she sent for them months ago.
As Invel revealed to Zeref, Irene had contacted Heine and Juliet months ago. However, as they were both members of Alvarez' standing army, they were unable to leave until they had time off. And that time did not come until about a month ago.
However, as soon as it did, without letting anyone know, they booked the first ship to Caracole Island. And after spending a day or two on the island, they booked a ship to Ishgar before traveling from Hargeon to Magnolia and arriving the previous night.
Irene, on the other hand, after getting back her humanity, commissioned Alfonzo to design a house for her while she, Elicia, and Ikaruga were accompanying him in the Village Hidden in the Leaves. And she had already decided that she would buy the land where Ur's old house once stood.
So, as soon as the group returned in July,, she started devising the [Enchantments] needed to make that property livable again. And once she got confirmation that Heine and Juliet had left the Alvarez Empire, she started the process of buying the land.
On a side note, Irene and Brandish had been living in the same hotel they first booked when they came to investigate Alfonzo. However, after Irene regained her humanity, they both decided to move out in the near future.
And while Brandish was able to find a great little apartment on Strawberry Street for only 70,000 Jewels a month, something that made Lucy almost cry when she heard about it, Irene decided she would become a home owner.
"Not to worry, Juliet." Irene replied to her cheerful sword-girl's question. "I've been preparing for this for quite some time. [Enchant: Growth]."
With that said, Irene materialized her staff, her [Soul Armament], Belserion, before tapping its end on the ground. A moment later, the entire frozen over property was covered in light. And when the light dimmed, all the ice was gone. On top of that, the lot was covered in lush grass. There was even an apple tree that grew in that short time.
Though the name of Irene's [Enchantment] was simple, it did quite a few things in that short time. First, it melted all the ice that used to be Ur's house. Next, it forced all the water produced from the melting ice into the ground before forcing any vegetation to grow with the help of the water. After that, it somehow even killed all the weeds that grew along with the grass and the tree, leaving a beautifully maintained yard to cover the entire lot.
"Wow! That was amazing!" Juliet exclaimed, clapping her hands happily as she did so. "You think so, too, right, Black Angel?"
Hearing the way Juliet addressed her, a tick mark formed on Heine's forehead as she slowly turned towards her partner.
"I believe I've asked you to not call me that, Juliet." Heine said in a cold tone as she stepped towards Juliet. "And I hope you remember what I said I'd do if you ever did it again."
"Oh, come on, Heine." Juliet said with a smile while casually waving away Heine's anger. "It's just a nickname, a term of endearment. Don't get so angry."
"*Sigh* Please don't call me that again." Heine said, giving up on doing anything to Juliet, as she knew it would not make a difference. Then, she looked back at the transformed lot of land as she spoke once again. "But Juliet is right, Lady Irene. Your magic is as incredible as always."
In response, Irene only smiled.
"But without a house, where are we going to live?" Juliet asked curiously. "Are we gonna set up tents? It would be just like all those missions we took back in the empire."
"No, that won't be necessary." Irene replied. "We'll be building a house on this land. The building materials should arrive shortly."
Hearing that, both Heine and Juliet looked at Irene with wonder in their gazes. They had never built a house before. So, they were uncertain as to how things would go. And Irene noticed that uncertainty from their gazes.
"I guess saying that we would be building the house is a bit inaccurate." Irene said, trying to clear her subordinates' doubts. "Rather, I'll be building the house with the use of magic."
Hearing that, Juliet's eyes widened to a comical degree. Then, she once again began clapping her hands.
"Wow! I didn't know you could do that, Irene." Juliet said in a tone of genuine amazement.
"Of course she can." Heine shot back. "Lady Irene is capable of anything."
Before the argument could continue for much longer, a caravan of carts could be seen approaching the plot of land where the three stood. And it was clear to see that building materials were loaded into all the approaching carts.
"Good, you've finally arrived." Irene said once a middle-aged man climbed down from the leading cart. "Had you been late, I would have had to book a hotel room for another night."
Hearing that, even though Irene was smiling pleasantly, the middle-aged man in charge of the material supply shop where Irene bought these materials from could feel cold sweat forming on his back.
'Something tells me that had I been late, I would not have like the consequences.' The man thought to himself while wearing a, well-practiced, professional smile. 'I'm not sure why I feel that way, but I don't wanna take any chances.'
"There was no need to worry, Miss Belserion." The man said in the calmest tone he could muster. "We of Timber Works always keep our schedule. And since you were recommended to us by Mr. Marcus, making sure that you were satisfied with our service was even more important."
"Good." Irene said with a nod as her smile widened slightly. "Your work ethic is commendable. You'll have a good life because of it."
"I hope so." The man replied. "My father always said that hard work and dedication were the way to live a fulfilling life."
"I see." Irene replied nonchalantly before turning her attention to the row of carts holding the building materials.
"But are you sure you really wanted to order this much material?" The man asked as he followed Irene's line of sight to the materials in the carts. "I mean, there is much more than necessary to build on a plot of land this size."
"You need not worry about that." Irene said as she raised her staff and pointed it at the line of carts. "That's for me to deal with, not you."
Understanding that Irene was telling him to mind his own business, the man wisely chose to shut his mouth. However, he quickly opened it again when all the materials he and his employees were transporting began to float out of the carts. Though, his open mouth was incapable of making any sound, this time.
After about four minutes, all the materials were piled up neatly on the lawn Irene had grown with her magic. Meanwhile, all the employees of Timber Works could only look on in dumbfounded amazement. At the same time, Heine and Juliet looked at the people from Timber Works disdainfully.
"Hmph! They look like they've never seen anyone use magic before." Juliet said in a derisive tone.
"Well, they're only normal people, after all." Heine replied in an equally disdainful tone. "But if they're going to act like this, they won't go very far in this life."
Those comments were enough to snap the owner of Timber Works out of his daze.
"Well then, I suppose that concludes the material delivery." The man said in a tone that suggested he was forcing himself to sound calm. Then, he reached into the pouch on his waist and pulled out a document. "So, if you could sign here, we'll get out of your hair."
Taking the document for the man, Irene quickly read over the list of materials. And since she had checked all the delivered materials while moving them, she quickly signed the document, acknowledging that she had received the whole shipment.
"Now, you may leave." Irene said while smiling pleasantly. "I've much work to do. And you'll be in the way if you linger."
Nodding his head frantically, the man urged his subordinates to get back on to the carts before they pulled away from the lot and headed back to their shop. Meanwhile, Irene simply watched them go. Heine and Juliet, on the other hand, looked over the stacked up building materials.
"But he was right, though." Juliet said once all the carts could no longer be seen from where the trio stood. "This really does look like too much material for this little piece of land."
Though Heine agreed with Juliet, she still glared at her. She had already said that Irene's decisions were not to be questioned… Many times since they were created. But her partner never seemed to listen to her. Still, she also glanced at Irene in curiosity, wondering what her plans were.
"No, these materials are perfect for what I want built on this land." Irene said as she reached into her cleavage. "They are exactly to the specifications of the structure I commissioned Alfonzo to design."
"Alfonzo? Wasn't he the one you were ordered to investigate by his Majesty?" Juliet asked in confusion. "Why are you saying his name so affectionately?"
Though she remained silent, it was clear that Heine was also curious to know the answer to that question.
"Because he was able to do something that not even Emperor Spriggan was able to do." Irene said with a smile as she pulled several folded pieces of paper from between her breasts.
Hearing that, both Heine and Juliet leaned forward so they wouldn't miss any of Irene's following words. At the same time, Irene unfolded the sheets of paper she just produced from her cleavage. Then, she began reading over them at high speed. Naturally, those pieces of paper were the blueprints for the home Alfonzo designed for her. And she was just refamiliarizing herself with them before she started the building process.
"But I think I'll leave that to you two to figure out on your own." Irene said as her smile turned slightly sadistic. And that smile widened when she saw the disappointed expressions on Heine's and Juliet's faces. "For now, let's just worry about building our new home. [Spread the Sage's Knowledge, Belserion]."
When Irene released the first seal of her [Soul Armament], it did not change much in appearance. In fact, it did not really change at all. The only thing that was different was a translucent orb that floated in the center of the claw-shaped protrusions at the top of the staff.
"[High Enchant: Domum Aedificatoris]." Irene chanted as she once again tapped her staff on the ground.
In the next instant, All the building materials were briefly covered in a bright light, the same color as the orb floating atop Irene's [Soul Armament]. Then, without any further input from Irene, they began to move and mold themselves into the shapes and sizes necessary for Irene's new home.
Now, it should be mentioned that Irene was capable of performing [High Enchantments] without releasing Belserion's seal. However, the extra magic power was necessary for the long process of building a home. Especially when you consider all the sigils that would be carved into the home's surfaces. By the time Irene's home was complete, it would be nearly as fortified as the guild hall.
"Well, now all we have to do is wait." Irene said as she watched the building materials start building her new home on their own. Then, she glanced at Heine and Juliet, who were dumbfounded by everything that just happened, as she continued. "I only hope that it's done before Ur announces this year's S-Class candidates."
Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoy the story.
Comments, Reviews, and Power Stones are always appreciated.
If you wanna read 5 chapters ahead or give me a little support, join my Patr3on at:
https://patr3on.com/SixthSense1029
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