The Legendary Saiyan in a Fairy's World Chapter 36 (Patreon)

Beta read by Shigiya and Darklord331

Next update will most likely be both Toloveru and Fake Familiar Reborn. Don't know which one will be first but they'll be separated by a day between updates, since I'm planning on releasing two chapters for Fake familiar so there will be another FFR chapter later on.

.

.


.

-Akame Beach-


Lucy couldn't help but wonder about the peculiar behavior of the guy. As she sat around the table with the other Fairy Tail members, they observed the musician abruptly stopping his song. Part of them was thankful with how horrid it sounded in the first place but that feeling gave way to warriness. He then approached them with a hostile aura, revealing strong teeth that gave him a beastly appearance. The numerous piercings all over his face clashed with his rather fine white costume.


"I've been hearing a lot of rumors about the wizard in your guild. Apparently, someone got captured by a bunch of Vulcan. Huh, hahaha! I laughed my heart out when I heard that, a wizard who can't handle a bunch of stupid apes does not deserve the title of a wizard in the first place, let alone recognition as a powerful one in the eyes of the world and its population.” He spoke, the subject of Macao and his adventure coming out of the left field and catching them by surprise. 


"Excuse me," Mirajane spoke with calmness, her smile unwavering as she faced the man. "I don't know what rumors or tales people from outside may have spread, but not only did he handle the Vulcans he was tasked to eliminate, he also defeated nearly thirty of them all by himself. In most guilds, a wizard would struggle with even a single one, so don't treat him as weak, because he is far from it." She replied with a firm yet gentle tone. Her response caused him to break his gaze from Broly, turning his attention to her as he pondered for a few seconds, trying to remember who she was. His eyes widened before he snapped his fingers.


"I remember you! You're one of those models who appear every week in those weird magazines. Why are you butting into this conversation? You have no right, just a pinup model. Go somewhere else if you want someone to take your pictures — don't interfere with my stuff — get it?" His response came out aggressively, leaving Erza and Lucy taken aback by his rudeness.


"Hey, you shouldn't talk to her like that!" Despite feeling uncomfortable under the man's presence, Lucy placed her hands firmly on the table, summoning enough courage to voice her disapproval. "And you're the one being very rude here, and why? We were just enjoying dinner together while listening to your horrible music, and then you suddenly become so hostile just because we are members of the Fairy Tail guild? That doesn't make sense. We've never even met you before. Unless you were one of the criminals we defeated in the past, but even then, I don't remember seeing a face like yours."


Gajeel grinned, raising his thumbs up and pointing at himself. "Jihhihi, wrong, you're a funny one to think I'd be someone you can defeat. My name is Gajeel Redfox, if you haven't heard it from my song just now. I am a Dragon Slayer and the strongest wizard in Phantom Lord." His declaration came loudly, a name that nearly everyone on the table recognized.


Also, it wasn't that they didn't hear him say his identity, or just ignored the music; rather, it was so bad that her brain automatically shut off possible lyrics he sang.


Seeing their expression, the Dragon Slayer snorted with displeasure, "You Fairy Tail idiots are too full of yourselves just because you have one or two S-Class wizards in your rank. The fact that they are members of your guild does not make all of you powerful. I always wanted to test you myself; it would have been nice if we had a war between each other's guilds — wouldn't have to worry about the small stuff."


That comment did not sit well with anyone.


"You're crazy; war between guilds is strictly prohibited by the council and could lead to serious repercussions for both the guild members and especially the masters. Both of them would not only get arrested but possibly lose their title of Master, so don't try to start anything stupid." Not willing to see him continue speaking ill of their guild, Levy added just to make sure, but instantly regretted it as the dragon slayer now looked straight at her. His glare intense enough that she shrunk back, joining Lucy at using Broly as a living wall.


"You're an amusing girl, but unfortunately for you, we don't shy away from petty stuff like rules — especially not me. And what I'm thinking of doing is not a war between guilds, but rather it would have been just a small fight with me coming out on top."


"You're quite arrogant, aren't you..." Broly noted, wondering how this person was a Dragon Slayer like Natsu. He was a complete opposite of the boy, Lucy behind him had to agree. 


"We were just having some private time with our friends and enjoying the atmosphere until you came along and ruined the mood with your music!" She voiced out.


Her words didn't seem to sit well with the Dragon Slayer, as the man started to growl like an animal. The blonde woman, shaking by the sudden change of behavior, backed away and further hid behind Broly like a scared cat. Both Erza and Mirajane stood up, while Levy glared back at the man, showing no sign of fear like her friend.


"You know… you're starting to piss me off, rather, all of you are. Your face doesn't seem familiar to me, so you must be another weakling in the guild who joined just for fame, or a nobody. I bet your magic isn't even that powerful, probably just enough to impress people with a bit of color and explosion. You're not even willing to face me and choose to hide behind this man; how freaking hilarious."


The man clenched his hand, the Saiyan's nose twitching as a faint scent of iron came over and a different air filled the room as all the people inside knew or at least suspected what was going to happen soon. The sound of a blade leaving its sheath sounded, as in the next second, a sword now touched Gajeel's neck, with Erza glaring at the man without bothering to hide her hostility anymore either. "I advise you to go back to where you came from. We are just here to relax and not start a fight with Phantom Lord. We didn't even know you were going to perform here tonight, and if we did, we wouldn't have come. So, rather than starting an unnecessary fight, let's each go our own way and forget about this interaction."



Unfortunately, he wasn't willing to let this matter go anymore, and his next action shocked every occupant sitting at the table. His mouth opened, razor-sharp teeth coming into view. Instead of leaning away from the blade, the wizard without hesitation chomped his mouth onto the metal weapon with a loud crunch sound. Shock and pure disbelief echoed from everyone as the blade within Erza's hand was getting eaten away bit by bit by the dragon slayer, as if it were a piece of candy. The redhead hastily took back her blade and examined the now torn off end getting eaten by the person before her. 


This… she just got this ordered by a master blacksmith and even used it against monsters in A Class quests without much of an issue. Hardly need to clean or even maintain the edge due to its magical properties.


"Wow, that's a nice-tasting blade you have there, forged by a master and using high-quality ingredients. Would have preferred another method of tempering the steel, but this will power me up for a bit." 


An image popped into Broly's mind, recalling Natsu's habit of consuming fire to regain energy. Happy mentioned this was a dragon slayer attribute, but he never considered that it extended to consuming elements other than fire. Regardless, the situation hinted that things were about to take an unfavorable turn. Erza, visibly angered, began to fume. She cherished each weapon and armor as a priceless collection, cleaned and maintained them with the utmost care. It was clear she was about to summon another blade or change into a suit of armor.


Sensing the tension rising, Broly walked up to Gajeel, towering over the dragon slayer. Despite not trying to intimidate the latter, Gajeel smirked even further.


"I don't know what your problem is with our guild, but you better leave this matter to rest right now or it will end in a very bad way. Trust me; you don't want to see that outcome. Even if you think you're strong, there are five of us here, with two more friends waiting for us outside. I will not be happy if you continue on this path."


"Heh, you're funny, big guy. I almost felt something back there, not threatening, you're trying to look tough. Trust me, pal, that ain't working on me. It might work on those small fries in every other pathetic guild, but not on me," Gajeel retorted, crossing his arms defiantly.


"Unfortunately for you and that girl, you two don't seem to have any idea about the history between Phantom Lord and Fairy Tail. The world might think of you as the number one guild with the strongest wizards, but that is far from the truth. Phantom Lord has the strongest members and actually fulfills our jobs without causing a mess. Yet, you people have all the fame. Not that I care that much, but it's still a bit irritating when I think about it. So, instead of trying to remove these rumors about Fairy Tail being stronger than Phantom Lord, I'll just prove the opposite. Juvia's here as well; do you have any relation to Sunman?"


The sudden arrival of this Phantom Lord wizard took the group by surprise. Lucy waved her hand around, trying to swim away, but the bubble of water only grew bigger. Erza and Mirajane held their breath without showing any trouble.


Outside the beach, the crowd of people ran away, shouting in fear and shock at the sudden battle happening around them. Broly's body crashed through walls and dug through the sand, causing chaos and forcing everyone to run away. As Broly took a moment to regain his thoughts, Gajeel's unexpected punch had caught him off guard. His hand touched his face, feeling the power behind the attack, strong enough to break bones of a regular person. "Is that all you got? Then again, you are a no-name wizard. You did better than I expected at least, since I thought you would be unconscious, as most fights tend to end."


"Why do you want to fight me so bad? Did you do all of this just because you care about what others think about your strength and your guild? Beating me won't help you or your guild better their image. We're here to relax, not to start a fight with Phantom Lord," Broly said, pushing himself off the ground.


Gajeel, unimpressed, responded, "Hey, you. I never heard your name or remember your mug from anywhere. Are you really a new member of the guild?"


Broly sighed, "Lucy and I just joined the guild a couple of weeks ago. I'm not surprised you don't know me. I used to live in the woods, and Lucy prefers to keep her full name hidden."


"Does she know? Well, not that it matters. I don't really care about that blonde bimbo that much. She's a coward, a weakling who doesn't have strong magic to defend herself," Gajeel scoffed.


"Don't underestimate her just because she was acting like that. Her magic is Celestial Summoning, and she is among the best on the continent. She's more than capable of taking care of herself and anyone bold enough to attack her. She was just acting as her usual cautious self when dealing with you," Broly defended. 


"Enough of this chit chat. Just stay where you are, punk," Gajeel growled, pushing against the ground to close the gap between him and Broly. His arm, encased in full iron, struck with full force at his opponent who defensively raised his arms. The impact resounded with a loud bang, pressing Broly deeper into the sand, though he held his ground. “Tch, I'm not done yet!” Gajeel shouted, unrelenting, unleashed a relentless barrage of attacks, lacking finesse akin to Natsu's straightforward style.


Maintaining a defensive posture, Broly weathered the onslaught. The echoes of blows reverberated across the beach, pushing the Saiyan further from their initial spot. He observed the similarity between Gajeel's fighting style and Natsu's, contrasting it with the technique displayed by Erza or his father. Unlike them, Gajeel's approach seemed devoid of refined martial arts, his moves wild and untamed, characteristic of a brawler. A trait that he wondered that all Dragon Slayer shared, given such creatures wouldn't bother to learn such techniques given shapes. 


Even as Gajeel launched another attack towards his head, the Saiyan chose to prioritize countering the technique. Grabbing onto the outstretched arm and striking the face with a quick knee attack. “Huh?” He expected the kick to momentarily take out Gajeel, to shock his brain and fall to the ground — but no such thing happened. Rather, the man's chin turned a glossy metallic gray. “Metal skin?” 


“Got it!” 


Damn it, so he started to get more serious. As time passed, each of Gajeel's were not only getting deflected completely rather than blocked, Broly's body started to match the speed of the Dragon Slayer as the former began to push back. Uppercuts, kicks or even a sweep of his hand quoted with metal became a somewhat easy attack to block. “Shit, just what is your magic? Is it some form of muscle strengthening?” 


“No.” 


Gajeel's power, unlike Natsu's fire magic, proved to be more dangerous due to its sheer versatility in close quarters combat. His ability to morph his hand into various forms, from shields, clubs and blades which were astonishingly sharp — cutting through stones and trees effortlessly. Broly ensured to thwart any attempts to land such attacks as while his body could tank plenty, he just didn't want to take the risk. Many times in the past did his beliefs lead him astray, the scars were a proof of that. 


"I still don't understand you. What will beating me accomplish?" He questioned, in the middle of the battle, holding his hands together and smashing his opponent’s head which instantly got covered with a layer of metal. "We just met, and I don't have a known reputation. Meeting me won't boost your image; practically no one knows about me. There has to be something else; you're hiding something." Broly's suspicion grew as he pondered the motives behind the stranger's aggressive behavior. The man's rudeness seemed incongruent with someone randomly starting a fight in a tavern.


"Just stay still!" Gajeel commanded, recovering from the previous attack with sand in his mouth, coughing it up before rushing forward trying to use his body as a battering ram. “Hah!” Fully coating his body in iron from head to toe, creating minimal space between them. Confident in his victory, he waited eagerly to hear his opponent's shout of pain, “Argh!” 


Only to end up once again with a face full of sand. 


“—!?” As he tried to get up, a heavy weight pushed his head back to the ground, pairs of boots pressing his scalp, a shameful display that enraged him to no end. “What the fuck are you doing!? Don't stand on my head!!!” 


Broly paid not a lick of attention to Gajeel's outburst, his attention focused on the distant building where there others were left, sensing Erza and Lucy engaged in another battle. ‘More members of the Phantom Lord guild? Why are they attacking us like this?’


"How many people did you bring here?" He questioned, enduring a powerful steel pillar clashing against his knees as the Dragon Slayer tried to get him off. "It's clear to me that you're lying, this isn't about you proving who is the strongest just because the opposite was presented. You specifically came here with your friends to target us.” 


Unfortunately, he got no answer other than a few shouts or insults and a few more hits to the knees. He frowned, lightly jumping and further smashing the head deeper into the sand. “If you're trying to prove something then don't bother. It's quite clear at this point you're not on that level yet, even Lucy can put up a better fight than you.” Especially when Aquarius got involved, out of everyone of her Celestial Spirit he hadn't seen anyone cause as much damage to a landscape than the blue haired mermaid. 


"Take me seriously, damn you! I didn't come all this way to fight someone who faced a dragon for nothing!" Gajeel expressed frustration. The mention of the dragon caught Broly off guard enough that it opened a small window for the former to escape the hole on his head. Releasing a roar beneath the ground and creating a large enough hole to let him escape. 


"Who told you about that?" Broly demanded, clenching his fists — Makarov mentioned that no one other than themselves and the Council knew about this matter. 


"That's none of your business." Gajeel rasped, taking another deep breath, he assumed a familiar stance and unleashed his technique: “Iron Dragon's Roar!” a tornado of wind and steel. The attack aimed to shred his opponent apart. A technique countered by a single ki blast, the collision generating a whirlwind of magic and steel bursting through every direction and tearing the beach apart. 


“What kind of magic is that!?” Gajeel exclaimed, his body now fully coated with scale-like steel armor. The blunt force still caused cracks to form all over as he struggled to stay up. “Was he serious… Did he really defeat a dragon? No… that can't be true.” 


From their battle, the man was certain that this person wielded no form of Dragon Slaying magic, so whatever that monster was couldn't have been a dragon. 


Broly pressed on, "Who told you about the dragon?" His discomfort intensified, knowing that Fairy Tail members were aware of his transformation. The existence of a dragon remained a closely guarded secret, and the involvement of this outsider seemed perplexing. Someone, perhaps from the council, must have divulged such information.


“Was it really a dragon?” Gajeel whispered harshly. 


“Answer me!” 


“Sorry to tell you this, but I ain't going to reveal any names. If you want the answer, you must defeat me," he declared with an even broader grin. Intent on taking the battle seriously, he aimed to employ a technique he had refrained from using due to the lack of formidable opponents. “But if you're so desperate for an answer. Answer one of my questions first then I'll think about answering yours.”


Huh? Now that was unexpected, but he agreed nonetheless. 


“That dragon… was it Metali—… how did it look?” His voice stopped at what sounded like a name until he changed his question immediately. 


“Black scales, blue streak of colors all over its body and white eyes. Why? Was it the dragon that trained you?” He came to a realization, what if Natsu wasn't the only one who lost his dragon? Given Gajeel was a Dragon Slayer, then the possibility that he was searching for his dragon as well grew very high. 


“Tch, not him then.” He replied. “If that was Metalicana then you wouldn't be standing here, a non Dragon Slayer can never defeat a dragon. That's what he always told me and you definitely aren't one. This whole thing is probably just a lie to hide the blame on who fucked up the mission by destroying an island. Let me show you what a real Dragon Slayer is!” 


His hands clapped together, gathering every bit of his ethernano, he shouted, "Dragon Slayer's Secret Ar—" but before he could finish. Broly's figure blurred in the distance. In the blink of an eye, the Dragon Slayer saw darkness, before mind numbing pain spread from the back of his neck. 


"Sorry, I don't have time to waste with you. Lucy and the others need my help," Broly declared, his body moving by itself as soon as he delivered the first attack. Memories of Natsu's fighting style resurfaced as Broly delivered a relentless combo, utilizing both legs and arms as powerful weapons.


With his back against a boulder, Gajeel struggled against the non-stop onslaught, with each strike destroying his defenses, stripping away the metallic scales and showing bruised skin. Powerless, he could do nothing as consecutive strikes battered him into unconsciousness. His body fell into the sand, in the dragon slayer's last moments of consciousness, frustration and anger bubbled up as he questioned the nature of the man who defeated him. 


Broly, however, was already gone, having returned to the distant building. “This… this isn't over!” 

 

As the Saiyan approached the building, he noticed wet sand beneath his feet and puddles of water everywhere. Furrowing his eyebrows, he wondered about the origin of this phenomenon. Upon reaching the room, his surprise deepened at the sight of a young girl's battered body. Erza, standing in the back with an angry expression, wore an unfamiliar attire made of fish scales, blue and white crystals, and carried a long, heavy spear.


Uttering, "Forcing me to use this, I commend you," the redhead addressed the unconscious girl as the latter voice responded weakly with incomprehensible gibberish with his face facing the water. Broly turned her body around, preventing accidental suffocation. Unhappy about the sudden and unprovoked attack, he didn't want any casualties — which was why he never truly went hard on Gajeel with his stronger Ki based techniques. “Was she also a member of Phantom Lord?” He asked to which Erza nodded. 


Immediately she explained that the assailants knew about the dragon attack in Galuna Island, prompting tension among Broly's friends. He and Lucy exchanged glances, questioning the motive behind this orchestrated confrontation.


“In any case, we should drop them off in an infirmary.” Relieved that they managed to deal with the problem by themselves, Broly no longer felt worried. “I'll drop her and Gajeel off there, we can question them afterwards.” While lifting the injured girl, Broly failed to notice the small red spot on the woman's face, a blush appeared on Juvia's face as she continued to keep her eyes closed. 


“Where are Natsu and Gray? I feel like they would have been here by now.” Concerned about their whereabouts, he received an answer pretty quickly when the ground within his feet started to shake, revealing multiple familiar Ki signatures in the distance along with a few others—more Phantom Lord members.


“Maybe we should go and check up on them, Natsu and Gray may be capable but this is Phantom Lord we are talking about.” Erza, however, didn't wait for consensus and rushed to the other side, leaving Broly torn between joining her and ensuring the safety of Gajeel and the unconscious girl.


Suddenly, an angry voice disrupted the scene. "What the f*** happened here nya!? Why are ya destroying my resort!?" 


Broly turned, shocked to find a few people standing at the entrance, wearing formal attire, cat ears, and tribal marks similar to whiskers on her face. Behind her, a man stood with features that resembled blocks but his signature remained the same as all those years ago. Their faces triggered a mixture of emotions and memories from the Saiyan. 


He was embraced by multiple familiar faces, and a rare green grin appeared on his face as they also looked at him with shock. "You guys… it's been a while," he whispered, as joy and nostalgia enveloped his being.  


“Broly!?” Milianna and Wally shouted in unison, their eyes bugging out of their sockets at his presence.


{Break}


-Magic Council-


In the council meeting, a tense atmosphere surrounded the same room, while Broly and his friends enjoyed their vacation, Makarov had to attend with matters concerning the appearance of a dragon of all things in Galuna Island and an extremely hostile one at that. Skepticism filled the room as they discussed the reported appearance of a powerful beast in. Council members expressed disbelief, questioning the credibility of such an event. “While I don't doubt the reports you've submitted, Makarov, this matter is a bit hard to believe without any definitive proof.” Michello answered, reading through the reports with an uncertain face. “We are talking about a being that was thought to be extinct appearing so close to the mainland and destroying an entire island…” 


“But we also can't deny the magic readings collected from that site.” Yajima defended, taking his old friend's side on this matter. “Whether it was a real dragon or not, we can't ignore the danger it poses.” 


“From what's known, only dragon slayer magic can kill dragons. Since you mentioned Broly managed to kill it, then it's most likely not a dragon. Probably a monster who resembled one or one with a hint of dragon's blood within its lineage.” Belno added, not that interested in the matter and further dismissed it with her words. “That still does not change the fact that an entire island has not only been destroyed, but we are now tasked to give its former occupants a new home. Occupants that are actually demons might I add, so I believe we have more pressing matters to handle than a random ‘dragon’. Plus it is mentioned that Titania was present during the battle, I'd say that she’s the one who most likely slew the beast — so let's not ponder on this matter… it's a waste of time.” 


Makarov, standing on the other end with his cloak and Wizard Saints badge, spoke out with a stern gaze. “It's not just a random dragon. Said beast nearly killed my children and I would prefer if you don't dismiss this matter.” He forced out such words with a calm voice, the way these people held little care and doubted the reports of his children angered the old man. 


“And what do you want us to do?” One of the members asked, a hint of exasperation evident in their tone. 


The master took a deep breath. “I ask you to not try to use this happening as an opportunity to rope my children to the council, just like how you tried to do so with Erza and Gildarts. The new generation does not need to handle our affairs and should be given a chance to live their lives as they please.” His sharp eyes went to Ultear, the woman having been weirdly quiet this entire time, not having even mentioned a word. 


“Would you like me to remind you how dangerous your ‘children’ are?” Ogre growled, smashing his fists against the counter. “They have caused countless damages to buildings and towns all over the continent! Every single day we get complaints about how they handle matters and the destruction they left behind!” 


“Yet they never harmed an innocent soul!” He countered. “Fairy Tail has always taken accountability for their actions and I have made sure to always compensate for the mischief of my children. Are you so willing to burden the minds of our most capable with responsibilities that they are still too young to bear just because you want to avoid a measly few paperwork?” 


“ENOUGH!” Ogre shouted, fully enraged by those words and accusations. “I shall not sit here and listen to your slanders one bit, Makarov. You may be a Wizard Saint and our ally, but don't use it to overstep your boundaries. The Council only works to create a better future for not just a few people, but the entire country. If you find our actions evil then you have grown senile, there is no greater honor than to serve the people and sacrifice comes with the job. Don't forget it. If we want Broly to work for us then that is for him and us to decide, you take no part in this.”


Despite his speech that hinted at the impression they had on the Saiyan's power, doubts still lingered, particularly regarding Broly's ability to single-handedly defeat the so-called dragon. Council members had questioned the validity of such a feat, suspecting an exaggeration or collaboration with others. Makarov of course, made sure to not reveal too much as he himself was in the dark in many aspects, also he wanted to avoid feeding their greed for his newest family member. 


He could tell, just like Erza, the boy had been through a lot and possessed a kind soul. Staying in such an environment did not suit him, just like it wouldn't for Natsu… he needed his peace more than anything. 


“Coming back to the matter concerning the dragon, it is very much possible for the beast to have been dormant for centuries. It's not an unlikely scenario given all the absurd phenomena we have dealt with for years.” Yajima changed the topic, clearly seeing the tension between both the Wizard Saint and Ogre. “As for why Makarov may still be worried about said beast, I believe I know the reason.” He looked at his friend, waiting for an approval which the latter gave with a single nod. 


“Just like Belno mentioned, ancient texts have always depicted dragons to be resistant to all types of magic except against their own and dragon slayers. Even if Fairy Tail worked together to defeat this dragon, there is a likelihood that it still lives and is merely in the process of recovery. If that were to be the case, the last thing the Council would want to do is ignore such a threat and cause internal conflict between us.”


This… honestly Makarov hadn't expected such a response from him, Yajima giving the old man a thumbs up when seeing his reaction. 


“We'll discuss this matter further another time. For now, we have gotten more pressing matters regarding the dark guilds forming alliances with more villages and rogue wizards. They pose a much more immediate threat than this dragon.” This was the final straw, Makarov didn't bother listening to Ogre's following words or how he ordered him to return to his seat. 


His footsteps echoed in the halls as he passed by his other fellow Wizard Saints, a few of them that he preferred to avoid. 


"So his name is Broly, huh?" One of them mentioned, prompting Macaro to halt. A tall figure approached, a tall, slim man with long, straight, dark red hair reaching down to his shoulders and a thin mustache. Having a long and sharp face, vaguely pointed ears, prominent eyelashes and dark-colored lips. revealing himself as the master of Phantom Lord — Jose Porla. “Your Fairy Tail is really lucky isn't it? This is like what? Your third Dragon Slayer? Quite envious might I add.”


“I don't have time for you.” Unfortunately for Jose, Makarov wasn't in the mood for any additional conversation. Just like Ogre, he ignored the man and soon left the hall with a frown on his face. Meanwhile, Jose smirked, “Humph, act all arrogant now but you'll be the one on your knees in the near future. It'll be better if you were the one who starts a conflict instead, I doubt you'll stay composed with your children's life hanging by a thread.”


.


.


.


-???-


Within a dark corridor where the presence of light was non-existent, a tall man with neat silver hair and a dark complexion walked alongside a floating skull staff by his side. His hands glowing with complex runes and symbols all floating around the walls and embedding themselves in every corner. “That should be all for this part, Nirvana should be at my fingertips with a few more days of preparations. If only those guys weren't so lazy then we would have been done a long while ago!” 


Brain, master of the Oracion Seis, an infamous Dark Guild whose name had long since spread in every corner of Ishgar. With his goal to acquire the forgotten magic of Nirvana, the man shook with ecstasy as he was this close to achieving his dream. No amount of Wizards or Guilds the Magic Council sent after them would be able to stop him, he was already reaching the end phase by now — it was but a matter of time. 


Suddenly, a low growl echoed through the dark corridor, resonating with an unsettling intensity. The air grew thick with an ominous presence as Brain halted his steps, his sharp gaze scanning the shadows. The floating skull staff glowed faintly, casting eerie shadows on the walls.


Out of the darkness emerged a figure followed by a low hissing of a snake, revealing the silhouette of Cobra, one of the six members of Oracion Seis. His eye seemed to pierce through the blackness as he fixed his gaze on Brain. "Master Brain," Cobra's voice slithered through the silence, "there's a disturbance approaching Nirvana. I sense intruders."


Brain's eyes narrowed, and a wicked grin curled on his lips. "Intruders, you say? Perfect. Let them come. It's been a while since we had some entertainment. I'll be waiting in the main room if they somehow manage to get this far." He extended his hand, and the runes on the walls responded, forming a magical projection of Nirvana. The intricate details of the colossal magic weapon unfolded before them.


‘They acted far faster than I imagined, hmm… Angel didn't report to me any of the guilds approaching Nirvana.’ Something felt off at first, but he figured it must have been some minor guild who stumbled upon them. Not the first time it happened, it provided a much needed source of entertainment.


Cobra's little pet snake flicked its forked tongue, retreating with its owner back into the dark corridor and disappearing soon after. 


“This should be fun." Said the floating staff next to him. 


Brain chuckled, his laughter echoing in the corridor. "Indeed it will, Klodoa. I'm in the mood for a challenge. Prepare the others. Let them witness the might of Oracion Seis firsthand."


As Brain found himself all alone now as Kloadoa left, he soon arrived in the center of the maze where his life work and the main heart of Nirvana layed. “—!?” Though his confident face soon turned to pure disbelief as he came to find a strange redheaded woman standing in the middle, countless symbols and texts twirling around her as she even held notes of his own research. 


“Interesting toy you have here, I believe the Emperor would be very pleased with this… and I can use it to come up with a few new spells as well. The Nirvits have indeed made a masterpiece, too bad it didn't stop them from facing total demise.” She spoke calmly, without even so much as spare him a glance. 


“W-Who are you to dare—Argh!” Brain couldn't finish his sentence as the floor beneath him caved, a pressure like he never felt in his life pressing down on his body making even moving a finger completely impossible. “AAAAARRG!” The bones in his arms broke, as more and more pressure kept forcing itself on his face that he felt his lungs starting to cave in. 


“I prefer if an ant like you doesn't speak to me with such a tone.” Finally, she turned around and glanced at him. If it weren't for the pain and fear gripping his being, then Brain would have admitted she was a beautiful woman. Scarlet eyes as intense as her hair and a face that oddly seemed familiar. 


Her the butt of her staff tapped against the floor as she came closer. 


“Hm, you may be useful to me if you act obedient. Or else…” she emphasized by further increasing the gravity spell around him, blood started to leak from every orifice. He couldn't give an answer, but his eyes said everything Irene needed to know as she dismissed the spell soon after. 


“Good, now tell me more about this Nirvana.”