God of the Ten Wizard Saints

Chapter 7: Phoenix Priestess II

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Fairy Tail or anything else that may be referenced in this story.

It was midnight, causing the pale light of the moon to wash balefully over the barren wasteland, casting into shadow the giant castle standing on top the rocky landscape. Kyoka strode through the bones of fallen mages- through the large ribcage of a Dragon that had scorched the land for eternity- to Tartaros' Headquarters. It wasn't actually apparent at first, but this was a graveyard of Dragons.

"Why have we returned, Kyoka-sama?" Seilah asked. "Our mission is not complete."

"Franmalth was defeated." Seilah's even gaze briefly flickered with a frown as she followed closely behind. "The leader of the Wizard Saints is proving to be far more dangerous than we anticipated."

"That is unexpected." Kyoka gave no sign she had even heard the statement. "Franmalth is not weak by any means and the soul of Hades he acquired is quite powerful."

"Yes. Hades was the closest human to have ever reach the One Magic," Kyoka replied quietly. She saw the dawning comprehension in Seilah's eyes. "So you realize why Grimoire Heart was so powerful."

"I see," she said softly. "Franmalth was defeated in that form?"

"Precisely," Kyoka murmured in thought. "Silver reported the boy was strong. Franmalth should have more to say."

Nothing more was said as they approached Hell's Core from the right, and moved through the large laboratory. The scent of chemicals hung strongly in the air, over the large containers and tentacles. It was dark and quiet- as it was always- besides the sound of moving liquid and heavy breathing. They reached one of the many containers, and unlike the other ones, this one was not empty.

"Franmalth!"

Seilah watched as Franmalth stepped out of the tube, fully revived and staring blankly at the pair. The short demon blinked and regained his bearings before finally focusing on the two. Seilah noticed he seemed far more subdued than before, and her curiosity only grew stronger.

"I lost… even when employing Hades' full power. I lost…" Franmalth said. Kyoka narrowed her eyes.

"You state the obvious. Perhaps a few brain cells were lost during the re-birthing process." Seilah hid her amusement expertly at Franmalth's outraged look. "Tell me, what did you learn about Naruto Uzumaki."

"Why should I tell you after you insult me," Franmalth demanded childishly, arms crossed. "I bet you would have lasted less if our positions were reversed."

"Watch what you say to Kyoka-sama fool," Seilah retorted strongly. "Before I send you back to that container."

"Very well, but make no mistake when I say one of us is not enough to take that man down," he begun. "I mean it…"

Amaterasu: Formula 28

The energy around Franmalth grew enormously, converging in front of him to form three circular seals. The foreign magic condensed within him, flooding his body and surging through his system. Purple light shone around the formula seal and a massive cylindrical explosion engulfed the veritable forest, turning into a pillar of power that erased everything it touched.

Vines burst from the ground beneath Franmalth, each one moving to ensnare the Demon. However, Franmalth jumped high into the air, twisting his body and avoiding the vines with quick reflexes, magic building up at the tip of his fingers. He rapidly struck four of the vines with Piercing Bullet faster than they could move, cutting through the plants like they were made of butter. The others vanished into the ground, moments later appearing as a single thick one his attacks could not pierce.

"You should not have done that. Using someone I know against me was the wrong move. As powerful as you may think Precht has made you, I'm ten time more powerful. You should have stuck with what you do know, because I can already tell you have no understanding of the power you wield." Franmalth frowned as Naruto seemed to shimmer for a second before appearing behind him, surprising him with his speed. It was only momentarily before he reacted, blocking a sweeping kick, dodging a backhand, and moving back to make some distance.

A chain rushed forward complete with a grappling hook, ready to catch Naruto by surprise. Naruto leaped backwards, avoiding the first strike by deflecting it with a kunai in hand. The second strike was intercepted by a vine, entangling with the chain until Franmalth dropped the attack. Naruto used that opportunity to Shunshin next to his opponent and deliver a devastating Sage Mode enhance kick. Franmalth exploded against the ground in a shower of debris and dust, even his enhanced durability proving useless against the blonde's immense strength.

It didn't take him long to realize that going in for close combat against that human was a bad idea, even with his extremely durable Demon anatomy. The blonde was fast, strong, and had lightning quick reflexes, and that was what he had shown so far. He could feel he was being overpowered as he leaped to his feet to block a strike that would have taken his head off, and he felt a few bones crack under the immense pressure of the kick that connected through his defense. He was sent reeling back with concussive force, followed closely by Naruto, who in a split-second had a swirling mass of chakra in his hand; Rasengan humming with barely contained power. The Demon from years of experienced realized what was about to happen, and extended his hand to intercept the attack. The blonde's attack vanished when met with his Absorption, and Naruto, looking surprised by the turn of event was driven back by the following magic bullet that exploded in a beam of light.

'That was clearly not magic.' Franmalth frowned slightly, wondering what he had just absorbed. It had been powerful and intoxication, and just a tiny amount had been enough to augment the Piercing Bullet to such an extent. The man was perceptive and had no doubt reached a similar conclusion if the frown on his face was any indication. Armed with this new knowledge Franmalth knew that he must be facing someone who like the Nine Demon Gates did not use magic. Unfortunately, the brief respite was over and he tense as he watched the blonde create a single hand sign.

Water Release: Exploding Water Colliding Wave

Naruto manipulated the rain, already spreading out his chakra to every single drop within the area, concentrating it and expanding it. A veritable widespread tidal wave of crushing water rushed down the Tartaros member in a direct path of destruction. Inside the water was a single spark, and then a flash of lightning as the wave was engulfed in electricity. The water sparked and crackled, and Franmalth was surprised when he saw Naruto riding the wave unharmed by the deadly combination of elements.

Amaterasu: Formula 100

When Naruto saw the runic seals surround him, he tried to release an enormous blast of chakra to disrupt the attack. However, it was completely useless and he was engulfed in a deafening explosion. The combination attack was dispersed in all directions and the ground underneath the blonde buckled and cratered from the immense pressure exerted by the explosion. Unfortunately for him, Naruto was familiar with Precht's runic magic and had been prepared.

Wood Release: Under Ground Roots Technique.

Franmalth's eyes seemed to widened in genuine surprise as a network of roots suddenly burst out of the ground underneath him and moved to surround him in perfect sync. Before the roots could even touch him the Demon managed to blast them back with a spell known by Hades, using the opportunity to leap away from them. He regretted the elation he felt at escaping the attack as he was forced to defend an all out hand-to-hand assault by the blonde, who was using his Sage Mode to easily over power the Tartaros member and push him back.

Hades had considerable knowledge in the art, but the blonde was proving to be exceedingly efficient in it as well, easily surpassing anything the Master of Grimoire Heart was capable of. His own expertise was useless at the moment, as it seemed being able to dodge a strike meant being blasted back by an invisible force.

Explosion Bullet

When he was being utterly overwhelmed he tried releasing a destructive blast to push the blonde back, but it was anticipated. Naruto slapped his palm on the ground, releasing an explosive shockwave that disperse his attack. Instinctively, chains lashed out at the Wizard Saint who was caught by the wrist and pulled forward. Instantly, a thick vine burst from the ground at his feet, lashing out with great force and slammed into the Tartaros demon with incredible speed which he was unable to react to in time and was thrown back a considerable distance. Naruto landed on his feet as the chain retracted, and looked up at the sky thoughtfully.

Franmalth came to a stop and stood up, his body beaten from the blow. Purple magic writhed around him ominously as he regained his bearings. Franmalth clasped his hands together and Naruto quickly whipped his head in his direction, watching with wide eyes the enormous amounts of magic beginning to swirl between them, compressing into a single point and becoming denser and heavier, turning into a blinding ball of dark purple light. A purple sphere the size of a Rasengan floated between them, suddenly flying out of his hands and rising to the sky, pulsating with barely contained power.

"We've come to this point." Naruto looked up at the floating ball with a frown, and apprehension when it begun to shine an unholy light over the battlefield. Franmalth, meanwhile, was laughing excitedly. "Screw the three second rule, I'll destroy you now!"

Grimoire Law

It was chaotic. Naruto and everything for miles were being engulfed in a destructive light that shook the very earth. As soon as Naruto saw the power behind that attack, his instincts screamed danger. Powerful silver chakra gathered around him in large quantities- further enhanced by Nature Energy- and he employed an absolute defense able to withstand a direct hit from a Tailed Beast Ball.

Wood Release: HobiTechnique

The light grew stronger and engulfed Naruto completely, trying to erase him from existence. The ground began to buckle and quake under the immense pressure, washing the barren wasteland in its power.

Franmalth decided to wait as he saw the visage of his blonde opponent vanish beneath the blinding unholy light of his attack. Admittedly, he was curious to see what the attack did and he was surprised at the enormity of the spell. It was devastating in power, and could be considered absolute in its all encompassing light. From his point of view, it appeared as though a god had descended from heaven and cast his omnipresent judgement on the world, washing away the sins of humanity. He fell down on a knee, completely drained and felt the soul of Hades leave his body and return back to normal. Satisfied…that satisfaction quickly turned to dread as the spell ended and where the body of his enemy should have been, stood a wooden structure with the form of a dragon's face.

It split down the middle, revealing an unharmed blonde who was staring him straight in the eyes. Franmalth was frozen in shock and did not move, even when the God of Ishgar averted his gaze to look at the sky. It confused him. This was not the first time the blonde had ignored him in favor of looking up. What was so fascinating about the shitty weather.

A blazing scream of thunder shook his bones, cutting his thoughts short. The very sky roared in defiance at him, untamed lightning ripping through the air and lashing out against the earth, striking three times in the same spot inches away from his position.

"What the hell," Franmalth whispered, fear gripping his heart enough to paralyze him. "This weather is not normal…"

Franmalth watched hopeless as the lightning seemed to fuse together into one thick stream of sizzling energy as wide as the the trees the blonde was able to grow. The heavens were ready to unleash its chaotic power, ready to shake the world. Something was beginning to grow from the heart of the lightning storm, something was beginning to take shape. It was a mile long- pure, raw, and primal- something so beautiful it was sinful to look away. A blood-curling roar broke through the wind, rain, and thunder. It was a sound that did not belong to this world, a sound that was best left undisturbed.

He turned towards Naruto, who was directly pointing at him with a lightning infused hand, chirping like a thousand birds. When he looked up, he didn't do anything. When he saw red eyes look through him, he simply stared up as the enormous mile-long being broke through the stormy clouds and descended from heaven, rushing towards him with all the strength and power of a god. He didn't feel anything as the world turned white. He only heard one word whispered in the wind.

Kirin

Kyoka listened closely as Franmalth described the skills Naruto Uzumaki had used in battle. She had expected the Wizard Saint to be strong, but not to this extent. In her mind, the plan had been simple. Force Naruto Uzumaki to show his true strength, formulate a plan based on that information, and at the same time weaken him.

Things, however, where spiraling out of control. Naruto Uzumaki had an accurate idea of their strength, and had proven to be too much for a Demon Gate to take on alone. They would have to desist from sending anymore members against that man. As of now, only Mard Geer, herself, and possibly Silver had any real chance against him. She could imagine the destruction a battle between the King of the Underworld and the God of Ishgar would cause. They were on a level of their own.

Seilah looked at Kyoka with a troubled faced and no words were need between the two.

A meeting had to be called.

…

Mard Geer sat quietly in his throne with a frown on his face deep in thought, hand clutching the book of E.N.D tightly. He looked up as he felt more and more of the Demon Gates gather around the room. Kyoka joined them closely followed by Seilah and Franmalth, looking unnaturally sharp and focused. The Nine Demon Gates were finally together after a long time, the full power of Tartaros gathered in one place.

They all assembled before him and waited.

Mard Geer stood up and addressed the room. "I have met the God of Ishgar and Franmalth has fought him," he began. The room was silent as he spoke. "The meeting was enlightening and the battle invaluable in gathering vital intel on our most dangerous enemy," he paused. "He has very powerful skills, lethal and dangerous. He is ruthless in battle and does not hesitate to kill."

The Tartaros members remained silent as a sense of unease rippled through the whole room. Most of them had not met the Leader of the Wizard Saints, but even they knew he was not someone to mess with.

"Naruto Uzumaki," Tempester said. "How do we deal with him?"

"We won't," Kyoka interjected. "At least, not yet." The rest of the members focused on her, the second in command. "The Wizard Saint organization is a moderately large group of ten S-class mages, hand-picked by the leader, that enforces the law and maintains order. However, their numbers have dwindled over the years." She frowned. "That does not mean they should be underestimated. If I recall correctly, the three Kings of Ishgar as rumored to be beyond human as well."

"That is a group we must avoid at all cost," Seilah agreed.

"Indeed," Mard Geer said. "Which is why Face must be found without fail."

"What exactly is Face?" Silver asked curiously. "I have never heard of it."

"You wouldn't have," Kyoka responded. She turned to face the Ice Devil Slayer "Face is an extremely powerful Magic Weapon in the possession of the Magic Council, a top secret only known to a select few," Kyoka continued. "It has the power to nullify magic across a continent."

"I see," Silver muttered. "Every mage in Fiore will be affected, including me, all except Demons who use Curse."

"If only you accept our proposal of becoming one of us," Seilah spoke softly. "A Demon."

"Well, that would make my powers quite ironic wouldn't it?" Silver laughed. "A Demon that uses Devil Slaying Magic."

"Naruto Uzumaki will not be affected," Franmalth interrupted.

"And why is that?" Mard Geer questioned.

"During our battle, there was a single moment where I managed to absorbed one of his attacks," Franmalth explained. "It was definitely not magic."

"It would explain why I was never able to sense his presence," Silver interrupted, looking pensive. "Even as he stood in front of me, it was like he was not there."

"A different type of energy perhaps," Seilah wondered. "Is such a thing possible."

"We ourselves do not use magic, but curse," Keyes pointed out, who up to this point had been silent. "That is proof magic is not the only form of energy."

"The world is a vast place and goes beyond the borders of Ishgar," Mard Geer intoned. "Each Continent, each Country, must possess secrets of their own. They have their own military, their own mages, and their own powers- it would not be surprising if they have anomalies like us able to use a different kind of energy," he continued. "Naruto Uzumaki, like us, is above the average mage, able to use a source of energy exclusive to him, and impossible for others. It would explain why he is so powerful."

"What ever that energy was," Franmalth said. "It was able to amplify my attack tenfold. It was unlike anything I have ever felt, beyond intoxicating."

"It does not matter," Kyoka declared, looking at everyone in the room. "Our success depends on Face being activated and rendering every mage in Fiore useless. That would leave Naruto Uzumaki as the only one able to oppose us. One man against the Demons of Tartarus."

"I doubt he could stand against all of us together," Mard Geer muttered. "And by that point, E.N.D will be awake from his sealed state. Nothing can stand against the first Demon, the true Demon. Not the Dragon of Apocalypse, not the Dark Wizard, and certainly not the God of Ishgar."

"E.N.D's reign will be absolute and all will fall if they stand in his way!" Mard Geer declared confidently, no shroud of doubt in his words. "That is our future. A world of Demons"

The Continental Railway leading north is the fastest form of transportation in Fiore, and was built just over one hundred years ago during the Second Trade War, running through most of Fiore's oldest regions throughout the land. It was also the fastest way to reach Rose Garden, which is why Team Natsu was currently occupying one of the train's compartments.

"As usual, you look pathetic," Gray commented, backing away from Natsu. Whether traveling by train or boat, aircraft or magical vehicle, Natsu responded poorly to anything that was not Happy. Usually, Wendy could temporarily heal his motion sickness, but after repeated use the body starts to build an immunity towards the healing spell. In other words, the spell no longer had any affect on Natsu, who was forced to hold back his food the whole train ride.

"Wendy! Can't you use your magic to make him feel better?" Happy called out.

"After healing him so many time, the spell won't work on him anymore," Wendy replied sadly. "There's nothing I can do."

"You'll just have to endure until we reach Rose Garden, Natsu," Erza said, pulling her eyes away from the countryside.

Natsu turned paler, sweat running down his face in rivers. "I really hate my stomach!"

In the end, it wasn't long before the train arrived to its destination and Team Natsu stepped out. Idyllic, the first thing they noticed were the distant mountains across the horizon, the long creeping valleys in between, and the sweeping fields of roses stretching for miles. They departed from the station and moved towards the impressive sight of Rose Garden, a large magical-city home to some hundred thousand people, magical as much as non-magical.

It was far different to what the group was usually used to, flying carpets traveling in the night air or mages traveling in their brooms. The group was mesmerized by everything, mostly the festive atmosphere.

"This is amazing!" Natsu exclaimed while looking around.

"The whole city is overflowing with magic," Gray observed.

Natsu turned to happy, looking excited. "Happy! First we need to find some food."

"Aye, aye!"

The two best friends bounded off to the closest food stand, salivating as their eyes roamed through all the different choices.

"That idiot," Gray complained, looking exasperated. "They're always wondering off."

Erza simply smiled softly. "We should find a hotel, and then we can enjoy ourselves."

For the next hour or two, the group went their own separate ways in order to explore the beauty of Rose Garden. Gray walked down the wide and busy streets of the city, pasts the many stalls and stands offering many goods, ranging from exotic foods to rare magical items. The tourists were many and the locals friendly, most pointing him to famous or fun locations. Unfortunately, he was eventually arrested for public disturbance, and he was left wondering were his clothes went.

More than once men, here and there a few women, paused as Erza walked by, admiring her natural beauty. Though to most she was unapproachable, there were a few brave souls who ventured near enough to ask her out, only to be left broken from the harsh rejection that followed. Those that knew the red-head were well aware she was not the type to be interested in relationships, and if she were, it would only be with a certain blue-haired fugitive that was always on her mind. However, there were moments where her mind drifted to the thought of being with someone, like now when she stood blushing at the site of the wedding dress in display, imagining herself in it and walking down an isle. The owners of the shop were left wondering about the whereabouts of the dress.

The rest of the group went about doing their own activities, Wendy and Carla enjoyed a play, while Lucy tried and failed to befriend Éclair. Eventually, around midnight the group met up at the Hills Hotel were they immediately crashed in the couches of the lobby, waiting for Erza to book their rooms.

"Why is Erza so happy," Natsu asked, looking tiredly at the group.

"I saw her buy a wedding dress," Wendy replied softly.

The group looked surprised. "Huh!"

In no time, the group was ushered to the top floor where they had a clear view of the entire city.

Up in her room, Lucy stripped bare naked and jumped in the shower. After the long day of walking, and trying to get Éclair to warm up to the group, the hot water felt soothing to her muscles. She washed the grime and sweat of her hair, making sure to take her time as the water flowed smoothly down her bare body. It had definitely been a tiring day.

"Aren't you going to take a shower?" Lucy asked.

Éclair was staring out the window silently when Lucy walked back into the room, and ignored her question completely. She swung her eyes over the city and saw hundreds of mages dancing and celebrating well into the night. Hoards of civilians and tourists watched in fascination as they performed flashy displays of magic, entrancing the crowd with the multitude of colors. Despite her dislike for mages, Éclair couldn't help but feel captivated by the magic being performed.

"Eclair!" Momon exclaimed.

"You know, if you don't like me and would prefer to room with someone else…" Lucy muttered, trailing off sadly.

"I don't mind," Éclair responded blankly. "The look in your eyes is the same as mine."

"What's that suppose to mean?" Lucy asked softly.

"You have the look of someone who has experienced loss," Éclair replied, looking away. "I did not expect a mage to carry that look in their eyes."

"Loss…"

Darkness flickered to existence, the thick shadows in the room swirling to a single point behind the Celestial mage. A figure emerged from the twisting mass of black, facial features hidden behind a white mask and the rest of the body mostly encased in a dark gray hooded cloak. There was a glint of light in his hand, and a blade flashed forward with impressive speed. Lucy's instincts screamed at her and she jumped back as a blade flew mere inches from her, imbedding in the bed she had been sitting on a second earlier.

Lucy leaped away as more blades rained down on her and she grabbed Éclair, pulling her away from the room. They crashed through the window, shards of glass flying everywhere as they ran and jump from the balcony onto the street, trying desperately to lose their attacker. Almost immediately, the figure flew out the room hot on their tail- fast and agile- and gaining on them. Lucy was forced to angle her body backwards as a dozen blades imbedded on the ground next to them.

Acting fast, she took a quick turn into an alleyway, pulling Éclair along with her and Momon flying right behind them. It became a fast paced blur of movement as Lucy raced down the alleyway, the mask individual darting from wall to wall after them, long blade glinting in the moonlight. Blades flashed in front of them and they were forced to jump down a lower level, bouncing off a canvas and slamming into the hard, concrete ground. Lucy rolled to a stop, her world blurry. She immediately stood up, trying to blink away the fuzziness as she moved to stand protectively in front of Éclair once she saw their attacker standing on the rail of the upper level, looking down at them through his mask.

"Blade of mine, drink their blood."

The figure lunged forward, blade poised to strike Lucy down. However, he was forced to dodge as a searing and sizzling blast of heat hissed right underneath him. An uncomfortable heat spread through his body, and he grunted as he was pushed back by long tendrils of ice magic. He landed awkwardly on the ground, silently fuming at the new arrivals that interrupted his hunt.

"Natsu! Gray! Happy!"

The only two male members of Team Natsu stood protectively in front of their comrades with Happy hovering between them.

"Who the hell are you," Natsu demanded, glaring at the masked figure.

The figure paused, his eyes traveling down Natsu's arm and noticed the Fairy Tail Guild mark. He begun to retreat, moving away from the group at high speeds.

"I have no name for you."

The skies were lit up by a sea of constellations as Natsu and Gray darted through the desolate streets of Rose Garden. The festivities had died down for the night, a small break only to begin anew tomorrow. As they raced through the streets, they would occasionally pass the odd couple walking around, taking a romantic stroll in the night. They darted left, pushing through a multitude of hanging blankets that blocked their vision. They were almost caught of guard as they broke through the last one, the enemy lying in wait for them.

Gray was blasted back by a kick to the chest. The figure ducked underneath a powerful blow from Natsu and grabbed his arm. Natsu's eyes widened as he stumbled forward, losing his balance, and grunted as the assailant's knee connected with his gut. There was an audible gasp of air and Natsu was tossed aside. He quickly recovered and encased his fist in fire, engaging the figure in close combat. Natsu was forced to dodge away from the blades the figure was using, and the attacker used that small opportunity to dash away up a building and onto the roof.

Gray, having recovered from the kick, propelled himself forward with his magic, while Natsu opted to use his enhanced speed to ran up the wall. Once they reached the top, their bodies tensed, the enemy was standing across from them.

"Fairy…Tail."

Before either mage could reply, the enemy's shadow parted, swallowing him until he was gone.

It wasn't long before the group got back to the hotel and regrouped in Erza's room.

"I think this stone is the reason why someone is after me." Éclair's voice was softer than usual, her previously detached demeanor giving away to a thoughtful and confused expression. "I still can't remember much of my past." Team Natsu gathered around the girl, studying the stone she held in her palm. It only seemed to be half of a single one and there was a dull glow around it.

"I do sense a strange power from it." Erza looked over Wendy's shoulder with scrutinizing eyes as she watched the stone in Éclair's hand glow faintly. It was inscribed with highly complex magical runes that were above anything Erza had little knowledge of- this was more Levy's field of expertise- but the little bit she could decipher pointed towards a containment rune. What exactly it holds inside was anybody's guess.

"I can't recall much, but I remember my mission. I have to take this stone to a mage named Kalard living in Boundary Forest," Éclair muttered, looking at the stone emotionlessly.

"I've never heard of a mage called Kalard," Erza said softly, her brown eyes fixed on Éclair questioningly.

"So what should we do," Lucy asked, looking at the others.

"We head over to Boundary Forest and look for this Kalard guy," Natsu exclaimed.

"Natsu is right." The group turned to Erza. "He is our only lead so far. We will head back to the Guild after we find him."

The air was cool and the trees swayed back and forth in the breeze as the small group of four made their way along a worn out path. It was a really beautiful day, bright and sunny, with only the slightest bit of searing sun light breaking through the forest. Birds sang their tunes and deer drank from a narrow stream of glistening water; nature in its purest form. The entire forest hummed with power- trees whispering to each other- recognizing their creator.

"Are we there yet?" Of course the serene moment was interrupted eventually, the sound of a woman's whining breaking the silence that permeated the group. Kaori didn't look too happy as she lagged farther behind with a hand held to her forehead and long deep breaths of air filling her lungs. They had left Akane Resort immediately after Naruto had returned from his fight and had travelled all night without rest; she was exhausted and in need of a shower. Unfortunately, the blonde insisted the sooner they arrived to their destination the better and now she was forced to endure all this walking.

"How long till we get there?" Naruto simply sighed as he continued to lead the group along the narrowed path, black flames fluttering gently in the wind with each step he took. Black boots touched the ground without a sound, his right leg tightly wrapped with white bandages- over his white pants and finished with a black long-sleeved shirt- everything under his orange short-sleeved haori billowing behind him with black flame-like motifs, written vertically on the back the Kanji for God of Ishgar. Sitting comfortably on his shoulders was Asuka, who held on to his blonde hair excitedly.

"I think I can't feel my legs anymore." His eye twitched involuntarily as another pitiful whine left the woman's throat and broke the serenity of the moment. He had not counted on Kaori tagging along, but seeing as she was being targeted by Tartaros, leaving her was not an option. She was his informant- the best one in the field- and that made her his responsibility. However, he had not expected she would be this physically weak. Even Romeo, who walked quietly beside him, looked good enough to go on for a couple more miles.

"You know; a bit of training wouldn't be bad for you. At least, it would definitely help your endurance." Kaori gave him a fierce glare- this was not the first time he had mentioned that during their little trip- and it always ended the same way. He would offer to teach her some exercises and she would pretend not to hear him. In her mind, however, she knew it would be a good idea to learn, if not to distract her from thoughts of her dead husband. Naruto knew she was hurting and as much as she tried to hide it, the blonde was incredibly keen and could read her like an open book. It was the reason why he offered those lessons, as a way to help. She was thankful, but she was determined to deal with it on her own and he was a busy man anyways.

"Well, perhaps if you gave us a small break I would be fine." Naruto smiled in amusement as Kaori gave him a dry look. Unfortunately, with the threat of Tartaros looming over them, it was best if they reached their destination as quickly as possible. He would not risk a fight with the Dark Guild as long as Asuka and Romeo were in his care, and Kaori hardly knew how to defend herself. She was a spy, not a fighter.

"Perhaps." Kaori, hearing his response, groaned in frustration. "You reported Tartaros might be interested in an object called the Phoenix Stone?" Kaori, despite her annoyance, raised an eyebrow; curious as to why he was bringing up the topic. She has known him for five years now and while he was calm and collected, he was also ruthless against anything he deemed a threat as one would expect from the God of Ishgar. Everything he does is for a reason and it is impossible to decipher what it might be; she could attest to that.

"Yes, I did. Why?" Romeo simply sighed; knowing well Naruto would be leaving on another mission soon for an extended amount of time. It was rare to see him at the Guild nowadays, and before Asuka's birthday, it had almost been three months since he had visited. He understood the blonde had duties to fulfill with his position; he was in charge of keeping Fiore safe as well as keeping an eye on every Guild within the Kingdom, but that only meant he didn't have time to train him anymore.

"Warrod mentioned the legend years ago." Naruto's words didn't leave much room for questions as the group slowly made their way down a larger and more defined road. A massive gate stood in front of them, the streets and alleyways beyond awash with people dressed in a variety of colors. As soon as Naruto was ushered in by the guards on gate duty, he was surrounded by a sea of small children of all ages. He was nearly overwhelmed by the swarm of kids, but easily adjusted to the situation and happily interacted with the little admirers.

"Can I be as strong as you?" His eyes suddenly fixed on a small boy with brown hair and a scarf around his neck. The blonde froze, his face going blank before blinking himself out of the stupor he found himself in. For a second, standing there was not the small boy, but Konohamaru. He simply nodded and patted the boy on the head.

"One day, not too far off, you could even become the leader of the Wizard Saints." The boy simply stared at him in wonder, a large beaming smile on his face. "Dreams are not impossible, but hardly easy to achieve." The boy rushed off to meet his friends, a new air around him, no doubt to repeat the blonde's words.

"Woah! I never expected you to be this famous," Kaori commented. Romeo was knocked off to the side like a ragdoll, his arms flailing wildly as the fangirls pushed forward without mercy. Asuka laughed at Romeo from Naruto's shoulders and Kaori watched from the back of the group. Naruto easily evaded his rabid admirers, a testament to his skills.

"I never expected it to be this bad." Naruto had started walking again, his eyes focused on a group of children running around with small versions of his orange haori. He waved and made small talk with the citizens as he made his way to their next destination. Kaori could see the genuine happiness and excitement the people felt at the sight of Naruto. She could see the respect and adoration, and she wondered what Naruto had done to have caused all this devotion.

"The people love you. Why?" Naruto shrugged, a ghost of a smile on his lips. The sun was only just beginning to descend over the horizon and a tired yawn from above his head told him it was later than he had thought. The trip had taken longer than what he was normally used to and was definitely taxing on the others.

"What you see now, it wasn't always like this. I helped create this place, my powers allowed it." Kaori and Romeo listened closely to his words as they walked through the village. "As a sign of gratitude and faith, they allowed me to name it."

"What did you name it?" asked Romeo. Naruto gained a smile at the question.

"Konoha, after the place where I was born," Naruto answered. They continued on in silence, turning out of the main street and onto a less used path. A large house came into view, situated over a small hill overlooking the rest of the village, and Naruto entered undeterred. They came into a well-furnished living room, where Kaori and Romeo immediately rushed to the comfortable seating.

"Who's place is this?"

"Mine," Naruto answered. "We will rest here for today. Tomorrow we will travel back to Fairy Tail."

Sorry for the late update. I got lost in this thing called life.

Anyways, please leave a review and tell me what you think.

The Last King