CHAPTER–08

X777!

MASTER'S SON, IVAN DREYAR!


-RECAPITULATE-


Ben's eyes shifted back to their emerald form and he tilted his head to look at the blonde. "I can manipulate energy to some extent but I'm more proficient in Take-Over." He lied.

Laxus nodded, intrigued by this information. Ben was proficient in Take-Over and yet, he could also manipulate energy. How could have he learned two forms of magic at such a young age? Just how powerful was he? "What were you doing right now?"

"I was seeking for any weakness in the barrier but…" Ben shook his head. "…I couldn't find one though." He looked at the blonde mage, confused and in a questioning manner. "However, I can feel the barrier weakening slightly every second. Can you explain why?"

"Then that's our chance." Laxus tapped his foot impatiently, grinning. "Any magical effect can linger as long as the caster has magical power remaining. Such magic can be quite draining and taxing."

"In other words, the barrier will hold as long as the caster has access to magic." Rook deduced.

"That explains why the barrier is wavering." Ben muttered. "If that's the case then we don't have to worry about that rune caster during the confrontation."

Laxus raised an eyebrow. "There might be more than one caster in the gang, you know. How can you be so sure that there's only one?"

Ben smirked as he looked at the shimmering barrier. "Because, the barrier magical signature is all similar and it all belongs to one mage. The magical exertion on the surrounding is also similar to that of the barriers and I only found one trace of such magic in the whole building." His smirk broadened and a glint shone in his eyes. "And, about time; the barrier is going to break about…now."

No sooner had the word left the Omnitrix wielder's mouth that the rune barrier all around the building began glowing a darkish-purple before eventually shattering into small pieces like glass and disappearing into thin air.

The path was clear. The opportunity had come for the team to raid the place. History would speak of the downfall of the gang of bandits and dark mages at the hand of a Fairy Tail mage then but it also mentioned an abrupt change in the events that actually raised suspicions toward one of the guild's members; specifically in the heart of the wielder of the greatest weapon ever, Ben Tennyson.


-RECAPITULATE END-


Ben swatted away the punch from the onyx haired mage rather easily before he maneuvered his small stature out of the path of an uppercut. Stepping backward, he avoided the leg swipe and blocked the backhand with his own left hand before he countered with a palm strike. His strike connected and Gray was sent staggering backward after having the air forcefully knocked out of his lungs.

Gray looked at the brown haired boy, inhaling quick sharp breaths and his stare shifted into a glare. "This isn't over yet, Ben." He shouted, a tick mark throbbing on his temple. "I'm definitely gonna kick your ass today."

Ben let out a deep sigh as he rubbed the back of his head in boredom. It'd been almost been a year since he, Rook, and Erza joined Fairy Tail and several things had changed. It took them a couple of months of consecutive jobs to earn enough jewels along with some financial support from the guild, but they had succeeded in purchasing a two storey apartment complete with basement and a decently-sized garden out front. It was located on the outskirts of Magnolia Town's rocky shoreline cliff. Ben did have to transform into his Petrosapien form to afford the final and largest payment by selling his precious diamonds. Although he had an unlimited supply of them, Ben knew from his Economics classes back on Earth that he couldn't risk using them too often, otherwise their value could drop sharply. Gray hadn't changed a bit; always ready to clash with him at a moment's notice and along with his unintentional habit of stripping which was as annoying to him as everyone else having to point it out. Hell, how would anyone take the news when they found Gray naked in their home? That would be embarrassing.

"You know, this is the…-" Ben shook his head as he tried to recall something. He let out another deep sigh. "…I guess I've lost count of how many times I have beaten you, hardly even trying while you've never managed to hit me once." The entire guild broke out into hysterical laughter at the insult served by the brunette to the Ice-Make mage who promptly face-faulted.

"114 times so far." Rook stated with a smirk. "I kept count."

"No way!" Gray shouted indignantly. "It's only been 113 times last time I counted." He ignored Rook's amused grin and faced the Omnitrix wielder. "You just don't help me train enough because you're always busy with Erza and Cana, pervert."

Ben's right eye twitched ever so slightly while his face sported a slight shade of red. It was true that he was helping with Gray, Cana and Erza's training for the past year and he had never discriminated against Gray due to his gender. He scowled. "That's because you started training with us recently and you didn't want to admit that I was better than you at fighting, instead you wandered naked around town and failing to understand why everyone was laughing at you, ice princess."

"Why, you…" Gray growled angrily, placing his left fist upon his right palm and an icy white Magic Seal appeared forth as light icy mist wafted off his small stature.

"-Ice-Make: Sword!-"

A blade completely composed of ice materialized in the grasp of the onyx haired mage as he lunged at the brunette with his sword drawn back and fury within his eyes. "IT'S PAYBACK TIME!"

Ben simply smirked, crooking his finger in a taunting gesture which enraged his opponent further. A swipe of his arm in a horizontal motion conjured a sparkling blue shield of energy in front of him, blocking Gray's slash and halting his momentum.

"The stripper is going to regret making that move." Laxus muttered almost inaudibly but it was enough for the old man to pick up the words.

In the past year, he had come to see the brunette as a worthy opponent. Something he hadn't expected to find in anyone other than his gramps, father and a certain orange haired mage who hadn't been in the guild for over one and a half years. The only reason he could explain this phenomenon was the praises and rumors that surrounded Ben, he also had found that the brunette trained regularly, a quality that influenced others to do the same in a bid to not fall behind.

Laxus sipped his drunk, one that happened to be the most refreshing drink he had ever partaken of in his entire life and had its own amusing back story. It was very rare for him to mingle with the other guild members when he normally spent his time training, taking multiple jobs, and chasing his dream to strengthen himself and the guild as a whole. Thus, this memory had embedded itself in his mind as one of the few good times he'd ever had in Fairy Tail.

He wondered why he was so fond of that memory. He let out an inaudible chuckle when he recalled why. Apparently, it was for two reasons, first, the fact that the drink was solely found and sold in Fairy Tail and no other place was what he found interesting and an achievement. The other reason was…he smiled at that memory.


-FLASHBACK-


The guild was in full swing when Ben followed by Rook entered the guild hall carrying massive luggage cases that mostly included metallic and wooden gears and parts instead of new clothes as expected by everyone. Dropping the components on the ground, Ben wiped the beads of perspiration from his forehead and stretched his body to loosen his aching muscles.

Rook had a frown on his face as he let out a deep grunt and slumped down on a nearby chair. It was that moment when he noticed the overwhelming silence within the guild hall contrasting the daily chaos. He looked around and sweat dropped at the sight of everyone gawking at them. He did what he could do at that moment of embarrassment; he face-palmed.

Ben also noticed the same but simply shrugged it off until he heard someone cough. His emerald eyes darted straight to his right to find the old man inspecting their haul rather curiously. "What did you buy, young man? Is this the latest fashion trends in the market?"

Ben scowled. "Get your eyes checked old man."

Makarov smiled that seemed irritating but still a smile nonetheless. "Oh, my eyes are just fine, young man. It's just that you left to purchase some new clothes for yourself and Rook but instead you returned with these gears and tools." He raised an eyebrow. "May I know why?"

Instantly, Ben gained a blissful smile as he recalled the purpose of the purchase. "I just found them very interesting for an important, and when I say important, I mean very important purpose. You know, I have a monster that happens to be the smarter than any of the others. And, I'm planning to use him to create something awesome that Fiore lacks. You can say that I am doing a huge favor to the continent by introducing the heavenly taste of…" He noticed everyone sweat drop at his explanation but he simply shrugged and finished his sentence. "…smoothies." Drool seeped from the corner of his mouth as he recalled his favorite drink that horrifyingly couldn't be found in Earthland much to his frustration.

Everyone face-faulted while Rook resisted the urge to dope-slap his friend and instead stuck with a yet another annoyed groan which once again fell on Ben's deaf ears.


"What is this, Ben?" Cana looked over Ben's shoulder at the rather weird device that the brunette was working on. He asked for some fruits and ice cubes, the last ingredients courtesy of Ben's would-be icy nemesis.

"I'm going to do the world a great favor by offering them the heavenly, magnificent, and awesome taste of smoothies." Ben muttered with a cheesy grin; his eyes not leaving the device as he finished. "I just have to add these ingredients and then, there's nothing stopping me from becoming the greatest creator in Earthland."

Everyone sweat dropped in response.

"A little much, don't yah think?" Gray grumbled while looking at Rook who had his head slumped down on the table in frustration.

"And, I had to endure that torture for over a month…" Rook groaned, recalling the numerous times when the brunette would wake him up to work on the machine while he himself worked at it as Grey Matter and finally, the day had come to test the machine for the first time. "…regularly."

"But, obviously Ben doesn't see it that way." Erza muttered as she eyed the brunette. "He rarely shows such enthusiasm unless he's on a mission."

"Ah, that's because he considers it a mission and he said as I quote…" Rook looked up at the redhead. "…a mission to finally taste smoothies."

"Oh man, such a weirdo." Gray grunted dramatically.

Erza looked at the boy sitting with both hands folded behind his head and she sighed before glaring at him. "Gray, your clothes?"

True enough, Gray had stripped down into his boxers within the blink of an eye. "Not again!" He cried.

"That's make two weirdoes." Rook grumbled while face-palming as the Ice-Make boy searched for his clothes.

Erza nodding her head in agreement.

On the other side, sitting atop the bar counter was Makarov who eyed the brunette's work warily, curious to see what the eventual outcome would be. Smoothies!? Who needed something like that, whatever it was, when you had booze? As if to support his reasoning, he raised his mug and took a long sip of the alcoholic ambrosia.

Away from the others and sitting in a corner was Laxus, his eyes tracking every movement of the brunette in interest. He didn't know that there was such an intelligent Take-Over, and after hearing Ben's passion about these smoothies, such a drink had certainly piqued his interest. The peculiar machine was far different than any other he had seen and it seemed far more advanced with a lacrima powering it up. His eyes travelled to Rook or more appropriately, the Proto-Tool he was carrying. Was a process like this, how such a tool was created? He shook his head. A smoothie might come from such a machine, but a weapon was a different story, right?

Abruptly, the moment was disturbed when the cheery voice of Ben rang out, the brunette standing beside his creation with a broad cheesy grin on his face and stars in his eyes. "Here's the ultimate creation ever introduced to the magical world with the delightful and delicious taste of smoothies, the ultimate smoothie-maker!"

"…"

"Um…"

"…"

A moment passed by before several exasperated groans filled the guildhall which caused Ben to face-fault. Picking himself off the floor, a tick mark growing on his forehead to show his annoyance. "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH EVERYONE!? I just wrote a new page in history and did Earthland a great favor by inventing a SMOOTHIE MAKER and this is the response I get! Don't you have any respect to the greatest inventor of the century!? Can you even imagine the world without the DELIGHTFUL taste of SMOOTHIES!? Can you imagine how life would be if I never created it!? None of you would ever have gotten the chance to finally taste the DELICIOUS and AWESOME taste of SMOOTHIES!"

Ben's outburst did little but to earn several more exasperated groans while few even deadpanned upon hearing the lecture. Finally, Cana was the first one to agree to give the drink a try. "Um, if it's that good as you said then I want to try it. My horoscope already says that today is my lucky day anyway."

"Okay." Ben regained his grin and enthusiasm which caused causing the girl to chuckle nervously. "So, Cana Alberona will be the first one to taste the delightful, delish, divine, exquisite, luscious, nectarous, enticing…-"

"I think that's enough to get the idea." Gray muttered dryly, a sweat drop racing down his forehead.

Ben shrugged, not really minding the interference but still finished his sentence. "…taste of smoothies." Then, he turned to the raven haired half-naked boy with a raised eyebrow. "And, you're naked again, Gray."

The guild roared in laughter as Gray frantically searched around for his discarded clothes once again as Cana and Erza also shared a few chuckles. The humorous atmosphere suddenly disappeared when Ben reminded them of Fiore's first ever smoothie as he filled a glass and offered it to Cana.

"Here you go, Cana."

Nervousness and uncertainty was clearly visible in Cana's eyes as she accepted the glass. It didn't go unnoticed as Ben let out a sigh and said in an assuring tone. "C'mon, taste it already. I promise you won't regret it. It's really intoxicating if you try it once."

It seems like Ben's words had s0me effect as Cana sucked on the straw. Save for Rook, everyone actually leaned in from their position, curious to know what Cana's reaction would be when they were startled by a surprisingly loud girlish squeal from said brunette who had hearts in her eyes.

"IT'S SO GOOOOOOOOOOOD!" Cana exclaimed gleefully, earning shocked expressions from everyone except Ben, who only smirked in response. She began sucking down on the smoothie very fast, lost in the unbelievably wonderful taste of the beverage. Ben's smirk fell into an expression of concern.

"Uh, Cana, I think you should slow down now." Ben cautioned, holding his hands out. "If you drink it too fast you'll get a…" Suddenly, Cana stopped sucking on the straw as her eyes opened wide and she collapsed to her knees, clutching her head in agony which caused Ben to face-palm. "…brain freeze."

"WHAT?!" The other wizards cried out.

"You mean her brain is actually frozen?!" Gray shouted; his face paling in horror.

Ben chuckled and shook his head; an amused smile appearing on his face. "No, no. It's just a headache caused by drinking a cold drink too fast. It'll wear off in like a minute or so. Just drink it slowly and you won't get one."

It had been such a day. Cana had desisted from drinking any more of the smoothies. They later found out that it wasn't due to a brain-freeze as she drank it in the first place because Ben claimed them to be intoxicating but they weren't or to be more precise, they weren't intoxicating to her. It was hard to figure out from where she was coming but to say the least; they doubted they wanted to find out. Erza and Gray as well as others also shared the luxurious and divine taste of smoothies and had to admit why Ben was so addicted to them. They were certainly refreshing.

That day, Fiore tasted smoothies for the first time.


-FLASHBACK END-


The blonde lightning mage was brought out of his thoughts when Makarov let out an amused chuckle and took another sip of his booze. "What's new in that?"

If the old man were to estimate the brunette's true strength, he would have no doubt that Ben could easily be nominated as a Wizard Saint but that opportunity was held back by Ben restraining himself during every fight. His sharp eye easily gathered information what always helped him during every mission. Unlike the others, his reputation hadn't grown as a destructive mage of Fairy Tail as he always seemed to keep the amount of property destruction during missions to a minimum. He doubted that Ben wasn't prepared to be an S-Class mage after how much notice from both the people and the Magic Council he had gained in the past year but he didn't want the lad to go on such dangerous missions at his age; that's what held him back from putting Ben through the trials.

Though, the progress shown on the part of the brunette signified that he would be a force to be reckoned with in the future; especially considering the never seen and powerful transformations he possessed. He chuckled at the memory of the day when the boy had transformed for the first time during an all-out battle in the guild hall and that transformation might still be giving nightmares to many of the guild members. They all had only seen Ben manipulating energy for his magic but a Take-Over was not something they had expected. And, he had actually appreciated the interference that day because it saved him lots of jewels that would have been wasted on repairing the guild in addition to a migraine as well. But, he couldn't deny it. That day was rather fun except for the paperwork obviously.


-FLASHBACK-


"We're finally home again!" Ben ambled toward the guild after finishing another A-Class quest that requested them to safely escort their client. As much as they tried to deny it, that man was a real creep and annoying with his constant chatter as if he couldn't keep his mouth shut. The mere thought of him gave Ben shivers. "We're not doing another escort mission again." He muttered. "You heard me Rook; we're not doing another escort mission ever again."

Rook sweat dropped at the brunette's whining. "You've said that thirteen times so far this morning." Then, he gained an amused smile. "And, let's not forget, the guild members and especially Gray are going to pester you to spill the details." He stated as a matter of factly, his amusement increasing as the realization surfaced again in the brunette's head. "You do remember about the one where you managed to persuade Laxus to let you tag along on a mission?"

"Man, I had totally forgotten about that." Ben grumbled half-heartedly. He had been the subject of discussion in the guild for the past couple of weeks. Just because he was the one who had persuaded Laxus of all people last month to go on a mission with him had quite contradicted the rumors about the blonde lightning mage. The guild members took the news rather differently and he had been utterly disturbed as they attempted to learn his secret when there was none, with Gray leading the list; the ice mage constantly bugging him because he wanted to become strong and because Laxus didn't see him as worth his time, a fact that always annoyed him to no end.

"And, we're finally home."

The sarcasm in the statement didn't go unnoticed as Ben sent an accused stare Rook's way. "Don't remind me." He grumbled before his face turned slightly pale. "I just hope Gray's not here. I don't think I can take any more of his antics."

Upon pushing open the door, Ben sweat dropped at the all too familiar sight of the guild hall that had seen better days. He had witnessed things that many would scarcely believe but the sight that greeted him ranked rather high on the list. Most of the time, some of the guild members would be involved in a brawl while others would be drinking and laughing with one another. But, today it seemed like the whole guild was fighting while the old man could nowhere be seen much to his utter confusion.

"Hey Ben, how'd your mission go?" Cana asked as she popped up from behind the Omnitrix wielder; Erza following a step behind with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Ben! You're back!" Gray popped out of nowhere and jerked a finger at the brunette in a challenging manner. "Now you're going to tell-"

"DAMMIT GRAY PUT ON SOME CLOTHES FIRST!" A double punch to the face greeted the naked Gray courtesy of Cana and Erza that knocked him into the ongoing ball of violence.

Ben's eyes tracked the ruckus; still unsure how the brunette girl could act so nonchalant and that the guild members seemed to be stuck on destroying the guild. The guild!? He'd almost forgotten. Until he had his own place, he had to bunk in the guild's basement and he wasn't going to sleep on the street again.

Rook let out a frustrated sigh, ignoring the Ice-Make boy as well. "Do you think you can put some sense into them?" He questioned, his eyes wandering through the guild hall while noting the damage done. "If this goes on there will be no doubt that we'll be sleeping outside."

"They've been at it for half an hour, any longer and I'm afraid that what Rook said might come true." Erza frowned as she picked up on Rook's statement before she balled her fists. "When I get stronger, I'm going to teach them some discipline first."

"If only Master Makarov was here. Unfortunately he left for some important meeting." Cana sighed. "I doubt anyone else apart from him can stop this."

"Ah, you don't have to worry about that. I just thought of the perfect form for the job." Ben muttered as he tapped his Omnitrix faceplate before slamming his hand down on the core. A blinding emerald flash enveloped the guild hall which forced Erza, Cana and Rook to shield their eyes.

The light died down to reveal a looming shadow enveloping the guild hall or to be more appropriate, his shadow overtook the fighting guild members who could all only stare up at their new, gigantic adversary, confused and dumbstruck, frozen out of sheer shock.

It was a thirty-foot-tall, dinosaur-like alien with a humanoid body and a tail, roaring over their heads; his characteristic feature was his thick layer of brown color skin and a beige color on his underbelly with Stegosaur-like plates covering his back and arms along with three more separate plates protruding from his shoulders; a crest on his forehead, and four spiked tail. A wide green sash was present across his chest, the green hourglass symbol standing proudly on it and the green Fairy Tail emblem visible on his upper left arm.

"Humungousaur!"


OMNITRIX DNA DATABASE/ENCYCLOPEDIA!

Humungousaur is a Vaxasaurian from the planet Terradino. Humungousaur is a 12 feet tall humanoid dinosaur-like alien, and Ben's current go-to alien; he possesses great strength and a thick layer of skin that provides vast resistance to injury; he also has the power to increase his own body size and mass, growing up to 60 feet in height. His strength increases as he grows, and his dinosaur features become more pronounced, growing Stegosaurus-like plates on his back, a crest from his forehead, and spikes on his tail; Humungousaur has also proven to be durable enough to survive in space for at least a few minutes.


The Vaxasaurian inhaled deeply and waited a moment to see their reactions before releasing a loud deafening roar that shook the guild hall violently. Everyone stared at the emerald piercing eyes gleaming over them as they sweated bullets and trembled in their boots. Some were white with utter horror while others weren't faring too well either.

Cana and Erza's eyes widened like dinner plates; dumbstruck at the sight before them. "It's amazing!" The brunette girl breathed out; the latter could only nod in agreement. It wasn't the first time unlike others that Erza had seen Ben transform, but to think he had something like this up his sleeve would be a huge understatement.

"He's one of the heaviest hitters in Ben's possession." Rook explained, grinning at the amusing sight and at the trepidation of the various guild members. "I doubt that I need to explain much."

Cana and Erza could only nod; the latter a little hesitantly as she hoped to someday surpass Ben or at least become as powerful as him. He was unlike anyone else she had met before even though she had only encountered a few wizards who could be labeled as powerful in their own right, but Ben exceeded them all by a wide margin. He was already permitted to go on A-Class quests while she and Cana together weren't even allowed to take B-Class quests yet.

Abruptly, someone from within the group spoke up in a stutter. "M-Master, you're back…a-already?"

Humungousaur grimaced. "I'M NOT THE MASTER YOU MORONS, EVEN THOUGH THAT DOES SOUNDS RATHER…" His booming voice echoed as he scratched the side of his head and gained a thoughtful expression. "…good!" Everyone face-faulted at the weird proclamation but regained their composure as Humungousaur's gleaming emerald eyes once again narrowed upon them. "Anyway, I won't accept you lot breaking the guildhall when I and Rook have to still sleep here until we get our own place! THAT'S UNFORGIVABLE!"

Simultaneous quick nods came in response.

"You don't scare me one bit!"

Humungousaur's eyes zeroed in on the source of the voice and he let out a loud sigh at the sight of the raven haired Ice-Make boy who was glaring at him and still…er…naked. Reaching out, Humungousaur thumbed Gray on the head which caused the latter to groan before he sent Gray flying with a finger flick to the head. Gray's body crashed into an already broken bar counter; his cursing screams muffled by the pain. "First, get some clothes on, you stripper!"

The others could only gape much to the Ben's amusement.

"Now! What should I do with the rest of you?" Humungousaur slightly bent down to glare directly at the sweating group of mages who seemed to have lost all their pent up energy as their faces had turned pale in horror. The Vaxasaurian's gleaming teeth didn't help much as they stared at their reflections. Humungousaur's grin widened and he waited for the inevitable as they trembled in their boots. "Boo!"

Needless to say, several thuds filled the guild hall as the quarrelling mages collapsed in a heap as semi-conscious lumps. Straightening up, Humungousaur tapped the hourglass symbol and with another emerald flash, he turned back to his human form. Happy with his handiwork, he let out a chuckle. "I guess that they won't be picking another fight for some time." He turned around to see Cana and Erza staring at him with a sweat drop running down their foreheads. "What!?"

"Nothing!" The simultaneous reply rang from the girls.


-FLASHBACK END-


Abruptly, the old man's musing was interrupted by a loud smacking noise followed by a yelp as the naked body of Gray was decked into the ground, creating a small crater beneath his form courtesy of Ben; the brunette grinning widely at his easy victory.

"That was easy…" Macao Conbolt laughed joyously. "…as always!"

He was a slim, mildly muscular man of average height with long, thick and spiky dark blue hair, and quite a bit of facial hair. He had linear dark eyebrows, dark eyes, and a prominent nose with a flat, rectangular front. His attire included a dark shirt with forearm length sleeves, paired with green-colored pants, completed by a pair of dark shoes and a small chain was wrapped around his right wrist.

"The victory count seems to have extended to 114 times now…finally." Another man laughed while smoking who went by the name Wakaba Mine; a good buddy of Macao.

He was also of average height, distinguishable by his brown hair, which was kept in an ostentatious pompadour-like style that protruded forward from the top of his head in a large, curly and fluffy tuft while he was donned in a brown leather jacket and a pair of sunglasses, together with simple pants and shoes.

Rook slowly stood up and walked over to Gray, kneeling down in front of him as he poked him in the face, knowing that he wouldn't get any reaction as Gray's eyes happened to be swirling in their sockets. After receiving nothing as expected, he stood back up and grinned. "The winner is Ben…again! And, it's 114 times now…" He looked down at the onyx haired boy. "…Gray." Said boy simply groaned in response.

The guild clapped in acknowledgement; a whistling noise circulating amongst the group.


SLURP!

Ben sipped his smoothie at a leisurely pace; his eyes closed and a blissful smile tugging at the corner of his lips. It was refreshing to him in more than one way and that also included his uncompromised love for it.

He recalled his life in Fairy Tail for the past year and how things had changed for him since then. When he had arrived in this world, he knew nothing about where to start but he was still here. It wasn't easy to let go of the memories of his family but he knew that the past would always hold him back and wouldn't let him progress toward the future but then again, he still had those damned nightmares occasionally.

His mind drifted to his current life. He was good friends with several younger kids his age excluding Laxus; then again he mentally wasn't the same age either so he believed that it didn't count. He had also gotten his own apartment along with a burgeoning reputation and enough privacy in his house to continue with his different projects.

Then, his life took a drastic change with him helping Erza, Cana and Gray with their training along with his own; though he couldn't exactly consider Erza to be his student since she trained and practiced on her own time, he only helped modify her acrobatic skills and even that was rare. Cana had improved a lot over the year while he tried to vain to teach Gray not to strip in public. All in all, a complete failure as a student. However, even though that boy's magical reserves weren't as large as Erza's; his potential was arguably greater than Cana's, his lack of practice with his mana manipulation preventing a more accurate assessment.

Although he had finally begun showing his true power and strength in public, attracting the eye of the Magic Council in the process but those old fools were helpless considering that he was a member of a legal guild. Not just any guild, it was Fairy Tail, one of the most destructive guilds in all of Fiore. As anticipated by him, his transformations raised questions too but it didn't take long for the rumors to die down. Nothing remained permanent in this world of magic.

He let out a chuckle upon recalling how entertaining his year had been in Fairy Tail, he was roused from his thoughts when he heard someone shouting. 'Is that Makarov? Sounds like him, so who's the other one?' He opened his right eye and noticed how the various guild members were stunned and staring toward the bar counter. Opening his other eye, he gained a curious expression as he looked over Rook's and his eyes zeroed in on the old man having an argument with…Ivan.

Ivan Dreyar was a rather tall and muscular man with black hair and tanned skin. He also sported a unique beard; a chin curtain, with several lines of facial hair around his mouth shooting upwards in an odd pattern. He wore an ornate cloak along with a dress shirt and an ascot tied in a full Windsor knot.

Ben's eyes narrowed at the sight of the psychotic man arguing with his father who shared few to no physical characteristics with unlike Laxus. Similarly, he didn't seem to have any resemblance in personality; his was quite contrasting to the old man. But, he was confused. He could see them arguing but he couldn't hear anything. Their mouths were moving though. Was it because the old man had cast some kind of sound barrier magic around them at some point?

Ben still glared at the man in suspicion; throughout the year, he had hardly seen him while he was out doing who knows what but he was certain that it couldn't be good. He had questions but he doubted that the man would answer him unless he was beaten within an inch of his life. Just being near him was creepy enough but considering that he was the master's son, Ben held in the urge to punch the man in the face anyway. His mind drifted back to when he first had his misgivings about Ivan after he joined Fairy Tail.


-FLASHBACK-


Ben, Rook and Laxus barged into the headquarters of the bandits; ready to fight any would-be defenders. They weren't ready to see what they found. Standing in the middle of the room was surprisingly Ivan who was dragging the barely conscious bandit leader by his coat, the beaten man grunting and groaning in absolute pain from the friction of his wound with the hard ground.

But that wasn't all that caught the interest of the trio. There were two or three dozen unconscious men lying on the ground; drenched in their own blood. The shallow yet non-lethal slash marks on their bodies drew their attention to the small bloodstained blade held by Ivan who was laughing maniacally.

"Father?"

The voice of Laxus seemed to distract the older Fairy Tail mage who looked at the blonde teen. "Laxus-chan, is that you? What are you doing here, Laxus-chan?" He grinned, his mood seemed to improve but the sadistic smile didn't remain hidden from the brunette boy but he kept his silence; his eyes examining the room and his mind deducing what had transpired here.

"We're here on a mission, but what are you doing here and…" Laxus waved at the destruction. "…what's going on here?"

Ben decided to speak up. "I didn't expect any other mage, least of all Laxus's father to be here. This mission was still on the request board until we left, why are you here?"

Laxus cocked an eyebrow at the question from the brunette to his father. He knew that Ben was suspecting his old man but he couldn't actually protest since Ben seemed to have chosen his words very carefully and he was right too. He looked at Ivan who had an eyebrow raised. "And, who would you be young boy-chan?"

"I'm Ben! Recently joined the guild while…" Ben jerked his thumb at his partner. "…he's Rook." He pointed to the battered forms of the bandits. "Now, since that's out of the way, can you explain what are you doing here?"

"You know Ben-chan; I do not like the tone you used to speak to an S-Class mage of Fairy Tail." Ivan grinned but it was sickening to Ben. "But, I will tell you anyway Ben-chan; I was just passing through the town when I was informed of these men and I came to investigate. You should be happy that I dealt with this trash by myself."

Ben didn't buy it. That creepy and malicious smile didn't fit well with his reasoning. His instincts told him otherwise. He thought of interrogating the bandits but that wouldn't be of any help after Ivan's brutal assault. He could swear that Ivan was a twisted man and he believed that this incident should be brought to the old man's attention. What was truly sickening to him was the smirk on Ivan's face but he maintained his straight face.

"We could have dealt with them ourselves, you know." Laxus stated confidently. "They wouldn't have stood a chance against my lightning, all alone my true power."

"I know, Laxus-chan." Ivan smirked as he threw the man he was holding against the wall and he wildly swung his blade before stalking after the man. "But, let me finish what I have already started."

Ben narrowed his eyes as he decided what the motive of Ivan was. It was true that he himself wouldn't forgive an enemy who would harm his new friends or innocents. Hell, he had already claimed numerous lives since his arrival in this world but even he wouldn't use such measures; treating them in such a manner was unforgivable. "They are all already beaten so there's no need to torture them anymore!" He glowered, balling his fists.

Ivan looked back at the young boy. "He's a dark mage, Ben-chan." He riposted coolly as if that was sufficient reasoning to explain his horrible actions. "Why do you care about what happens to him?"

"Because this isn't how Fairy Tail operates." Laxus stated, shaking his head. "They were beaten, so they aren't a threat anymore. Let's hand them over to the Rune Knights and return home."

Ivan seemed to hesitate before he finally complied with the blonde's words and sheathed the blade. Ben's eyes sharply scanned his every movement.

"You find all this suspicious?" Rook whispered to the brunette while pointing to the destruction around them. The damage seemed to have only been sustained by the bandits, almost as if they hadn't even retaliated. What was more suspicious was that there was particularly no sign of actual battle transpiring save for the blood splattered on the ground.

Ben simply nodded.


-FLASHBACK END-


Ben's sight was focused on the quarreling duo; his eyes darting from Makarov to Ivan and then back to Makarov. He didn't know the reason behind the argument but whatever it was, it seemed to have infuriated the old man. He wondered what Laxus would think if he witnessed this heated argument when he noticed no sign of the blonde lightning mage.

He raised a curious eyebrow and tapped Rook on the shoulder to attract his attention. "Where's Laxus?"

Rook simply shrugged. "I'm not sure but apparently he left on a mission. I heard him conversing with Makarov earlier about selecting a mission since he was yet to leave on one for over a month."

Ben nodded his head as his eyes again shifted to Ivan. He couldn't exactly hear much from this distance and he doubted that Makarov would be pleased to find him eavesdropping despite the sound barrier still standing. But, then again it hardly concerned him what the old man would think of him. Ben recalled how thoughtful the old man was and thus he would definitely understand just like the day when he had informed him of his son's rather cruel behavior and instead of the expected defensive attitude from him toward his family, he was rather calm and had even admitted several facts.


-FLASHBACK-


"So, what is it you wanted to talk about?"

Ben stood before the old man in the Guild Master's office, his emerald eyes reflecting the confliction in his mind. He had asked for a secret meeting with the old man after he, Rook and Laxus had returned from the mission while Ivan had left claiming the need to finish some important work. But, now when the time had come for him to speak, he didn't know what to say or what to expect from the old man. That thought never crossed his mind and he mentally cursed at himself.

Inhaling a deep breath, Ben steadied his nerves and finally spoke. "Ivan!"

Makarov cocked an eyebrow. "What did Ivan do? Is it about him finishing the mission that you wanted to do?" He inquired in a resigned tone.

Ben shook his head. "I'm afraid not, old man." He gulped down the lump in his throat. "I find your son rather…suspicious..." He stole a glance at the old man and was surprised to find him showing a straight face. "…and, I think, he's unfaithful toward the guild."

Makarov nodded. "Tell me everything, Ben."

Ben noticed the old man not coming to his son's defense as he had expected. That was a relief, wasn't it? Releasing a sigh, he spoke. "As you were told earlier, we never got to fight those bandits as Ivan had already taken care of them…easily…but he actually tortured them even when they were all defeated and he was enjoying every bit of it." He sneered in disdain. "I hadn't expected a Fairy Tail mage to do such a thing…let alone an S-Class mage."

Makarov sighed in exasperation.

"But, what really got me suspicious was that there was no sign of retaliation from those bandits. They were apparently taken down very easily." Ben shook his head. "I know that I'm new in this guild but I thought you should be notified of this to avoid future problems."

"That's certainly sound suspicious, young man." Makarov nodded. "I have noted another side of Ivan recently. A more cruel and sadistic side that he had never shown prior to these past few months. He has always been greedy for fame, reputation, power and wealth but I thought that he would overcome it with time. It seems like I was wrong."

"You actually believe what I said?" Ben asked in surprise.

"There's nothing for you to gain from lying, you know." Makarov grinned. "You're one smart and perceptive kid." His grin broadened and his eyes curved into happy crescents. "Give an old man some credit too."

Ben nodded curtly with a cheeky grin of his own. "Get over those perverse habits of yours and I might consider your request."


-FLASHBACK END-


"Ivan definitely did something to infuriate Makarov so much." Rook mumbled only for the brunette's ears to hear. "I overheard Ivan uttering something about a lacrima and Laxus. He seems to be obsessed with it and I doubt that would please Makarov; though the reason is unknown to me as well."

Ben cocked an eyebrow. "How can you be so sure that the argument is over something as petty as a lacrima?"

Rook sent the Omnitrix wielder an impassive look that said it all. "Lacrima are far more powerful than we give them credit for. I have learnt that a lacrima's capacity, power and effectiveness could be enhanced if one has the proper medium, knowledge and materials and it could be made as destructive as one wants. Even a lacrima's function and use can be altered or so I believe."

Ben developed a blank stare. "…" He blinked. "How did you find that knowledge?"

Rook let out a sigh. "My strength and power is limited to technology and I might not be able to go against someone with magical energy and resistance. I had been doing some research and gathering knowledge to upgrade my Proto-Tool through a lacrima fusion. My information is still comparatively nothing near to what I seek though but when I have enough data, I will ask you to upgrade it."

"I seriously think that you won't need that now." Ben muttered. "But you are right about stronger opponents and what the possible outcomes would be if you have to clash against one. You do the digging and gather anything that might interest you. What remains of fusing a lacrima with your Proto-Tool or better yet, your armor would be a piece of cake for Grey Matter or Brainstorm." His eyes shifted to the old man and Ivan strolling toward the old man's office. Possibly for some privacy from prying ears though he doubted that anyone would be daring enough to endure the wrath of the old man when he was serious.

"What do you think is going on?"

Ben looked to his right to find Erza walking toward him. She seemed to be nervous, something that was understandable after how infuriated the old man seemed to be. Ivan would be lucky if he left the guild on his feet. Realizing that he hadn't answered the redhead, he faced her again. "I'm not sure but it can't be good."

"I have never seen master so angry before." Erza muttered, her eyes darting toward the closed door. "Did you think that they were going to fight for a moment?"

Ben simply shrugged, not sure how to answer that. "I don't think they would…I mean, he's his own flesh and blood. There's no way the old man would fight his own son. Same should also apply for Ivan too." His eyes focused on the brown haired girl walking toward them. "Why don't you ask Cana? She might read their future and get a better idea." He let out a chuckle. "Right, Cana?"

Cana frowned. "Hey, that was so mean, you know."

"C'mon, you do the fortune telling for Gray most of the time, don't you? Even though that stripper hardly considers anything!" Ben let out a chuckle as he jerked his thumb toward Gray in his boxers and with his ear pressed against the magically enchanted door, hoping to hear something. "See, some habits are really irresistible."

Cana smiled before she chuckled.

"You should know that now is no time to crack jokes." Erza frowned as she crossed her hands over her chest plate; her eyes focused on the closed door.

Ben simply rolled his eyes but he knew that the redhead wasn't wrong with her thoughts. He knew that this wasn't a good time to crack jokes but he couldn't help it. His actions were intended to assure himself more than anything else and keeping his nose out of anything that wasn't his business. Well, with the evil twisted plot of fate or so he believed, he always found himself in the most unexpected situations…well, most of the time anyway.

Finally, the door opened to reveal a very furious Ivan; he seemed ready to lunge at the equally infuriated old man coming out from behind him but something held him back. Ben was rather surprised at the sight. He didn't know what to make of that but something must have gone terribly wrong.

Ben stepped forward, ignoring the protests from his friends. The curiosity to know what had happened brought him forward and closer to the quarrelling father and son.

"…-gone too far this time, Ivan! You once dared to hurt your own son and yet I let you go unpunished. But now, you planned to kill him for your own dark motives! That's unforgivable!" The old man's eyes weren't visible to Ben and a chill went down his spine at the surprisingly powerful words and energy emitting from Makarov. "Even though you are my own blood, you jeopardize the life of your own son and family and so, you have left me with no choice but to expel you from the guild!" He lifted his head and glared at his son but Ben noticed something else in that glare…pain. "Ivan, you are hereby excommunicated from Fairy Tail, forever! Now, go and never return!"

Ben was stunned to say the least. He didn't know what to think of this. The old man was abandoning his own blood. Why? What did he mean by Ivan endangering the life of Laxus? Makarov had definitely stood for his family's safety and to ensure that, he had gone to such an extreme measure; even the power and pressure Makarov was emitting was suffocating for him at such a distance.

Ivan huffed as he let out a menacing growl and abruptly multiple small paper dolls materialized in the air around him and by multiple, he meant perhaps in the thousands. "You have grown old and hold no power over me!" He growled, ready to attack at a moment's notice. "Tell me, where is my son?"

Ben unconsciously took a step back. Not in fear of Ivan and his creepy paper dolls but rather the amount of energy radiating and exploding from the old man. It wasn't like any killer intent he had felt from most or currently emitted by Ivan but rather the rage pouring out through magic in the form of…light. Such enormous magical strength, just how strong was the old man? He looked behind him and could see everyone scared for a moment save for a few like Macao and Wakaba.

"You have not listened to reason, Ivan! I gave you a chance and yet you didn't leave! You have until the count of three." Makarov extended his arms forward. "... One!"

Ivan seemed to lose all of his pent up anger along with that creepy senile smile of his while his paper dolls seemed to have lost all their power. "You wouldn't dare!"

"... Two!" Magical power swirled between Makarov's hands and a sphere-like light began materializing that illuminated the whole guild in a bright gold.

Ben gulped down the lump in his throat. This was really happening. Such enormous magical energy swimming throughout the guild, it was scaring him. He wondered how powerful the old man was and what kind of spell he was prepared to unleash. It felt so pure and yet so powerful. He noticed Ivan's dread as beads of sweat accumulated on his forehead but he didn't give up, choosing to stand his ground. Was he foolish? There's no way he could win, right? That amount of magical energy, it was impossible to counter unless you possessed a comparable amount of power. He recalled Macao proclaiming that the old man was the Quinto Wizard Saint. Was this power typical of those who had attained such a rank?

"... Three!" Makarov slammed his hands together as the light around him flared up more and the aura radiating from him grew denser. Ben noticed the strange pressure filling the guild hall; the immense magical energy surging throughout the room. It was truly…unbearable! He noticed the golden bright light intensifying further as the old man seemed to have finally finished his spell. "I invoke the judgement spell!" Ben was blinded by the intense but warm light as those last booming words filled his ears.

"-Fairy Law!-"

The whole guild was engulfed by the light and eventually, Magnolia was too consumed within but surprisingly, it left a soothing and warm effect upon everyone instead of harming them.

Finally after what seemed like after an hour, the light finally died down and everything returned back to normal or as normal it could be. Ben cracked open his eyes and the first sight he was greeted with was the old man looking at his…son. His eyes widened as he noticed the state that Ivan was in. He was shaking from head to toe, as if he has just seen the worst nightmare of his life as he stared at his father in true terror. For the first time, his presence didn't emit any cruel or sadistic aura. Ben wondered whether Toepick could have same effect as that spell. He turned around and noticed that everyone was staring with slack jaws at the sight. He couldn't blame them.

"Leave and never come near Fairy Tail again, Ivan! You're forbidden to ever rejoin Fairy Tail and if I find out that you so much as lifted a finger against any of my children, you'll wish that I ended your life right here and now."

Ben couldn't believe what he had just heard. Makarov was willing to kill his own son because he hurt Fairy Tail. But, he was more surprised to hear that Makarov was willing to breach the law of this world and kill in the first place. He watched as Ivan didn't ignore the warning this time and instead ran away as fast as he could from his terrifying father.

Ben smiled softly. 'So this place isn't all that bad, huh?' He looked back toward the entrance of the guild and a scowl crossed his face. Should he follow him? After all, he still had some questions for him.


"You do know that if Laxus finds out about you excommunicating Ivan then things might not go so well between you two?"

Makarov took a sip of his booze and maintained his silence. Today was possibly one of the worst days he had seen in his life. Abandoning one's own son wasn't easy for Makarov, yet he had done just that. Ivan had violated all limits, even being willing to hurt his own grandson further. After a moment of thinking on his part, he let out a deep sigh and met the emerald eyes staring at him.

Sometimes, he wondered how Ben could see things from such a mature perspective, like he truly wasn't eleven or twelve! Ben's thinking surprised and amazed him sometimes. He had maintained a straight and emotionless face during his decision and yet Ben saw straight through him.

"So?"

Makarov shook his head. "I know." The old man sounded his age for once, as he stood up from his seat. "I know."

"It was hard, wasn't it?" Ben couldn't help but ask. He didn't know what he would have done if he had been in the old man's shoes. He wasn't sure he could make such hard decisions. He ruffled his hair and stifled a yawn. "Though, I believe you saw this coming for a long time."

Makarov huffed. "I did and he had to go anyway."

"Why? Because he knew something he shouldn't…a secret?" Ben let out a chuckle at the stunned expression of the old man before he again swiftly regained his composure. "Why are you so surprised old man? Cause I mentioned something about a secret known only to you?"

Makarov kept a straight face. "What secret are you talking about, Ben?"

Ben shifted his glance to the window and stared at the moon shining brightly, illuminating the darkness. Such an amazing sight for others and full of irony for him. Only a glowing moon was enough to illuminate the darkness basking in this world. "I tracked and chased him after you excommunicated him from the guild." He didn't need to look at the old man to find him frowning. Letting out a sigh, he continued. "I had questions but since he was one of us, a member of the guild, I never forced him to answer but I couldn't let this opportunity slip when he wasn't a member anymore. His acts and status had always been suspicious and so the urge to interrogate him remained." He looked at the old man. "You don't need to worry about me hurting him though. I know that you wouldn't have liked it. He wasn't in any condition to fight anyway after how you stripped him of his magic through that one of the three legendary spells of Fairy Tail. But, it took him a while to speak coherently."

"What? What did you learn?"

Ben cast his gaze away again. "Several things and then, some more…" He shook his head. "…until he had nothing else to tell me."

"As much as I didn't like your actions, tell me everything you found young man." The old man demanded; for the first time he demanded like an actual master should. "Don't boycott anything from your explanation this time or you might be punished as Ivan was."

Ben leaned back in his chair and met the old man's eyes. "You're actually serious…for the first time acting like a leader should do. Anyway, I will tell you everything I know and then I expect you to answer some of my questions gramps."

Makarov motioned for Ben to continue. "He confirmed my suspicions by accepting his affiliation with the dark guilds. Even the group, he defeated and tortured so badly last year were his own men as I had suspected. Apparently, they had come to the attention of the Magic Council which forced him to dispose of them before his affiliation with them came to light. But that wasn't all. He had also tried to communicate with Grimoire Heart, the reason is still unknown to me but I might find it some other day. But, there might be a possibility that Ivan wanted his future guild to be part of that Balam Alliance created recently by the most powerful dark guild out there. I even found about this lacrima he had installed within Laxus years ago and the argument he had with you. Honestly, I was actually surprised to find what Laxus truly is."

"Tell me about that secret?"

Ben studied the old man for a moment and noticed how impatient he was getting before he finally replied. "He told me about some…Lumen Histoire; the so called darkness of Fairy Tail by him. He was very hesitant to speak about it and I believe that he didn't want it to come to your attention but threats actually work sometimes."

Makarov was stunned; that was the easy way to describe how he looked like during Ivan's excommunication and it was enough to confirm the brunette's suspicions.

"What is Lumen Histoire, old man? Why did Ivan sound so obsessed about it? Why was he so willing to create his own guild to retrieve Lumen Histoire? Why did he call it Fairy Tail's darkness?"

Makarov shook his head as he sighed in exasperation. "That brat will be the end of me someday." He muttered before meeting Ben's emerald eyes. "Only the master of the guild has the right to know about it and here we are; my son who was excommunicated from the guild and a young boy already aware of something unknown to the rest of the world. I guess that I failed as a master."

Ben cocked an eyebrow. "So, it's really a secret then?" He shook his head. "I will respect it and won't speak of it again…ever…but can you at least tell me why Ivan called it Fairy Tail's darkness?"

"It's isn't a secret because it's dark but because it's our guild's pride…it's our guild's light." Makarov replied while studying the brunette. "That's all I can tell you and in return, I would really appreciate it if you kept it to yourself, Ben."

Ben nodded. "I promise that I will just like you have kept my secret safe till now, old man." He stood up to leave and looked at the old man once more. "But, you should be aware of something else. The one who informed Ivan of it." The old man's neck snapped toward the brunette. "Hades, the same man who was behind the construction of the Tower of Heaven! The guild master of Grimoire Heart!"

"What!?" Makarov couldn't believe what he had heard. That dark guild…how did they found about it? "But…-"

"Ivan didn't mention anything in particular about this man since he normally contacted him through a communication lacrima. Old man, it's up to you to decide what you want to do next." Ben stepped toward the exit as he uttered those final words. "But, I will always stand here and by your side…by Fairy Tail's side. All to protect my friends and the freedom to follow our dreams." He stopped at the door and tilted his head to look at the old man from the corner of his eyes; his eyes flashing with determination and fury. "Because Fairy Tail is a place that I have grown to care about, I see it as my new home and family now and anyone who threatens them will suffer my wrath because I refuse to fail again…I refuse to ever let any harm come upon Fairy Tail."


"T-that brat, he w-will suffer."

The weak voice of Ivan spoke up as he limped through the forest in the darkness of the night. He was infuriated. Not only had he been banished from the guild but also tracking Lumen Histoire had also become difficult. And, then that brat trampled what remaining pride he had after he was kicked out of the guild in front of everyone. He dared to threaten him…his superior, an S-Class mage and he was forced to answer him because of that old fart; who stripped him of his magic. This humiliation wouldn't go unanswered. He was going to avenge this loss to Makarov and his Fairy Tail guild. He was going to form his own guild for that very purpose. A more powerful guild than Fairy Tail could ever be or could ever dream of. A guild named…

"Raven Tail!"

He let out a twisted chuckle before he broke down into hysterical laughter; his sadistic and animalistic voice echoing throughout the forest canopy, scaring away animals and various wildlife.

"Yes, the strongest guild in Fiore and the anti-Fairy Tail guild that will plunge that old man's guild into darkness and shred it apart; Raven Tail!"


That day a relationship was broken and a new enemy was made to the guild of fairies, but in return Ben had vowed to protect Fairy Tail at all costs. He would become their protector, their guardian because they would need one or so the prophecy proclaimed, that he would be 'The Guardian of Fairies' in 'A Tale of Fairies!'


Happy thanksgiving to all my loyal readers even though I'm once again late but I guess, you won't have minded the slip and had enjoyed the update, almost after a month or is it a month already? 100 reviews in seven chapters; you all won't know but I really appreciate it. This shows that this story is yet to be ruined and I appreciate it whole-heartedly.

A/N 1: Here's what you would probably find in the next chapter that will only be updated upon the number of reviews. Leave reviews and I might update it next week or it would be Christmas update.

Anyway, next chapters would have a real showdown for the first time; I mean a real serious battle between Ben and one of the Grimoire Heart's finest and debut of the Fairy Tail's mysterious mage. Actually, next five to seven chapters are going to be kind of serious and important, after how it would alter the story and introduce you to chapter 13 "The Third Dragneel!" Stick with the story to see a battle unlike any other and it's unlike because it's different.

A/N 2: I'm looking for anyone who can draw OCs characters and cover-page for the story and so anyone who fits the profile, please contact me. We will talk then.

A/N 3: Vandenbz once again has outdone his skills so another big thank you shouts out for him.

Anyway, reviews and constructive ideas and critics are always appreciated. So, don't forget to leave a review. After all, we writers also need some motivation and keep us fueled. Also, no flames!

Next chapter / chapter 9: So That's What Edolas Is!

Following chapter / chapter 10: Trial Of A Hero!


Now, time to reply to guest and anonymous reviews.

Guest (1)/benlover/Guest (2)/Guest (4): Thanks for the compliment. I sure hope you would continue to love it in future.

Tyrannopead420: Well, I'm here to answer to reviews and questions anyway so don't mind it. Anyway, an ultimate transformation, you say? I think yes and it would be probably in chapter 11, I guess. I'm sure you would love the chapter I have planned.

Guest (3): Well, I had updated it sometime ago if you haven't noticed it yet. That story will have slow update anyway since Ben10/FT is what I like the most updating.

Dessin: I will try to give Rook his share of spot-light but as I had mentioned earlier, it won't be anytime soon.

That guy: I think, Ben had already killed several of the grunts members during chapter 3. About killing any real characters, I am not certain who would be the first in the list. However, I can assure you that you would find one such death for certain.

Guest (5): That would be Cubicle. Yes, he had written a very good story himself but I assure you, apart from Tower of Heaven arc in the beginning, you won't find any other resemblance. Though, it was a shame that he deleted it later. Don't worry; I won't be giving up on the story anytime soon, well not as long as I get to read reviews for the effort I put into it.

Guest (6): All I can tell you is to wait for Ultimate10 to update. I certainly don't need to remind anyone that none of the authors earns anything from here except for some recognition that is obscured behind false identity. So be patient. He has a life and he is planning to update soon but give his sometime. I'm also waiting after all.

Fairy Tail Fan: Yes, I think Ben might meet Tartaros but about Ben and Laxus becoming friends, I'm not certain on that bit. That would depend on how the story would progress. And, about the omake, yes I will include that one and two more. I won't tell which one.

Guest (7): Ben will become S-Class when he would be worth it and it would probably be around chapter 14/15. And, about lemons, I'm not sure. Problem is not about writing them but I just think a little differently, though I will see whether I can.

A question: Well, wiki shows that Mard Geer talks both in third person and first person at the same time. Kid of odd but I'm following the same.

Guest (8): I don't know how to respond to this one. However, if what you said is true then shouldn't I be happy that someone needed to create a profile to flame my story. Anyway, thanks for the support. That is really appreciable. And, my apologies I missed thanksgiving date.

Okay, that's all for the previous chapters, if you have any more question, I'm right here.