Sometimes, there truly was no difference between humans and wild animals. It was survival of the fittest. A jungle that devoured those weak. There were kings of the jungle who ruled with an iron fist. And some who just claimed. In this category, Naruto wondered where he fell, the kind of an animal he was. An indifferent one that was just selfish? His other choices in life disagreed with this thought. Perhaps he was just an alien in the jungle, not really fitting and not making any attempt to fit in. This did compare to the way he even came into this realm of magic.

There has never been struggle. Maybe in trying to work around Irene. After all, she was the only person he'd come close to. He couldn't exactly call her human. He hadn't known her as Irene but just a huge dragon living in self-imposed exile, terrified to even look at its own reflection. But how things changed. The moment she assumed her human form and gave birth to Erza, she became an untamed beast that cared for nothing, killing indiscriminately. If she could, maybe she could even add cannibalism into her sins.

But in defining his alien nature, Naruto wanted to see his role in the future. He had no interest in taking part of anything or even joining a Guild. To be ruled by someone? It was beneath him. Maybe he could just found his own village and a guild. That could work. It would go some way soothing his heart because he died without even achieving his only one desire, and that had nothing to be loved by Sakura. But becoming Hokage.

Irene's stare halted his speeding train of thoughts. She was glaring, as she usually was. Had he seen her smiling that often? Was there even a smile deep within her heart? A part of him believed that she did care, but sometimes, he thought maybe this was not the case. If things were different, maybe she would have been the kind of animal that kills her cubs and eats them. She'd not done that. She had given her child life and hope. And yet, for the past years, she'd ignored all that.

"Are you going to show me or are you just going to stare at me?"

Naruto shook his head as Kurama appeared on his shoulder in a puff of smoke. He was sitting on a boulder, in the mountains once more. There was nothing around, just death. It hadn't been like this. He'd caused this death in nature by sucking the natural energy within the area.

"I've gathered enough magic to even operate Eclipse on my own. Far from my own magic, this is the magic within the atmosphere…" He paused, tilting his head to the side. This was in the way that she could understand, yes? "I've already stated I'm almost done with preparations but I have never told you how exactly it is that both of us will regain our humanity."

"Not because I didn't ask." Irene stared.

"It was not necessary to tell you anything. I didn't want you running off your mouth to Zeref because some part of the plan would have forced me to interfere with his interests in Fairy Tail."

"Is that why you left? You want to get your hands on Fairy Heart?"

Naruto shook his head, but smiled. "The thought crossed my mind. But I didn't think too deeply about it despite it being the easier option. It is simple for me to walk into Fairy Tail and turn their guild building into ashes. Zeref told me enough to think that things could work in my favor."

"Like Zeref, you are too kind. But maybe not naïve like him. Like you said, you didn't tell me anything because you didn't want me to tell Zeref. Which means, if your primary plan had failed, you'd have done it. But you are here because you are now guaranteed of success."

And people said she was a cold hearted person. Naruto may be worse. At least she didn't go around pretending to be something she was not. For his reasons, Naruto was going to betray everyone. After all, he didn't consider anyone in Fiore his friend. Maybe even the child he has insistent she cared for.

"Eh…" Naruto shrugged. "Fairy Tail has no use for it. It is better to make use of it. I'm not going to kill anyone after all."

"Maybe not. But getting a little closer to them had this plan in mind."

Naruto smiled. "You think of me as a conniving person."

"Aren't you? You mainly just choose to act differently because such methods aren't necessary…" Irene paused. "But I'm a little disappointed that you think I'd go off and tell Zeref anything."

"You've so far not given me any reason you wouldn't."

"Your fault that things escalated to such a level. Had you not left me alone, I wouldn't have met Zeref. I'd finally thought I wouldn't be alone. You were there. But suddenly, you just disappeared. For years!"

Ah, there was that frustration and anger in her tone. It was perhaps the first time she displayed herself in such a manner.

"I blindfolded there… and you seem to hold it personally…" Naruto smiled sadly. "I did come back and then left again. You know, I only joined Alvarez because of you."

"Hardly any difference as you once more abandoned me."

"Don't be a child, Irene. You shouldn't talk about abondment when you abandoned your own child. She lived a pretty cruel life. But I suppose it was fine since you couldn't see it." Naruto shook his head. "That isn't why you are here. I called you because although last time we spoke, it was supposed to be the last before I engaged Acnologia. I wasn't completely satisfied with your responses. It made me wonder even if I should waste my energy on you."

Irene narrowed her eyes. "Is this because I refused to check on you?"

"Partly yes. But I understand. You won't be open with your feelings. We haven't been clicking lately and that bothers me."

"You are a men, aren't you?"

Naruto smiled. "doesn't please me when you say it like that."

"How sure are you this is going to work?" Irene didn't want to hope and then get disappointed. She'd already stopped believing that things would never be the same again. Even Zeref who has created life in the form of demons didn't have a method to solve the problem she faced. Naruto had been taught some fundamentals about magic by her.

"Imagine this." Naruto raised his index finger. "I'm more than ready to fight Acnologia. I told you this. You think I'd risk things when I didn't have hope to live a normal life?"

"Normal humans avoid such risks when they have such hopes."

"I'm not normal. And I'm not human. Neither are you. So, we cannot bother ourselves by thinking in the same standards as humans. It would only be constraining ourselves." Naruto shrugged carelessly.

"Then?"

Naruto imagined Irene throwing her hands in the air, waiting impatiently to be hit by whatever he had in store for her. For a moment, he thought of tormenting her with anticipation. Just to see how much she'd squirm.

"I've already told you that the dragon slayers do not have to worry about losing their humanity because the dragons of then devised a strategy. Even as we speak, the dragons reside within them creating antibiotics to stop the process. One of the main reasons I stopped short of telling such things was because you could do something like hunt them down and then draw the dragons out just so they could be like you. They can't have what you couldn't have."

Irene narrowed her eyes. It wasn't unthinkable that she would not have gone through that route. Since her process was already completed, there was no reversing it. What the dragons were doing was simply stopping the process from happening. She needed a reversal to be human again. To be hungry, to experience what she used to experience.

"You collected the dragons for this reason?"

"Yes. But they don't know the process. We would need to rip out one of those dragons to teach us the secret art. But that is a detail we need not concern ourselves with. At least for now. I am prepared to lose Dragon Slaying magic, so it doesn't bother me." Naruto replied sternly. "The key lies with time."

"Dimaria. Yes. You have mentioned that before."

Naruto weaved hand signs and then held his hands together. A large magical seal spread on the ground, a clock forming its markings. More seals spread around his boy.

"Eclipse gate works in that it has the ability to go back in time. To the past. The point is there is a time and space where things were in a different way. There will be a time and space where you will be old or dead. But that time is tied around the time of the world. However, we can work around this by using this magic. Arc of Time manipulates the time of things but not humans. This magic affects anything."

As he was speaking, a clone appeared in a puff of smoke. Irene watched the clone, mindful of the serious look on its eyes. When it suddenly flashed in front of her, she attempted to jump back, on reflex by it grabbed her left hand. Without second, it chopped it off with a single swing. Blood gushed out within seconds but before she could process it, everything stopped. Her whole body froze. Even the blood stopped gushing out. Nothing moved in her body aside from her thoughts.

She felt like her memories were rewinding. It felt nauseous. Memories of the past seconds just flashed across her eyes within the blink of an eye… all it once. When she glanced at her left hand, it had formed once more. But the clone was still holding her other piece. Before she could say anything, the hand burst into crimson flames, turning into ashes. Maybe it was her mind, but she felt the burning sensation across her hand.

"What did you do?"

"I merely reversed the time of your body to the state it was before I attacked you. As long as you're alive, I can reverse the time. Your body remembers the point before when it was whole. As long as either of those two conditions are met and I can make things as they were without affecting the time of the world or causing an imbalance. The rule is simple, we rewrite the present with the past."

"And the price?"

"Without a limitless source of time and magic power the price that I may for this is my own time. Whatever I remove from you, I add to me. It is like nature trying to balance things. But seconds from you means about a year or more on me." He canceled his magic and then spoke once more. "You are over four hundred years old. If I reversed the time of your body to what is was before you learned your magic, it would kill me. Seriously."

"But?"

"I have obtained the concept of time. I need not make the sacrifice. After all, it would not be just me reversing the time but the I would be standing as time itself trying to 'correct' something. A god can manipulate whatever it is that he rules over without any repercussions because it is within his field. Any human trying to do so would need the permission or stand in the god."

"This is different from Eclipse. The Gate takes your to a point in time. Space and time. But here it is only the time. You'd make me relieve the past four hundred years."

"Yes. Every second, every minute, every hour, every day, will flash right before you. Your brain might even just explode in the process. So, a normal human would not survive this process."

Irene just nodded. She refused to show any happiness. But indeed, the dream looked like a reality now. She would become human once more. But there was a problem; Naruto still had to face Ancologia. Perhaps over the years, he'd been studying the dragon just for the day he had to fight it.

"I see…" she paused, gripping her stuff firmly. "I will hear from you. I suppose you'll be going now and to do what you must."

"Yes. But there is something I first check. Next time I see you, I will be either in battle or me trying to urge Zeref to begin his little war."

She nodded and pointed at the nine tailed fox on Naruto's shoulder. The animal had been just lying there, its eyes closed. It had looked asleep, but when she pointed at it, its right eye opened slightly and then closed once more.

"What is that?"

"My little pet fox." He replied with a laugh. Kurama growled. "This is my partner, Kurama. You've seen part of me, have you not? So, if I so chose, I could transform into this thing, but the size would more or less be the same as that of a dragon. And in terms of power? Well," he smiled mysteriously. "That is for you to find out."

"I'd always known your were hiding your true power. When we were forming the Alvarez Empire, you didn't use your Dragon slaying magic. But you used the presence of that thing and maybe the strength it provided for you."

"Speculation… at least not about Dragon Slaying Magic." He waved his right hand. "We shall talk, Irene. I'm going to be a little busy. If I get in trouble, you will be summoned to be my temple."

"I thought Acnologia destroyed it."

Naruto shook his head. "Just the observation front. The temple itself is underground. It is after all my secret treasure. Everything I know is in there. As well as my origins. If Acnologia kills me, you will still get your wish."

"You'd die a real death?"

"Who knows. But if there was that chance, I wouldn't dare risk it."

Irene nodded. "What are you rushing to do?"

"A couple of things."

"Let us go back to my place. There is something I need your knowledge on before you ruin things. You might die tomorrow. It is best to make use of you now."

"That is just cold."

Irene smiled, for a second that is.

It was predictable that the Imperialistic Council would throw the towel. They had failed in trying to get Naruto to talk to them. There was still the insistence that they only wanted to speak to the blond – and retrieve the Eclipse gate from him. But Makarov knew better. At least with things this way, Mavis would not be thinking about trying to recruit the blond into Fairy Tail. Not that he would have accepted anyway. But it was still a conversation that he'd not wished to have with Naruto – no matter what.

The eyes were on him. Of anyone else, he was the one who had a relationship with the blond. They could characterize it as much. But Makarov didn't know anything about Naruto. After all, they were not close. He was just one who came and went whenever he felt like it.

"Why didn't you try to capture him?" Draculos asked him in a stern tone.

Makarov wondered how he should answer. It was not unexpected for the man to point the question toward him. But he didn't feel pressured to give the 'right' answer.

"There was nothing I could do in the situation. He was not a threat and there were better things to do."

"Better things?"

"Is it more important to protect lives or hunt a man who was no threat to lives?"

"You're not just saying that because you seem to have some relationship with him, are you?" Wolfheim questioned, staring at Makarov with cold eyes.

The Fairy Tail master shrugged indifferently – or at least he tried. "I have no special relationship with him. That man does as he wants. We only came across because of the incident years ago when the Alvarez Empire tried to invade Ishgar."

"But you know him. Surely you can get a hold of him."

"I cannot."

"Doubt you'd say anything even if you knew. Fairy Tail has always been a problem. You are no different. You do as you like."

Draculos shook his head. He wasn't here to argue. "Either way, the Council has given us an order and we must complete it. It doesn't bode well for us with God Serena having betrayed us."

Makarov wasn't going to get involved in that fight. After all, God Serena who was the most powerful, was nothing more than a child in the eyes of Naruto. It was best not to court trouble. What could the Council do? He'd always done what he believed was right and true regardless of what the Council was thinking.

"It isn't going to be easy." Jura agreed with Draculos. "But at least we just want to ask him questions. Makarov-dono, between him and God Serena, who is the strongest?"

Makarov smiled. Was there even a reason to ask that question? The Gods of Ishgar have been reigning for years with no one threatening their power. But even as they have reigned, Naruto has always existed. He was old. His physical appearance was deceptive of how old the blond was. Power? There was no need to question that. He could replace the so called Gods if he so chose.

He didn't do so. Even though he has been around Ishgar for a while, he has never felt the need to change anything or even make himself known. Gods could lay their claim on their status. But if there was any contest, there would only be one winner and it wouldn't any of the people before him.

"I think from the display, should there really be a question?"

Makarov was greeted with silence.

"Are you suggesting he is far stronger than Serena?"

Far stronger? Yes. After all, Naruto saw that man as nothing more than a child. What they considered power, to him was child splay. The difference in power was disheartening. It even made Makarov what would happen if Naruto ever turned on them. He wasn't their enemy but not an ally. He did as he pleased and looked to be on their side simply because if convenience. But if the stars lined up, he could turn on them.

Before Makarov could respond, a powerful presence caught them all. They all looked up into the clouds. Something was crashing toward them like a bullet. They'd been standing in a circle. They all jumped back to avoid the person. But Makarov already knew who it was. He could never forget this magic.

Boom

Naruto crashed landed on the ground, causing chunks of earth to fly all over, forcing the Saints to cover their eyes. When debris cleared, he was on one knee, eyes glancing around. They'd chosen a rather curious place to meet. There was no building. Just boulders and the kind of environment that would permit any battle between the members should anything happen.

How did he go about this then? He didn't want to play a game of cat and mouse with the Council, nor the Saints. His presence could've spooked them. He'd suddenly intruded their meeting and was still on a wanted list from the Magic Council – their superior authority.

To avoid getting attacked, he slowly settled in a meditative position. This way, he could speak.

"I didn't think you'd just appear before us like this but it makes our job easier." Wolfheim stated, ready for action.

"Don't do anything reckless." Draculos warned. "He has come here to talk." If the posture was anything to go by. "Have you?" He asked just to confirm.

"Of course. But if you want to fight, I can take care of you right now." He responded with a small smile.

Draculos narrowed his eyes. The confidence. The attitude. Did he not view them as a threat? But the fact that he quickly took that nonthreatening posture just meant that he didn't want trouble. The undeniable fact was that was powerful, even more so that God Serena.

"Are you really Naruto?" Makarov asked with sharp eyes. The magic presence was the same. But there was something different. Naruto did give off a different presence when he assumed Dragon slaying magic, but this presence now felt a little weak.

He smiled. "What makes you say that, Makarov?"

"You address him that casually? Have no respect?"

"No respect?" Naruto looked amused but did not entertain this any farther. He faced Makarov once more and waited for the old man to speak.

"He might be older than all of us." Makarov addressed Wolfheim before responding Naruto. "You do not feel the same."

"You would notice." He paused, looking up for a moment. "I am a clone. The original would not come here with recent events. Besides, it creates less trouble when a clone walks such places."

"You're a clone?"

"Yes. A copy of the original." In this world, such a technique was not familiar. Then again, there was none of that blood that the shinobi world bled in its battles. "I've been waiting for an opportunity like this because I wished to speak to you. Regardless of what those people in the Council think. I have no desire for trouble, however, if trouble is caused, I will do what I must."

"That sounds like a threat."

"A statement." The clone replied with a shrug.

"You have no regard for the Magic Council. Would you go after it?" Makarov asked.

It wasn't like he held the Council in high praises. The people who sat on the Council were corrupt, power hungry and had no regard for moral values. They acted whenever they saw fit because they were the Council. And there was no one who could wage war against them. At least this has been the impression.

"Who knows? It isn't that I have no regard for it. I appreciate the importance of the concept and how important the Council is. However, the members that make the Council are just some humans who are corrupted by power and color anything they want while acting like Gods. No one lords over Naruto. Certainly not mere humans." The clone said with clear disdain. "But I have not come here to talk about the Council."

"But the Council has business with you." Draculos thought it would be betraying their duties to talk to the blond peacefully when the Council was still looking for him. Of course, the fact that what was in front of them was merely a clone meant that there was nothing they could do. A clone was not the original and if they attacked, it could simply disperse. Maybe that was the reason it took steps to avoid a confrontation.

"And I have no business with it." Naruto replied sharply. "Now, will you listen, or ignore me?"

He was greeted with silence and then took the opportunity to get his message across.

"The Alvarez will invade Ishgar. While they don't consider it as a threat, they acknowledge that the Magic Council has some powerful weapons that would be a hindrance to his plans. As such, it is possible that members of the Council could be target to remove the threat."

"How do you know this?"

"I was a part of the Empire."

"Is it true?" Draculos asked Makarov. Even in the last threat, the Fairy Tail Master was the one who had handled the situation. Surely, if the Empire was attacking, he would know.

"There is reason to believe that they will attack again." He stared at Naruto. The blond had already told him this before. But Makarov hadn't wished to take it deeply. He knew the blond was dead serious. "Why are you telling us this?"

"I want to see if you can make a choice that needs to be made. I could have simply chosen to keep this to myself but I have told you because I want to see what you will do. You can let the Council members be killed and takeover or you can protect them. But know that protecting them means that the reign of Imperialistic tendencies continues with no real protection offered to wizards."

Yes, Naruto was truly not a nice person. Makarov told himself. This was a cruel thing and they were going to be forced to protect the members. But what if the Alvarez Empire decided to attack while they were doing that? And it also meant that they wouldn't be able to search for Naruto while protecting members of the Council.

"Era is protected."

The clone snorted. "If I so wished, I could destroy the Town with my eyes closed. But it isn't the wish. I'm happy when there is a Council that follows rules and implements them. Not a Council that makes the rules as it sees fit and acts in the same manner as an Emperor." After saying that, the clone disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Draculos shook his head. "I will go speak to the Chairman in Era and see what must be done. If this is true, at least."

"I don't see any reason he'd lie."

"Maybe to keep us from focusing on the real goal."

"Are we simply going to ignore the fact that man is trying to get us to leave the Council to be killed?"

Makarov shook his head. "It is a question of what is right. Do we stand for what is right or do we stand with the corrupt. That is a choice we have to make."

"I suppose you have made a choice. And I must warn that is very treasonous."

"I've not done or said anything wrong… But what is obvious is that the Saints will always follow the lead of the Council. So we will be protecting the members."

But what happens then?

"Do we become a problem if we choose what Naruto does not desire?" Jura asked cautiously. "There is obviously a path that is right and wrong."

"Naruto is not the one who dictates which path is right for us."

Makarov stopped walking and stared at Naruto. The clone to be precise. It was standing on his path, sitting on a boulder with hands folded across its chest and an empty mask across its face. So different from the look that had graced him when he was with the others.

"I should have expected for you to appear before me."

"Well, there are issues to talk about."

Makarov narrowed his eyes. Naruto did have some special interest in Fairy Tail. He must know about their secret. The Empire had been after the power in the first place after all.

"Do you want it as well?"

The clone waved its hand. "Not at all. It would have been taken long ago if that was the case. Zeref told me enough to let me know that it was magic if limitless possibilities. That is a power no human should possess. Power corrupts. Even I have been corrupted by my own power. When you are too powerful, you care for nothing. Nothing moves you. You're not bound by any rules. After all, you can do whatever it is that you want and one will stop you."

"Wise words but you don't seem to care about anything or anyone. Your interest in Erza is the odd part but it doesn't change anything."

"Erza is another issue."

"She is my child."

"I understand that. But must that be what worries you now? You must be thinking about the forces that may invade Ishgar."

"You're going to help."

"I'm not going to help anyone. I'm going to do what is convenient for my future. I just wanted to tell you to keep your secret under lockdown. Put runes around it if you must. And prepare. For the time is near."

Whatever his reasons were, the fact was that he would be on their corner. Makarov just had to condition his troops, for war. A brutal one that was going to be. The Spriggan were monsters. Each member was known to be able to destroy a whole country.

"What happens after then?" Naruto wasn't inherently evil. At least the Third Master of Fairy Tail thought as much. But what happens after the Alvarez Empire? What was he going to do?

"Mind my own business. I have no intentions of being involved in the realm of magic. I'm only getting involved now because it is convenient. I managed to live years without making any noise and I can do it."

"Not with your level of interest in Erza."

"Did I seem to be that interested?"

"Yes and you did say you know who her mother is. I suspect you'll still have relations with the Guild. At this case, I don't really want you anywhere Magnolia. My Guild already doesn't have a good relationship with the Council, anything more and they will get their reason to disband us."

Naruto shrugged. "It isn't like they need reasons to do that. But as for Erza, I will see her one more time. In the coming days maybe. My style will not change simply because of the authority of the Council."

"I was afraid you'd say something like that."

Naruto blinked after receiving the memories of his clone. At least, on that side, he has cleared things. Or maybe he could go on a killing spree and kill the Council members himself. Those people were going to protect the Council. He could also incite Tartaros to do the deed. The Dark guild was going to move soon anyway. It would be better to make it move while the Wizard Saints were looking closely at the members. If he went himself, it would just give him a reputation that would make it difficult for him to live his life in peace.

He closed the book he was reading and then pushed back the chair. He was within a library in Irene's place. No one could track him down while he was here. He didn't care of it got her in trouble with August. Zeref was unlikely to matter.

Naruto picked up the book and walked over to a shelve and put the book there. It was a huge library. One would get lost in the knowledge. He smiled. The younger days had seen this place as nothing but hell. He'd never loved studying. Nobody was seeing him. He'd only wanted to do things that would be seen for his obsessive need to be recognized by god damned people who saw him as nothing more than a spawn of the Kyubi. Sometimes the thought boiled some pent up anger in him. He shook it off and walked out of the library.

The passages were dark. The place was just lifeless. He found Irene sitting on her throne, she seemed to be absorbed in thoughts. He stopped in front of her, earning her hardened stare.

"This is your place you know. There is no need to look at me like that. And you're the one who called me here..."

Irene stared. Again, he was leaving. For years, this has always been his attitude. He came and went. Sometimes, there was nothing that he was doing – just sleeping. There was no other friend she had aside from him. For the years they spent together while she was still incapable of transforming back into a human meant more to her than she would admit. Even the miserable days after Zeref had come before her had been much closer. But the one thing remained, he never stayed around for too long.

"Leaving?"

"I've looked at what you wanted me to look at. There is no reason to stay any longer."

"No reason, huh?"

Naruto nodded. "I've sowed seeds with the magic Council and want to see how Tartaros will act before I face Acnologia. But from here, I'm going to meet your daughter. See just how strong she is. I'd like for her to survive the assault. From what I have seen, she is the kind of person who would sacrifice her life for the sake of her friends."

Kakashi would be proud if she was his student. When it came to comrades, the man was willing to give everything. That was of course, something built into him because of the things that happened in war and his own traumatic childhood. Makarov had also created a good environment within Fairy Tail. The place was like an orphanage and that made things simple for them.

"How noble of her."

"You say that like you would not have been the same when you were still Queen. You've only become this because her father betrayed you and attempted have you killed. Maybe if he had accepted it, you wouldn't have lost your marbles."

"Why are you so insistent on this?"

"Because you did not kill her. You loved her enough but knew because of your madness, if you stayed closer to her, you'd do something bad. It is fine, she has turned out to be the kind of person who'd murder her own mother to save her real family. Not some stranger coming in to claim to be her mother. There is nonetheless room to improve things. You'll make the effort and won't send someone to kill you, will you?"

Irene stared. "Who knows?"

Naruto sighed. "Difficult people," he muttered to himself. "You hold some resent toward me, don't you? I was your friend and then abandoned you. I should have been around when you gave birth to Erza but I was not around. Maybe if I was, things would have become different and you would not have become this tool to Zeref."

"I've never seen myself as a tool to him."

Naruto shrugged and then smiled sadly. "I do apologize for leaving you alone. I will make it up to you. You are going to live a normal human life soon enough. You will age, enjoy the food you used to eat. And I will be there for you. Of course I also expect you to be there for me as well."

"There is nothing to be sorry about it. I don't need your apology. You're a selfish person who puts his interests above all other things."

"That is false. You make it sound like I am selfish to the core. But I'm a person who has thought of you and even think of others. In the grand scheme of things, I think of me. Either way, I have never claimed to be holy." He smiled, thinking of a look Tsunade would give him if she heard him say those words with a straight face. "Take care Irene. And if you try to face me in battle, I will not show you mercy."

"As if I have ever been at your mercy. You forget who you speak with. I taught you your magic."

"The student can be better than the sensei, my dear Irene." Naruto smiled. He lifted his right hand, waved it and then disappeared in a blur.

Once he was gone, Irene let loose of a long breath. To be filled with hope was a strange emotion. For years, she'd thought it was impossible. Over 400 years she accepted she would never be human again. There had been hope when Zeref appeared, but reality had simply crushed it, brutally so that she'd never thought she would hope again. Naruto was many things, a sadistic person who enjoyed watching others squirm, he was not. That was her role. Maybe to fill her own void and pleasure her corrupted heart.

After a moment, Irene managed a smile. A small tiny smile that lingered for a couple of seconds.

She dared to hope.

Naruto stared up into the clear heavens as he walked away from the Alvarez Empire. Things would be taking a different corner now. He would have to be a little serious. It was a little sad that he hadn't been able to see Brandish. But with the current climate, it was better to stay away from the girl. Lest he come across August and then stoke some fireworks. Maybe it was necessary now but not yet. He needed to see where other plays had their characters before he could make any movements. Surprises had their thrill for making things interesting but at this time, he didn't need them.

He could do with some predictability.

"Who do you suppose we should see with the Five so called Gods?" Naruto asked with a hint of disdain. Gods? They were cowards who hid in fear of Acnologia.

"The son of Igneel is a problem. He will try to fight you."

Very likely. That sadistic muscled dragon had no love for humans. In fact, he burnt down any town he so liked. Yet managed to keep a low profile because he could not afford to attract the attention of the King. Laughable. A god hid from a King. Maybe he could accept their cowardice. The Dragon of apocalypse was a force of nature that couldn't be stopped just by anyone, even a god.

"No doubt. But it wouldn't hurt snuffing out his flames and then standing on his chest." Naruto could already imagine watching the man glare at him heatedly while spitting out curses and threats to incinerate him the moment he was freed.

"Things like that make you sound sadistic."

"Is there something wrong with that?"

Kurama shook his head. "Let us go see that woman. She would be more than willing to speak to you."

"That is no human but a dragon. Admittedly, she does look nice but I dislike her. She may be worse than Irene."

"Is there even a comparison?"

"I guess not…" Naruto replied in thought. "I guess we will go see her now and then head to the temple. I must nevertheless send a clone to Magnolia to see Ezra. And another to shove the Empire into action."

"You're forgetting about Tartaros."

Naruto sighed. "Too many things to do."

It was nevertheless his fault. He wanted to handle things all at once as if he was an omnipresent god. With the dark guild, he only needed the book of E.N.D and it would be well. But trying to get them on the move or the Council would be difficult. Not unless he played a trick and convince them that the Council was on the hunt for them. For demons, it would become of a case of get them before they get us. Or he could just seal all of them in a bubble and mind his own business.

However the main reason for even trying to get the Wizard Saints on the move was to try to remove this problem. He would not do it himself because it was not worth it.

"The clone that speaks to Ezra will visit their Guild. They are after me, so it will make things interesting."

"Just don't complicate things."

"Of course. We must now preach caution and eradicate carelessness that once characterized our attitude."

"Our? You were the careless one. You could sleep anywhere without even caring about being harmed while you do so."

Naruto shrugged. It was not carelessness. When you have walked around the world for too long without finding any human with a decent magical presence to be a challenge, you stopped seeing the entire race as threats. He had even come to develop a soft spot for humans, seeing them as fragile little things. His leniency had developed because he simply found them harmless and thus they could be forgiven for their actions.

"It is easy to forget everything when you know no human can kill you."

"Are you forgetting about the power of humans? To me you are all just insignificant bugs but I was held captive by humans. Acnologia was once a human. And so were you."

"Rare for you to candidly speak about that sour spot in your pride. But I guess in this situation, it is necessary. Let us go see the moon."

"You like that woman?"

"You're being ridiculous. And I have already stated that she is not a woman but a dragon. Very dangerous but she at least won't burn everything around me just to entice me to a fight. What concerns me the most is that we do not know much about her abilities."

"She does well to hide them."

"Yet, not yet powerful to defeat the others herself. There can be no doubt that she is an unpleasant woman. Irene is even better. Perhaps because Irene is weaker compared to her." Naruto smiled, just thinking about Irene's expression if he were to state something so ridiculous before her. Did she even know about their existence? They've done well to hide – hiding from the one dragon who could turn them into memories.

"You've become arrogant, Naruto. I hope this won't come to bite you in the end."Serene was surprised to see Naruto chilling in her warm waters, a saucer at hand. He was so relaxed you'd think he owned this place and it was his beloved home. What surprised her wasn't that he was here, but that she hadn't sensed him arrive. With his magical presence, it was almost implausible for him to sneak up on anyone. Not even if her deep sleep could she miss if he walked up to her. After all, his true magic was something that caused shivers down to anyone's spine. There was just the eerie malevolence about it that creeped all around him.

She stared for a couple of moments, wondering why he was here. When she couldn't get an answer, she spoke.

"This is a lovely surprise, Naruto-chan." She spoke with nonchalance. She didn't mind that he was naked, just covered by the waters. If anything, he was likely to invite her inside the water.

"Well, I like surprising people." Naruto responded in a flat tone. There was no emotion in his voice, and his expression was just expressionless. "How long has it been?"

"More than 25 years at least. I didn't think you'd come again." Then again, for humans it was lifetime, but for her, the those numbers didn't dent her age. She wouldn't even be surprised if Naruto had even spent half of those years slumbering.

"That long, huh?"

"Yes."

"Well, don't just stand there. Strip up and join me, Lady. We have things to discuss."

"It must be important if a careless person is looking so serious." She hadn't seen him like that. The moments she had seen him, he had a smile and was shrugging with nonchalance even when he battled with her. There had been moments she thought of attacking from behind, but he just seemed to be intentionally open. Without even trying, she had known, even if he looked careless, any attack surprise attack on his life would be repelled.

"It is."

Serene thought for a second. She refused to strip for him but sat at the edge of the spring. She dipped her legs into the water and stared at the blond. There was no peace within her while he strolled around freely. His existence was in the same level as that of Acnologia. But more dangerously because he wasn't just about power. He was capable of conniving thoughts.

"What is it?"

"While I enjoy staring up at beautiful women, you're a person I would have liked to never see again. However, circumstances compel me to be here."

"And I thought you enjoyed my company."

He may look stupid and sometimes do simple things, but Serene had learned Naruto was anything but that. Manipulative he could but, but he did not resort to such measures. She hadn't seen it but she knew from experience that he knew the game and would not fall into its whims. He used brute force because of his power rather than employing tactics. It didn't mean he didn't fool around when it was convenient. After all, he was a man who never showed his true power to anyone.

"Maybe I do… maybe I don't." Naruto paused. Being all serious was so unlike him. He let loose of a long breath, and his expression softened slightly. "What are your plans?" His tone did not change.

"How is that any of your concern?"

"I'm going to battle Acnologia. Either he dies or we both die. In the aftermath, you cowards are unlikely to sit still. Your greatest fear is the Dragon King. If he is dead, you make movements."

"Again… how is that any of your concern? Since when do you even care about what happens in this world?"

And had he just casually spoken about fighting Acnologia to death? Naruto was powerful. Extremely so. If there was anyone who could fight the dragon king, it was him. But whether he could match up to the dragon was something else altogether. Why did he even want to fight the dragon to death? And what did it matter if they had plans? Was he trying to secure the future? It was indeed true that Acnologia existence countered their own and ensured they stayed hidden. If the status quo changed, they would move out of their shells.

Naruto would only worry about them if he didn't know he could survive the battle. He only saw two possibilities.

"And if I said I planned to do whatever I wanted?"

"There is nothing wrong with that. But if it is something that disagrees with me. I will have to kill you." Naruto said. He held out his right hand, held two fingers together and then waved them around. "Warp from space."

Serene's eyes sharpened. The moment she digested those words, she knew there was problem because he was not joking. He was dead serious. She hadn't thought of making any movements because his sword did not move beside him. But when he moved his hand, she felt the space distort around her. It kept her grounded, anxious a little. Black swords, similar to the one Naruto carried ripped from space. They were eight of them, surrounding her body, while a black mist dripped from their tips. Black magical circles formed around her body where the swords pointed.

Targets? She thought mildly.

"Anything my sword cuts turns into ashes. If all those blades entered your body, it would be your end." He created a fist and held up his hand. "Are you a bad woman? Serene?"

"What is the point of asking?" Serene asked calmly. "In this situation, there is only one right answer."

"Indeed."

"Then?"

Naruto snapped his fingers. "Then we shall never have this conversation again." He had an ulterior motive for doing what he did and it had nothing with trying to intimidate Serene. She didn't know that. But that was the point of it all.

"So, you are going to fight Acnologia. You once did everything to avoid him and now you want to engage him when there is a chance you could die as well. Something must be happening."

"Nothing. There is just a time for everything."

"Indeed. Watch your back. If the others know about this, they might think it clever to watch the battle from the side lines and then take advantage of the battle to get rid of you."

"I have no problems with killing people simply because I anticipate they will be a bother. I have lived amongst cruel people without bother. So, I'm telling you this because I want you to dare try it. I'll have more reasons to erase you or anyone from existence." He said calmly and then stood up. Not minding his nakedness. "Farewell, Serene."

"I once thought since coming to this world, you'd returned to that dense and stupid brat you once were."

Naruto thought of his childhood days with a laugh. Those days he couldn't explain things even though he saw them. Those days he thought a blushing Hinata had a cold. He laughed once more. The stupid days. He wasn't exactly a genius. But he had lived through difficult situations and long enough to accumulate knowledge and wisdom to apply. Truly, to be old and stupid was an indictment to the size of your brain cells. At least be old enough and have the wisdom to show for it.

"Let us not talk about past glories."

"Easy for you to say. You want to forget about those miserable days. I can only sleep well because I know what I once was."

"But you will regain what you once were and become the once feared Kitsune. If things were different, you could even go loose for a while."

"I'm not destructive. I never was despite my reputation amongst you humans."

"I know I know. You were living away from humans, destroying everyone who attempted to catch you. That was until Madara came with his blessed eyes and then Hashirama came to say you were too dangerous to be let to live free despite having been alive for long without troubling anyone who didn't trouble you."

"Don't remind me of those bastards. It is a pity that I never got to crush any of them."

"I'm sure you have wet dreams doing it," Naruto replied with a shrug.

"As you do when thinking about that woman." Kurama shot back. "In any case, that was splendidly done. I now no longer have to doubt your intelligence."

Kurama was talking about what he did with Serene. But Naruto was always capable of doing such things. He was just a lot more direct with his actions and words because sometimes beating around the bushes was no fun. He could even decide to sleep and forget about any plot he has cooked up because cunning plots had never been his forte. He was nonetheless forced to go this route in this situation. He wasn't sure what would become of him once he has reversed the time in his body.

"Well, we had to do that. I have also done the same with Ignia when we last met him. With him, I'd always known it would become a problem. Due to the limitations that will come, I may only be able to use it just once a day before it recharges. But over the years, I have created many replicas and means even if I'm crippled, I can at least dismantle those dragons without having to get up. I guess I must thank the Nidaime Hokage for developing the Hiraishin."

"All that is left now is dealing with Zeref and you can wait for Acnologia. You have already sent the signal anyway."

"Stroke the fears? I wanted to just lay siege in the Alvarez but I would rather not have history remember me as the one who started the war. We will speak to Zeref and then go our way to Magnolia before hunting Acnologia to come before us so we can remove that chip off his shoulders."