Chapter 28: A Gathering of Powers II: Revelations


Ichigo and Orihime stood beside their son, Kazui, while Yuzu and Karin were on either side of the couple. Their eyes gazed at the gathered people waiting for the session to begin.

In front of the Kurosaki family were the members of the Magic Council with Gran Doma in the middle. The old man looked like your archetypal wizard with a long beard, pointed hat, and an elaborate wooden staff. Kazui hid a chuckle when he noticed this. However, he and his parents and relatives could feel an air of authority around the chairman and that whatever his verdict was, it was absolute. That said, the boy knew his father won't be intimidated. Gran Doma was no Genryūsai Yamamoto…and he was definitely no Yachiru Unohana.

The next person of importance was another old man with an equally long trail of facial hair and a strange little bird perched on top of his balding head. His right eye seemed always closed, much to the confusion of the Kurosaki family. However, unlike Gran Doma who held an imposing stature, this person felt gentler and more approachable. His name was Org, 2nd Seat of the Magic Council.

Taking the left balcony just above the councilmen were the Ten Wizard Saints. Thanks to his discussion with Makarov on the way to Era, Ichigo could quickly identify who's who among the many wizards in the famous group. There was Warrod Sequen and Makarov who stood beside each other, the vampire-themed Hyberion, the ever-grumpy Wolfheim, a nun who he assumed was Solaseed, and a woman in a revealing dress whom he guessed to be Cassandra Brosnan. There were two other mages he didn't recognize; one who looked like a robotic knight and a young woman wearing a Rune Knight's uniform. The head of the Kurosaki concluded that these were the new wizards Makarov spoke of. However, what truly caught his attention was the wizard with orange hair in a ridiculous style wearing a fancy white robe with an overconfident look. There was no doubt in Ichigo's mind that this wizard was God Serena.

"To begin this discussion," Gran Doma spoke loudly, getting the attention of everyone in attendance, "I would like to recount the events that occurred in the capital city of Crocus. At midnight on the 7th of July, seven dragons emerged from a gate and began wreaking havoc upon the capital. Based on the reports gathered by Marshal Lahar and Officer Doranbolt, the creatures came through a device known as Eclipse which was created by none other than the Black Wizard Zeref. However, thanks to the combined efforts of the participating guilds, the Rune Knights stationed in Crocus, and the royal army, the dragon threat was eventually routed. Sadly, many lives were lost during that day."

The atmosphere became morose as the wizards present were reminded of those who died during that attack.

Gran Doma continued, "Moving on, it was found out that the Eclipse Gate was in the possession of the Fiorian Royal Family, thereby making them accountable for this tragedy." He said that with disgust and contempt, something the king and princess didn't fail to notice. "Rest assured that those responsible will face due punishment regardless of their stature for justice does not pick favorites.

"However, the true purpose of this gathering is to discuss what followed the dragon attack. A massive pressure, the likes of which the Magic World has never seen before, enveloped the entire continent, thereby literally putting all of Ishgar onto its knees. During that event, our scanners determined that the pressure was caused by unknown energy far more potent than magic."

This caused the guildmasters as well as some of the Wizard Saints to whisper at each other.

"Once more, it was determined the center of this pressure was located in the heart of Crocus. Furthermore, we have eyewitness accounts pointing to this individual," Gran Doma gestured towards Ichigo, "…to be the source of the oppressive force."

"Thank you, Chairman," Org said as he stepped forward and looked at the family. "Good day to you, sir," the old man greeted. "I am councilman Org and I'll be asking some questions regarding the events that transpired a week ago. Would that be alright?"

Ichigo nodded, knowing that Org's tone alone indicated no hostility.

"I would like you to state your names so that everyone in attendance may know who you are."

"Of course," Ichigo obliged. "My name is Ichigo Kurosaki." Directing a hand to the others in his family, he continued, "This is my wife, Orihime and the boy is my son, Kazui. The other two are my sisters. The one in the same black robe as me is Karin and the one in the white tunic is her twin, Yuzu."

"Thank you," Org acknowledged. "Now, about your involvement in the defense of Crocus, mages witnessed magic performed by you and your family which is unknown to many of us. Could you tell us what kind of mages are you?"

"I'm sorry, but my family and I aren't mages," answered Ichigo.

"Oh?" a councilman expressed. "Then what do we classify you?"

"I am what's called a Soul Reaper," replied the Kurosaki patriarch. The term earned him curious glances from everyone in attendance save for his guildmates. "Our purpose is to function as psychopomps, guiding the souls of the dead and helping them pass to the afterlife. For all intents and purposes, I am a god of death."

Silence followed once Ichigo said that last sentence. His guildmates were left slack-jawed at his claim while others in attendance were wide-eyed. However, there were some whose eyes narrowed at what could be considered a preposterous claim from a would-be charlatan.

"YOU DARE SPOUT LIES AND BLASPHEMY IN THIS COURT!" one councilman named Sid yelled. "HOW COULD YOU CLAIM YOURSELF TO BE A…"

The council member's rant quickly ended when Ichigo let his spiritual pressure flood the entire courtroom. All fell under the mercy of the oppressive weight and even the Wizard Saints and the guildmaster were left surprised at the power being exuded. Eventually, the pressure died down, giving everyone present a chance to breathe. The reaper's gaze towards the councilmen hardened, letting them know that he was serious. "That little demonstration shows that I'm not here to tell lies," he stated. "I came here willingly because I know that the world wants answers and that it was time for us to show ourselves. So don't suspect us of lying since this is already a risk we took so that all these people could trust us and that we mean no harm."

Just by looking at the reaper's eyes, Org knew immediately that this Soul Reaper was sincere. Looking at his fellow councilmen, they were still frozen by the effects of Ichigo's power. It was best to continue this discussion before anyone of his colleagues collapse from the shock of such raw power.

"Ehem," coughing into his fist, the old councilor called for everyone's attention. "And I appreciate it, Ichigo Kurosaki," he said, hoping to ease the tension. "With that said, could you please explain to us what was that overpowering weight earlier?"

"What you just felt was the pressure from my spiritual energy," Ichigo explained. "My family and I have no magic containers, so we can't absorb the ethernano present in the atmosphere. Instead, what we use is the energy within our souls: Reiryoku."

"What is this 'reiryoku' you speak of?" asked Babaraki, another council member in a much calmer approach.

"Spiritual power," answered Ichigo. "And the pressure I momentarily unleashed earlier was my spiritual pressure or Reiatsu. Much like magic with ethernano, reiryoku is made up of particles known as Reishi. The main difference between ethernano and reishi is that the latter is the primordial energy that is more potent and destructive compared to the former."

"The scanners prove his claim," councilwoman Noura spoke, confirming Ichigo's words. "Is it possible though to utilize this power?"

"No. At least, not that I know of," answered the hybrid.

"Explain," councilman Loewen demanded.

Ichigo didn't like his tone but replied, nonetheless. "For someone to gain access to their spiritual power, they need to have a strong soul. Even then, the only ability that will be gained would be seeing the spirits of the dead."

Despite what the reaper did earlier, Gran Doma was content with the answer given. He then said, "There were no records of you and your family within the archives of the civil registry. It's rather suspicious for a family of powerful warriors to just suddenly pop out of nowhere. Mind telling us where you come from and where all of you have been all this time?"

It was Karin who answered this time. "We aren't originally inhabitants of Earthland," she revealed. "My siblings and sister-in-law came from a realm ravaged by a war between the gods of death who maintain the cycle of reincarnation and the monks of destruction who seek to destroy that balance. We are refugees, escaping that conflict fifteen years ago and remained in hiding until the Grand Magic Games."

Org stroked his long beard in contemplation. "It was already proven that parallel worlds exist. The fact that we know of Edolas means that we cannot dismiss their claim."

"Agreed," Gran Doma concurred. "That said, I wish to know more about your realm. Would you be willing to share it with us?"

"We are," answered the female reaper. "Our realm is divided into many dimensions. However, there are at least four that are of importance. The first is the World of the Living. The name itself is self-explanatory. The second is Hueco Mundo or the 'Hollow World' where corrupted souls known as hollows thrive. The third is Soul Society which is basically the afterlife. Finally, there's the Royal Realm where the supreme ruler of all creation exists: the Soul King."

"Soul King?" a councilman wearing a hooded garb known as Saban repeated out of curiosity. "Could this Soul King you mentioned be the Celestial Spirit King?"

Out of nowhere, Lucy and Yukino's keys suddenly lit up. The light they emitted shone brightly and everybody had to cover their eyes from the intensity. Thankfully, it quickly died down but not before revealing two figures that now stood next to the Kurosaki Family.

The first one to appear was a young man in a majestic gold and black armor with a blue cape that had the symbol of the constellation Leo embroidered into it. He had short brown hair with two locks looking like animal ears. Finishing his attire was a pair of rectangular sunglasses covering his hazel-colored eyes. This person was none other than Loke in his royal regalia.

The next was a young woman with dark blonde hair wearing purple battle armor consisting of a breastplate, shoulder guards that have a serpentine motif, gauntlets, and a series of metal plates over a skirt. She was the thirteenth spirit, Ophiuchus.

The two Celestial Mages were surprised at the sudden appearance of their most powerful spirits.

"Loke!?" Lucy exclaimed.

"Is that Ophiuchus!?" Yukino questioned in surprise when she saw the snake-like designs on the woman's garb.

The councilmen, however, grew weary of the newcomers and immediately called for knights to surround the duo.

"Who are you and what is your purpose for being here!?" Gran Doma demanded.

Loke simply raised his hand, signifying that he and his partner are no threat to this gathering. "Please, we mean you no harm. We are only here to provide information regarding the spiritual world."

"State your names then."

"Of course. I am Leo the Lion, leader of the Zodiac and celestial spirit under contract with Lucy Heartfilia of Fairy Tail."

"And I am Ophiuchus," the woman said. "I am the thirteenth spirit among the Zodiac serving as the Celestial Spirit King's shadow. I am a spirit under contract with Lady Yukino Kurosaki of Fairy Tail."

"Eh?" Yukino wondered in surprise. "Why is she addressing me like I'm some kind of noble and why did she call me Kurosaki and not Agria?" A thought then came to her. "Wait, could it be because Dad and everybody else are from a noble family?" Her question will be answered soon.

"And we serve as representatives of the Celestial Spirit King for this conference," both powerful spirits stated in unison

This revelation put everyone on pause. The Spirit King sent two of his most trusted allies to be his emissaries. For what purpose would he do that? Was he interested in Ichigo Kurosaki as well? Luckily, Org had the right idea to inquire about this.

"May I ask why would the Celestial Spirit King send representatives to this meager gathering?"

"The king has knowledge regarding the dimensions Ichigo has mentioned. Furthermore, he isn't the first Soul Reaper to have visited our realm." What Loke said surprised everyone even more. "There were many others from millennia ago who had helped the Celestial Spirit World in its time of need, and they serve as balancers to the cycle of life and death. It is for that reason that we Celestial spirits hold them in reverence and that we are here to support this family in case of any ill intent towards them." The lion spirit looked at the head of the Kurosaki family and smirked. "Not that we'd be much help considering they are more powerful than me."

"Heh," Ichigo chuckled. "If your king already knew of my identity, then why didn't he say anything during that time in the Celestial Spirit World?"

"He wanted to make sure you were the real thing since it has been a long time since a Soul Reaper was seen in this realm," Ophiuchus answered.

"I see."

Coughing into his fist, Gran Doma garnered the attention of the spirits and the Family in question to resume the ongoing session. "Let us continue," he said. "Regarding councilman Saban's question, is the Celestial Spirit King related to this 'Soul King' the lady in black told us."

"Not in the slightest," Loke replied like it was a matter of fact. "While it's true that the Spirit King is powerful, his powers are greatly eclipsed by that of the Soul King."

"The being in question is truly omnipotent," Ophiuchus continued. "Dare I say that even the likes of Anhkseram and the Battle Deities are nothing more than children in its presence. However, the ultimate power the Soul King possesses is to see all possible futures like grains of sand on an endless beach and chose which future suits his needs."

On the right balcony, Hisui covered her mouth in shock. She was a practitioner of Celestial magic and have knowledge of the Spirit Realm and the Spirit King. However, the princess never thought that a being of that caliber existed. A power like that would truly make you omnipotent.

"It's called The Almighty," Ichigo stated before adding, "…and the Soul King isn't the only one who has that power."

That was another bombshell Ichigo dropped.

"Who else could possess such unparalleled power!?" another councilman, Mazuu, questioned in shock.

"The son of the Soul King, God-King Yhwach," replied Yuzu in his brother's stead. "He is the Kaiser of the Wandenreich and the progenitor of the Quincy race…" she sighed and continued, "…as well as our ancestor."

"WHAT!?"

"This family is full of surprises," the Rune Knight Wizard Saint named Furena remarked. "What else is there about the Kurosaki Family?"

"Not only that but what did she mean that this Yhwach person is their ancestor?" questioned the knight-like Centurion. Luckily, his and Furena's questions will be answered.

"As I mention earlier, all Quincies descended from Yhwach," Yuzu explained. "Quincies, if you must know, are humans with strong souls that gained special abilities. They can be likened to exorcists since their purpose is to fight the dark side of the spiritual world. However, what sets them apart from your normal exorcist is that Quincies, such as myself, have the power to completely eradicate the soul of any being, thereby denying them the chance to be reborn within the cycle of rebirth."

Gran Doma pinched the bridge of his nose. First were Soul Reapers and now these Quincies. What's more, these exorcists had the power to destroy souls. The closest thing that could accomplish such a feat in their world would be lost or forbidden spells which are hard to come by. This woman in white, Yuzu Kurosaki, makes it sound like destroying souls was an inherent trait in her race. With a heavy breath, the old chairman posed a question to confirm what the woman implied.

"Since you claimed that Yhwach is your ancestor, does that mean your family has Quincy heritage?"

"Yes," Yuzu answered truthfully. "The Kurosaki clan were one of the original noble Quincy families to have existed."

"Wait, did she say noble?" King Tōma suddenly questioned.

Karin then added, "Not only that, but we are also the last members of the Shiba Clan, one of the Five Great Noble Houses of Heaven who governs the entirety of Soul Society."

The king of Fiore was now comically pale. Of all the people he had to piss off, it had to be the nobles who descended from divinity. The lead monarch could only put a hand on the lower half of his face while staring blankly at his knees. Out of instinct, King Tōma took a glance to his left and did not like what he saw.

Princess Hisui felt worse after finally hearing the truth regarding the Kurosaki family. "I can't believe I was that foolish," she internally groaned. "Not only are they powerful but they're royalty too. I must've been too desperate to think properly that time." The princess stole a look at the family of warriors and felt ashamed of herself. She was lucky Ichigo spared her because the look in his eyes that day was enough of a sign that the reaper intended to end her.

Meanwhile, the mages of Fairy Tail were so busy talking to each other after the Kurosaki family revealed their lineage. Suffice it to say, it was truly a shocker.

"So, let me get this straight," Wakaba said to his guildmates and began enumerating, "Ichigo is basically the Grim Reaper, he and everybody in their family are from another dimension, they descended from an actual god, and they're noble-blooded. Did I get that right?" He got several nods for an answer. "Damn. That's one heck of a resume," was the middle-aged man's only expression.

"Did you know about this, Mira?" Cana asked the demoness.

"I do," replied the white-haired beauty. "Master and the rest of the S-class wizards have known about a week or so after they joined."

"And none of you told us, why?"

Laxus stepped in and answered, "Because the old man wanted to keep it secret until Ichigo decides to tell all of you. Besides, Lucy also knows the truth."

"Wait, Lucy!?" Gray exclaimed.

"I do," the blonde stellar mage replied. "I was called to that meeting because of my knowledge about the Celestial Spirit World."

"So, you originally speculated that they might be connected to the Celestial Spirit World?"

"We did…and we were somewhat right."

Confused, the ice mage probed further. "What do you mean?"

"Loke explained it further and even then, it was minimal," Lucy answered Gray. "What you heard from Ichigo right now was the same explanation he gave to us that day. After the Grand Magic Games, masters Makarov and Mavis called for another meeting to discuss the appearance of Hell's Gate." Her face then turned sullen, recalling the dark secret she learned that rainy day.

"Huh? Why the long face?"

"It's nothing," Lucy dismissed.

Gray noticed that she was avoiding the subject. He was about to ask when Erza called for him to stop.

"Leave it alone, Gray," the scarlet knight told.

"Why?" questioned the stripper.

"The topic still leaves a bitter taste in us, especially to Lucy," Erza explained. "There are some secrets regarding the spiritual world not meant for everyone to know. After he told us some of those secrets, we often wish we could just forget it."

With that answer, the Ice Make wizard finally stayed quiet and accepted the redhead's words. While he stopped asking Lucy and Erza, the others continued their own discussion such as Elfman talking to Lisanna and Natsu.

"Do you guys know about this?" inquired the middle Strauss.

"Natsu and I knew they were royalty thanks to Karin and Yuzu," said Lisanna before adding, "We had a vague idea that they weren't from around here when the masters were planning for the dragon attack."

The buff man nodded and then asked Natsu, "How about you? Weren't your team the first people they made contact with?"

"Yeah," confirmed the Fire Dragon Slayer. "They explained to us back in Aldebaran what they are. However, the thing about them being nobles was something we learned while trying to rescue Lucy and Yukino back in the underground dungeons. This is the first time I learned that they're refugees– Woah, easy there."

Lisanna suddenly felt light-headed again but luckily, Natsu was there to support her. "Thanks, Natsu."

"Don't mention it," the pinkette said with a smile. He had an arm around his partner's waist while she slightly leaned on him. "Do you need anything?"

The teen was tapping her chin when an idea came to her. "I could use some of Orihime's cooking when we get back to Magnolia."

"I'll be sure to tell her then," Natsu promised.

However, the two lovers felt a cold chill travel down their spine. They slowly turned their heads around to see a hulking shadow staring down at them. It was none other than Elfman gritting his teeth and grinding his knuckles together.

"We're going to have a talk when we get back to Magnolia, Natsu," Elfman declared with a dark aura over him.

While Elfman was still in his "big brother mode," an idea pooped into Wendy's head regarding their new guild member.

"Yukino?" Wendy asked, "You're officially adopted by the Kurosaki family, right?"

"I am," answered the Quincy trainee. "Why'd you ask?"

"Well, since they're a noble clan, wouldn't that make you some kind of princess?"

"EH!?" Yukino exclaimed. Her…a princess!? The silver-haired girl quickly tried to dismiss the bluenette's assumptions. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Wendy. I'm not cut out to be a princess."

"You know, she is kind of right," Happy chimed in.

Considering the blue Exceed's mischievous nature, Yukino just lost all hope of diffusing the situation. It didn't help that Carla came and butt in.

"Technically speaking, you are part of a noble family now, Yukino, making you a princess," the white cat expounded.

"Don't I get a say in this?" questioned Yukino rather desperately.

Happy just shrugged. "That's what you get for being adopted into a family of nobles."

Yukino eventually gave up arguing with the cats and hung her head in defeat.

Gran Doma once again called for the full attention of the audience so that the questioning would continue. This time, his focus was on the other white-robed woman present: Orihime Kurosaki.

"Mrs. Kurosaki," the chairman of the council spoke, "…would we consider you a Quincy as well?"

"No, chairman. I am neither Quincy nor Soul Reaper. Instead, I am what's called a Fullbringer."

"And what is a Fullbringer?"

"We are similar to Quincies in the sense that we are spiritually aware humans. However, that's the only similarity we have with Quincies. What makes a Fullbringer different is that we can manipulate the souls within matter."

"I'm sorry," councilman Saban interrupted. "Are you saying that everything has a soul?"

"That's right," Orihime confirmed. "Everything, even rudimentary objects such as a chair or even water possess souls, however small. We Fullbringers pull on the souls of these objects to manipulate their physical characteristics or their movement. I can show you a demonstration if you want."

"Please do," Org obliged.

Orihime's hairpins began to glow before scattering into six bright lights that revolved around her before becoming the familiar fairies they were known for. "This is the Shun Shun Rikka or the 'Six Flowers of the Hibiscus Shield.' By pulling on the soul within my hairpins and combining it with my own spiritual energy, I can transform them into these six fairies that can create shields that heal, defend, and attack."

"Fascinating!" exclaimed the one-eyed councilman. Content with the demonstration, Org allowed the Fullbringer to revert her fairies back to hairpins. "Thank you for the demonstration, Mrs. Kurosaki."

"You're welcome."

Councilman Sid abruptly asked, "So, to clarify, aside from your wife, all of you have Quincy and Soul Reaper lineage, correct?"

"Correct," confirmed Ichigo. "Although, it's a bit more complicated than that."

"Mind explaining further?"

"Our mother, Masaki Kurosaki, was infected with hollow reishi when she was in her teens. Hollow reishi is deadly to Quincies so to save her life, our father, Isshin Shiba, bonded his soul to our mother's, sacrificing his Soul Reaper powers to save her life. What that did was it merged these different powers and when we were born, they were passed down to me and my siblings."

"So, you're basically these three races rolled into a human body."

"Yes. That makes us first-generation perfect hybrids. Although, the majority of those powers went to me. My sisters still exhibit some traits, however, most of them are recessive."

"Then what does that make your son?"

"A second-generation perfect hybrid whom I admit might have more potential than I do, considering he has Fullbringer lineage from his mother."

"I see." The councilman dragged his hand over his face, regretting asking the Soul Reaper. "This just got more complicated."

Within the ranks of the Wizard Saints, Warrod Sequen couldn't help but chuckle at the council for having so many bombshells dropped on them. "They surely are one interesting family," remarked the plant-like mage.

"You can say that again," Makarov muttered.

"How did you manage to get a hold of these people, Makarov?" asked Hyberion.

"It was Natsu's team that managed to find them…or more precisely, the Kurosaki family saved them from a hollow. At first, they didn't want to join, but after a suggestion from Wendy, some convincing, and the fact that Ichigo can't say no to Orihime and Kazui, they came back to Magnolia and joined the guild."

Warrod faked a cough and murmured, "Whipped."

"Now is not the time to make jokes, you withered old fool!" Wolfheim yelled at the 4th God of Ishgar. Sadly, Warrod must've never heard him.

"I know!" Warrod had an idea and called for everyone's attention. However, his focus was more on Ichigo. "May I speak with Ichigo Kurosaki," he called. "I have a proposition for him."

Curious, Ichigo gave his attention to the old wizard. Since Warrod is a founder of Fairy Tail, the reaper figured he could trust the 4th ranking Wizard Saint.

With an elderly smile full of genuineness, Warrod asked Ichigo a question that shocked the Magic Council, the Wizard Saints, Fairy Tail, guildmasters, and the Royal Family. "Would you be willing to take my place as the 4th Wizard Saint?"

Everyone in attendance stared at the humanoid tree and gasped at the old man's proposal. It was a good two minutes of utter silence due to severe stupefaction before those in attendance voiced their surprise.

"WHAAAAAT!?"

As expected, varied reactions were given.

The Wizard Saints looked at Warrod like he just escaped from a mental asylum.

The guildmasters had their jaws kissing the floor.

The Magic Council lost its color and aged for what could be a few decades.

And Fairy Tail almost fell over their seats.

The Kurosaki, on the other hand, looked at each other in befuddlement. Ichigo specifically stared at the century-old wizard in complete confusion at his offer.

"Are you sure, old man?" the adult reaper questioned.

Thinking that Warrod would answer seriously, imagine everyone's surprise at the reply he gave.

"IT'S A JOKE! IT'S A JOKE!"

Anyone with an ounce of sanity face faulted, most of which were the guildmasters and the wizards from the guild Warrod co-founded. The Magic Council just grumbled while the Wizard Saints palmed their faces in embarrassment.

"Kidding aside," Warrod said, once more gaining the attention of the collective, "I am serious when I said I am willing to step down and let you take my place among the Wizard Saints."

There was no hint of deception in the old man. Ichigo was certain the old man was sincere, yet he wasn't sure if accepting the offer would be a wise choice. The title would give him some access to some privileges, but the downside is that he'll be under the watchful eye of the Magic Council – not that he already is given the stunt he pulled.

The reaper glanced at his siblings, wife, and son for any suggestions but the only thing he got was a smile from Orihime, an innocent grin from Kazui, and a pair of shrugs courtesy of Yuzu and Karin.

"Much help that was," grumbled Ichigo until he eventually reached a decision. Looking at Warrod, he gave the saint an honest expression and said, "Though I appreciate the generous offer, I'm afraid I'll have to decline."

Warrod didn't seem to be upset. In fact, he had a knowing grin while nodding to Ichigo's answer as if he knew it was coming. "Then I fully respect your decision, Ichigo Kurosaki."

With a nod, Ichigo thanked the wizened mage before directing his attention back at the council who just regained their stupor after Warrod did that from out of the blue.

Tapping his staff on the ground once more, Gran Doma called for everyone's attention to discuss what could be the last piece of information regarding the Kurosaki family.

"So far, your family has given us insight regarding your world and the many beings that exist within it, Ichigo Kurosaki," the chairman stated, "However, there is one crucial detail we have yet to inquire of you."

The patriarch of the family had an idea of what the long-bearded man was going to ask, and he didn't know if he could divulge such information without stirring painful memories.

"This war you mentioned…what kind of war would force your family to traverse between realities?" asked Gran Doma.

Ichigo let out a heavy breath. He stole a glance at Orihime, Yuzu, and Karin; they were also reluctant to say anything due to the trauma it left in them.

"If I may," Loke raised, "I think it's best if Ophiuchus and myself be the ones to recount the war that led to the Kurosaki family coming to Earthland seeing as the memory of it still weighs a heavy burden upon them."

The councilors looked at each other and agreed to the spirit's offer. Loke breathed and proceeded to retell the battle that decided the fate of multiple realms.

"The war Ichigo referred to was dubbed the Millennium Blood Wars. It is a conflict between the Soul Reapers and a faction of Quincies known as the Wandenreich led by none other than God-King Yhwach."

"Why would this Yhwach declare war upon the Soul Reapers?" Org questioned.

"The Soul Reapers serve as enforcers and the balancers of the cycle of life and death. They are also the first line of defense if a threat against the Soul King emerges."

"Are you implying that the goal of the Wandenreich was the Soul King himself?" councilor Mazuu asked.

"Yes," the lion spirit replied. "The Blood War was declared in a bid to kill the Soul King and take his power."

"But what would Yhwach do with such power when he already has The Almighty?"

Ophiuchus answered the council member. "Though Yhwach is indeed godly, his power still pales in comparison to that of his father, the Soul King. However, the mad god managed to slay the Great Keystone and take his powers, thereby becoming the new supreme being and the lynchpin of existence."

"But why declare war in the first place?" Councilman Sid inquired. "What would be the purpose of taking the power of the Soul King?"

Just as Loke was about to answer, Ichigo spoke first. "To destroy the cycle of reincarnation."

All eyes landed on Ichigo. Minds going blank and eyes growing wide, they all fell into an eerie silence when the reaper revealed the true purpose behind the Blood Wars.

After what could be an eternity of stillness, someone finally spoke up to confirm Ichigo's claim.

"Wha-What?" It was Gran Doma who disbelievingly asked.

"The goal of Yhwach was to take the powers of the Soul King and use it to remold the worlds where death wouldn't exist," explained Ichigo. "He would combine Soul Society, Hueco Mundo, the Royal Realm, the Living World, and any adjacent dimension into the primordial landscape where death is non-existent."

"Is that even possible?" questioned Org, which was something the others wanted to say.

"The concept of death is something people don't fully understand. There is such a thing as absolute death yet only a handful of individuals could deliver such a fate upon others."

"I'm assuming that you and your family are examples of such individuals," speculated Org.

"Yes," Yuzu confirmed. "Our Quincy heritage alone gives us that power. Orihime can also do the same to some extent."

"Can Yhwach cross the boundary between dimensions and reach Earthland?" Gran Doma posed. "Would we even have the power to fight such a threat with our magic?"

Can they? That was the million-dollar question. If Ichigo managed to cross the veils of reality and live in Earthland, who's to say Yhwach couldn't do the same? Luckily, the reaper had an answer for such an inquiry.

"The possibility exists," Ichigo answered which frightened all in attendance. That said, he then added, "However, our arrival here in Earthland was nothing more than mere coincidence."

"Explain," Org requested.

"Our escape from the war was done by piercing a hole through the Dangai or the Precipice World which serves as the passage between realms. Usually, the Dangai only connects the Living World to the Soul Society. Despite that, its boundaries are possible gateways to other undiscovered worlds, or so my mentor had theorized. My family and I escaped by puncturing a hole in the walls of the Dangai and by some miracle, found our way here into your world.

"So, no. While the possibility of others from our original realm coming here exists, the chances of actually finding Earthland is slim to none."

A breath of relief escaped the councilors. The Magic World was itself full of unimaginable threats such as the Black Wizard Zeref and Acnologia. If beings like this mad god Yhwach and his Wandenreich came to Earthland and if they were as powerful as the Kurosaki family, then it would truly be a calamity where there is no hope of salvation.

The chairman of the Magic Council stole glances at his co-councilors. It was clear that each revelation after revelation has taken a toll on them. The only other person who seemed to take it better was Org and even then, the one-eyed man's gaze was focused on the ground. The same can be said for the Guildmaster's League, the Fiorian Monarchy, and even some of the newer Wizard Saints.

With the heavy atmosphere permeating the conference hall, it was best to take a break so that anxiety wouldn't influence what will be discussed next.

"I hereby declare a two-hour recess," Gran Doma announced. "Everyone in attendance will be provided a common room for repose. We will then reconvene back here to proceed with the conference, this time regarding the incident that occurred in Crocus."

Everyone understood the chairman's reasoning behind his abrupt call for a break.

Soul Reapers.

Quincies.

Fullbringers.

The Wandenreich

…And Yhwach.

The first half of the proceedings revealed far greater truths that no one should ever possess. Beings that hold dominion over life and death. Powers so esoteric that they defy all comprehension and common sense, and finally, a mad god who successfully eliminated the concept of death. Heck, they even forgot to mention the Arrancars and the Espada.

It was too much to take in. Even if Ichigo explained that the chances of the Wandenreich arriving in Earthland were one in a million, it didn't alleviate the fact that the possibility is still there. If that happens, Earthland is doomed. Not even the combined might of the Wizard Saints nor the imposing military of the Alvarez Empire will stand a chance. Heck, even Acnologia and Zeref won't put up much of a threat. As it stands, no one on Earthland has the power to oppose the militaristic Quincies and their omnipotent leader save for its resident death god and his family.

One by one, the attendees began to exit the conference room, all heading to their designated lounges. The first to leave were the Wizard Saints and the Fiore family. The former had their own common room while the latter was given a private suite reserved for high-standing dignitaries. The guildmasters were ushered by the council employees into another hall while Fairy Tail was led to a wide room not far from the court.

Before Ichigo could leave, he sensed a ghostly presence floating above him. He wasn't the only one though as his wife, son, and sisters all sensed the familiar spirit. Looking up, he gave the apparition a knowing grin which Mavis answered with a cheeky smile.


While most of the Wizard Saints were in their designated suites, Makarov preferred to be in the company of his children. As expected when he entered the lounge given to his guild, the old man found his guildmates eating and drinking to their heart's content.

"Hey, Gramps!" Natsu yelled while holding a plate full of food. "Come on! The food's delicious."

Makarov chuckled as he looked on at his children while they ate their meal provided by the council. Honestly, he never expected those high-strung asshats to provide so to them considering the trouble Fairy Tail has gotten involved in. Maybe it was Ichigo?

"Now that I think about it, except for the one councilman, none of them demanded answers from Ichigo like some privileged buffoons," thought the wizened mage.

Maybe they were afraid? It wouldn't surprise Makarov if the council wanted to make a good first impression. It was obvious to him that they were weary of Ichigo and the power he possessed. Who wouldn't be? It's no small feat to push the entirety of Ishgar onto its knees.

Oh, and speaking of Ichigo…

"Ichigo!" Lucy called the carrot top as he and the others entered the room.

With a casual wave, the family patriarch proceeded to the busy mages until Makarov gestured for him to come over.

"What held you up, my boy?" Makarov asked with curiosity.

Ichigo first replied with a smirk and followed it by saying, "Let's just say…a playful little spirit caught my attention." Seeing Makarov giving him a confused eyebrow, the reaper chuckled before calling out the ghost in question. "I know you're there, Mavis! No use hiding from us when we can sense you."

And just like that, the bleach-blonde spirit of the First Master appeared beside Ichigo and Makarov. Mavis had the pout of a child that had been caught red-handed. "You're no fun, Ichigo."

"Master Mavis! When did you get here!?" asked Makarov in surprise. The rest of Fairy Tail was also caught off-guard by the ghost's sudden appearance.

Mavis Vermillion simply gave the old mage a playful smirk and answered, "Not long. I just arrived when Ichigo explained the possibility of the Wandenreich coming here. I was going to surprise all of you, but Mr. Grumpy here ruined it."

"Be that as it may, the guild and I are surprised nonetheless."

However, Ichigo let out an annoyed scoff at the apparition's antics. "You know, you should try acting your age."

"I'll have you know that I'm at least a century old," declared the ghost. "Which means that I'm your elder and you should respect your elders."

Ichigo just shrugs and offhandedly replied, "Whatever. I'm not the one who got stuck as a child and never hit puberty."

All eating stopped. Every pair of eyes present in the room focused on Ichigo after he said that. Their mouths hung open while their eyes were wide as saucers. That reply was so savage, that the amount of sarcasm would be enough for anyone to hide away in a corner and cry.

Sadly, that's exactly what happens.

Mavis' face scrunched. Her lips began quivering and her eyes were now full of tears. A sniffle. A sob. This pattern was repeated two more times before finally, the internal dam burst, and the waterworks followed.

"WAAAAHHHHH!"

Makarov quickly scrambled. "Master Mavis, please calm down. Ichigo didn't mean it!"

Too bad because he did. "Nah…I don't think so."

"Goddamn it, Ichigo!"

Shrugging, the hybrid left the third (or sixth if you want to get technical) guildmaster to calm the wailing ghost child. He was about to head for the stack of plates on the dining table when he saw Karin and Yuzu looking at someone. Curious, Ichigo approached the twins to ask them what caught their attention.

"Yuzu, Karin, what are you doing?"

"Looking at something strange," answered Karin. "Is it just me, or is Lisanna acting weird?"

"If you mean 'clingy' type of weird, then nope. I'm not surprised she and Natsu grew closer after what happened," answered Yuzu. "However, her appetite is a little abnormal."

"How so?" Ichigo asked and the sisters simply pointed toward the girl. Nostalgia kicked in when he laid eyes on the white-haired teen. "Is she eating a whole-ass loaf of bread?"

Lisanna was most certainly eating a whole loaf of bread, chewing happily while her partner gave her some fresh juice. That wasn't the only unusual thing. On her table were other food combinations that came straight from Orihime's cookbook. The scene became a little off-putting when she downed what looked like crab meat into a chocolate dip.

"Yup, definitely weird," was all Ichigo could say. "When the heck did this happen?"

"About three days after we came back from Crocus," answered Karin.

"Yeah," confirmed the younger twin before adding, "Although, I think she keeps coming back for the smoked fish over there. The only thing that makes it out of the ordinary is the fact she dips it in a mix of soy sauce and tomato sauce."

"It's like she has a craving of some sort," Ichigo remarked which didn't go unnoticed by her sisters. "I also noticed that she seemed dizzy these past few days."

It got the siblings thinking. The sudden bouts of dizziness and the craving for specific kinds of food. Considering that their father was a medical expert and ran his own clinic, the Kurosaki siblings have some knowledge of certain diseases, ailments, and conditions and their symptoms. They're not certain, but what they're seeing in Lisanna right now were the tell-tale signs of pregnancy.

"What do you think?" Karin questioned her brother and sister.

"It's still speculation but I'm positive she's pregnant," Yuzu stated.

"Well, the only way to confirm it is we either ask her or let her take a pregnancy test which, by the way, doesn't exist here in Earthland," Ichigo remarked. "We could ask Porlyusica to do an examination on her."

"I'm sure there are some magical items that function as a pregnancy tester. Besides, this is all just speculation for now until she's medically examined."

"If it turns out she is pregnant, who do you think is the father?" questioned the middle sibling.

"Should we even ask that?" the eldest Kurosaki answered, his eyes falling onto a certain salmon-haired dragon slayer.

The twins didn't even have to say anything to Ichigo for him to know they had the exact same thought. It was obvious from the get-go that nobody else, but Natsu would be the likely father if their apparent closeness were to go by. For now, the siblings will just let things be. After all, it isn't their place to pry at the privacy of their fellow guildmates.

A little over an hour passed since the court recess. The mages of Fairy Tail were busy mingling with each other either by drinking, making small talk, or just resting while they wait for the session to resume. Oddly enough, no random brawls would spring up considering how rowdy these wizards are. No doubt it was because Erza, who was the guild's disciplinarian; Yuzu, who served as crowd control; and Ichigo, for reasons not needing explanation, were present.

It was all quiet until an official from the Magic Council entered to make an announcement.

"Greetings, Fairy Tail."

"A frog," Ichigo muttered from his seat at the far end of the room. "I know I've seen some weird shit back in my world, but this is just downright ridiculous." Regardless of what his opinions were, he needed to hear what the anthropomorphic amphibian had to say.

"As per the directive of Chairman Gran Doma, the session will resume within forty-five minutes…"

However, what the humanoid frog said next was greatly unexpected.

"…to conduct the trial of the Fiore family and their involvement in the Eclipse incident."