…
…
…
"…This is my son."
"Yes."
"Like, my blood relative whom I created."
"That's right."
"A seed from my testicles that was implanted into your egg and grew and popped out ten months later."
"Inappropriately specific, but you got it."
Ragna had been sitting on his butt in disbelief for the better part of ten minutes. His legs crossed, hands in his lap, and the look of a child being had 'the talk' with plastered onto his face… along with a black eye brought to you by Silver. So now he was down both eyes.
Along with Silver, Noel, Boruto, Nu, Raven, and Kon had returned to see what was going on. They walked in on Silver squeezing Ragna's balls so hard they looked as if they would pop, and Ragna's voice was as high as a plane. Boruto had to create twenty seven Shadow Clones to pry Silver away from Ragna due to her inhuman strength,
"And Noel, you and everyone else knew about it?" Ragna asked his sister.
"We figured it wouldn't be appropriate if we were the ones to tell you. It should have been Silver, but definitely not like this." Noel explained in an apologetic tone.
"You're like, totally taking this really well, Ragna." Nu pointed out.
"Well, I'm actually going insane on the inside, but I figured I should stay calm on the outside for you guys." He replied.
There was silence for a few seconds. Then…
"MYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhahaha..!Ah..! Ah..! Ahhh..!"
"Ok, got that out of my system."
The hellish wail Ragna emitted made blew back everyone's hair like they were standing in front of a jet engine. Silver walked up to Ragna with Nathan beside her. They boy was looking down at the ground, avoiding eye contact. A typical action for kids who are in trouble with their parents.
"Now Nathan Kakarot Gokuzuki-Redgrave, I believe there's something that Ragna wants to hear from you." Silver strictly said.
"…'m srry." Nathan mumbled.
Silver pulled the boy's ear.
"Ah! Ah! Alright, alright! I'm sorry!"
"Apology accepted…" Said Ragna.
She let go of Nathan's ear and bent down to look the boy in the eye.
"What we're you thinking just attacking your father out of the blue, Nathan? No, better question. Why did you jump into the Dimensional Transporter?!" Silver shouted.
"What was I suppose to do, Mom?! Aunt Noel jumped right in to find that dumbo there! I was just trying to help!" Nathan argued.
"Even so, what you did was extremely foolish! I thought you were at home safe and to know that you've been stranded here as long as I have-"
She paused, then her eyes widened.
"Where are your meds?"
"Meds?" Ragna questioned.
"…"
Nathan didn't respond. He wanted to say something, but he couldn't. He feared his mother's reaction. Sweat was pouring down his face like rain falling.
"…Uhh… Hey, who's the bird?" Nathan immediately tried chanting the subject.
…
"MOROOOOOOON!!!"
Using her lightning speed, Silver got Nathan locked in a chokehold. Nate tried to fight back, but his mother's strength was godly. But that didn't mean he would give up on trying to break free.
"You've been off your meds all this time?! No wonder you went Davy Crockett at the Alamo! How could you not think to grab them before blindly jumping into a portal that flings you across the Boundary?!" Silver furiously ranted.
"Mom, it was the heat of the moment! My body just moved on it's own! Agh! Let go of me! I can't breath!" Nathan ranted back.
'Good to know she's as scary as ever…' Ragna thought.
Silver eventually let Nathan go so the boy can catch his breath. She look at him with a scolding look.
"Hope you don't have plans for the next few days, because when we get home, you are so grounded, mister!"
"Ugh. Yes mam." Nathan replied.
'Don't take that from that old hag! Fight back, you wimp!'
"I'm not fighting with my mom!"
Nathan shouted off into an empty space.
"Nathan? Are you ok?" Silver asked, slightly worried.
"Huh? Oh, uh… Yeah. I'm fine."
While Silver and Nate spoke, Ragna was still trying to process the fact that he was a father. His thoughts races at a million miles an hour trying to answer the one question. How and when did he knock up Silver? Was it that night back in Ikaruga? Possibly. Things did get wild during their Bowser and Peach play…
"Wait a minute, wait a minute! Did this happen back in Yabiko when you came to see Kagura? I thought I used a condom that night." Ragna questioned.
"Well Ragna, they only work about ninety-seven percent of the time." Silver replied.
"What..? WHAT?! WELL THEY SHOULD PUT THAT ON THE BOX!"
"Dey kinda already do dat, ya blockhead." Raven pointed out.
"NO THEY DONT!"
He pulled out a box of condoms out of nowhere and read the description of the text imprinted on them, then fell silent.
"…………"
"WELL THEY SHOUL PUT IT IN HUGE BLACK LETTERS!!!"
"Does he freak out like this all the time?" Nathan asked Silver.
Suddenly, a huge blast erupted from behind the group, nearly knocking everyone off their feet. No one was harmed, thankfully, but the blast set several trees on fire and upturned the earth.
"Agh! What now?!" Ragna exclaimed.
"I thought I sensed your suffocatingly dark power level, you feral beast."
"..! I know that voice..!"
From the smoke emerged a round, hovering vehicle, carrying a strange being inside of it. Ragna remembered this creature very well.
"You! You're! You're… uh… Something to do with the cold... Shit, I give up. What was your name again?"
"IT'S LORD FRIEZA, YOU DISRESPECTFUL LITTLE HEMORRHOID!" Frieza screamed.
"Ragna, you know this creature?" Noel questioned.
"This is the little creep that Relius sent to kill me a month ago. Didn't I kill your ass?"
Frieza rose up from his hovering throne and levitated high above the group. He enjoyed looking down on his prey.
"That you did, Ragna the Bloodedge, and it has been some time since I was so utterly humiliated like that. However, thanks to the Dragon Balls, Relius gave me another lease on life. I'm quite grateful to him."
Ragna grunted. That's how Frieza was still alive. Goku mentioned that the Dragon Balls can grant any wish, even bring back the dead. He thought that was just an exaggeration of their power.
"So they can resurrect the dead. That's not possible!" Noel gasped in denial.
"Now's not the time to fixate on that, Noel." Ragna urged.
"Indeed. Because now that Madara has lured you and the rest of your precious 'United' Army's most powerful fighters here, we can ensure that you won't interfere with our plan." Frieza chuckled.
"Wait. Madara? Madara Uchiha?" Boruto question in confusion.
"That son of a bitch DID lie to us! I knew that crap he was saying was a load of BS!" Ragna angrily stated.
"But then what was the point of telling that story about the Hokage? It couldn't just have been to get rid of us." Kon wondered.
"Hmhmhmhm! Because the Hokage is our target, you fools!"
Boruto's eyes widened in shock.
"The whole plan was to get you fools to come here and have you all destroy each other so we won't have to waste the energy ourselves. The only snag were those Saiyan monkeys, Goku and Vegeta. They could easily pick apart our operation just the two of them. That is where the Hokage and his one armed boyfriend come in."
The alien clicked a button on his scouter and a display appeared before the group. Two split screen showed Goku standing before Naruto deep in the forest, while the other showed Vegeta and Sasuke staring each other down in an open field. Ragna, Noel, Raven, Silver, and Boruto felt their hearts skip a beat upon see who Naruto had to face right now.
"Dad!" Screamed Boruto in fear for his father.
"Naruto! Shit, Goku's the last guy I was hoping he'd run into!" Exclaimed Ragna.
"Any minute now, these apes and human fools are going to start tearing each other to pieces. And once the dust settles, the Hokage will be ours for the taking. Hahahaha!" Frieza lagged evilly.
"But what do you want with him?!" Asked Noel.
Silver wasn't even listening to the conversation. She was in too much shock to. She just stared at the image before her. The image of the man named Goku. Memerios began to flood back into her mind.
"Hey Karrotta! I'm back from my mission! Hope you didn't give your aunt and uncle too much trouble!"
"Just like that, Karrotta! You're a natural at using your Ki!"
"Pretty cool, huh Karrotta? An only man I met on a planet called Earth taught me that move! He called it the K-"
"Mom?"
Silver snapped out of her trance from the sound of Nathan's voice. She looked down at her son and saw the concern in his eyes.
"Are you alright?" Nathan asked.
"Oh! Sorry Nate, I'm fine." She responded.
"What our full endgame is non of your concern, girl. Right now, Relius tasked me with capturing as many of you little insects as I can so you can't get in our way. Though, I personally would prefer to rip you to pieces for what happened during our last encounter, Ragna the Bloodedge!"
Energy erupted around Frieza's body in response to his increasing anger and power. He was ready for a fight.
"No one makes a mockery of the mighty Frieza and lives to tell about it! Especially not a creature as minute and harmless as a human!" Shouted the purple alien.
Ragna drew his sword and readied himself.
"In that case, I'll finish what I started! Then I'm gonna find Uchiha and gouge out those eyes he so proud of!" Replied the Grim Reaper angrily.
Silver also took stance and drew her twin scythes beside her former lover.
"I'm with you, Ragna!" She said.
"Huh?!" Went Ragna.
"That man, Goku. That's Kakarot! My cousin! I don't know how, but he's here, and alive! I've got to save him, but I can't as long as this little shit's in the way. So I'll fight with you!"
"Silver…"
Ragna looked at Silver with uncertainty. He knew that wasn't the same Goku that she knew, and he wanted to tell her that, but this wasn't the time.
"Alright, then let's do this. Just hope you're not out of shape from taking care of our kid!" Said Ragna, cracking a smirk.
"I'm sorry, are you trying to say that I got fat?" Silver question, shooting the rebel a death glare.
'Oops. Walked right into that.'
Frieza took notice of Silver. His eyes darted to her simian tail and he gagged in disgust.
"Seriously? You have flea-ridden Saiyans in your Universe as well?! There's no end to these filthy monkeys! It makes me want to vomit!"
"Enough talk already, let's go! CARNAGE-"
Before Ragna could launch an attack, a dark hole opened up in the ground and dark green chains wrapped around his and Silver's body, ensnaring them in its slithering metallic coils.
"What the?!" Silver exclaimed.
"Mom! Ragna!" Nathan gasped.
Silver tried to break the chains, but they seemed to be too strong for even her strength. Ragna's face twisted with rage. He knew these chains.
"Nox Nyctores: Ouroboros! Hazama!"
He and Silver were then dragged into the black void below, vanishing completely. They got a glimpse of Nathan running towards them in terror and all Ragna could remember after that was Silver pleading her child to stay back.
…
Some time had past, Ragna was finally coming to. The first thing he noticed was that he was lying flat on his back against a hard surface. His eyes still groggy from being unconscious, but he could tell that the room was too dark to see. Ragna groaned.
"Fuck… Where am I..?" He wondered.
Suddenly, a voice filled his ears.
"Wakey-wakey, eggs and that plant-based shit that they dare think is bakey! How did you sleep, Rags?"
Ragna's eyes shot wide open. He jumped up onto his feet and tried to reach for his weapon, but he failed to realize that he was bound by glowing green glyphs. Perhaps an Ars Magus restrain spell. A powerful one too if it could bind him of all people.
"Hazama! Is that you, you little lizard?! Where are you?!
"Calm down, calm down. There's no need to shout. I can hear you just fine."
Hazama's voice was echoing from every direction. Ragna couldn't pinpoint the source.
"Oh, and you're welcome for me pulling you and your girlfriend away from Frieza when I did. He would have vaporized you if given the chance." Hazama casually pointed out.
"I'm real grateful. Quit it with the Tom and Jerry! Come out here! Let's finish what we started back at Sheol Gate!" Ragna demanded hatefully.
"Unfortunately, you're not my opponent now, Rags. I've got my sights set on someone else depending on who wins the battle of all battles!"
What was Hazama talking about? Ragna had no clue what he was saying, but then, it finally hit him as his memories began to return.
"Naruto! Goku!" He gasped.
"Heyo! ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner! Yep. Soon as they're done pummeling each other into dust, I'm gonna swoop in and kill the winner! Though, I really, REALLY hope it's not that kung-fu monkey otherwise I'm screwed. Even I admit that he's a monster." Hazama ranted.
"I'm that case, how about I do Goku a favor and take you out before that happens!" Ragna shouted.
"Hello?! You're. Not. Listening. Jeez, you're as thick headed as I remember you. I may not be your opponent, but I do have one ready for you. Take a look to your left."
He shifted his body in the said direction. Ragna saw someone there. It was dark, but he he could clearly make this person out. A young man, looking to be in his late teens to early twenties. He had high-collared black robes with gold trim, along with a large, flowing white toga draped around his torso, and a pendant around his neck. He has short black hair, dark eyes with black scleras and cracks across his face, and abnormally sharp canines.
'Huh? A kid?' Thought Ragna.
"Our little friend here just woke up from an EPIC power nap so he's gonna need a warm up before the big show. I'm sure he'll keep you occupied until then as well." Hazama cheerily spoke.
"I refuse. There's no way I'm going to fight this man for you people." The young man grumbled.
"Sadly, you don't have a choice. You want me to get Madara? You know what will happen if I do." Warned Hazama.
The young man tightened his fist in frustration and bit his lower lip. Ragna snickered.
"It looks like your little buddy isn't as compliant as you'd like, Hazama. But if you want me to put on a show for you, then fine."
The young man shifted his gaze to Ragna. His eyes stricken with worry.
"Wait. What?!"
"Ok kid, I don't have a lot of time on my hands, so let's make quick so I can-"
"NO, STAY AWAY!" Screamed the boy.
Ragna stopped out of surprise. There was fear in the boy's voice, but it wasn't for himself. It was the fear for another. Fear for… Ragna himself?"
"What the hell was that?" Asked Bloodedge.
"If you value your life, don't come any closer to me." Urged the boy.
"That sounds like a threat." Ragna aggressively replied.
"No, it's not. Believe me, I have no desire to fight you. I'm not working with these people voluntarily."
"That so?"
To the boy's fear, he felt a compulsion surging through his body. He raised his hand and conjured an orb of pitch-dark energy from a dark glyph.
"No! Sir, watch out! DEATH ORB!!!"
He fired the orb at Ragna. The projectile was traveling at breaking speeds, giving Ragna barely any time to react. He thankfully dodged and the orb continued to fly until it exploded in the distance.
"What the?! M-magic?! This guy's a wizard?! I hate wizards!" Ragna shouted in both shock and annoyance.
"AAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Zeref, my boy. You really are something else! The power of your magic is down right inhuman! Is it even stronger than Nine's? I think it may be! Ahahahaha!" Laughed Hazama maniacally.
Ragna's eyebrow arched.
"Wait. Zeref..? Zeref, the Black friggin' Wizard, Zeref?"
"I know! Can you believe it, Rags?! This guy's name is in our world's history books beside Hitler! Dug up this brats bones so Madara could use his DNA to perform his Reanimation Jutsu. Just add water and BOOM! We got ourselves an immortal paper zombie with unlimited magic at his disposal!" Hazama explained.
'I see my wretched name remains even in the far future of our world…' Zeref sadly thought.
"Hold on! Madara can breathe fire, summon huge tree roots from the ground, turn into a giant, hypnotize people, absorb energy through his purple eye, and he has a move that can bring back the dead?! How many powers does that fucker have?!" Ranted Ragna.
"That's not even half of em! But enough chat. Zeref, kill him!"
Zeref vanished into thin air. Ragna couldn't pick up his presence at all. It must have been Teleportation Magic like Nine could use. Ragna had to be careful then. He could appear from anywhere. Bloodedge felt his bindings fade away at last. He sighed in relief and grabbed his mighty Blood Scythe. He began to scan the black void for the slightest movement.
"Where are you, Hairy Potter..?" He grumbled.
"Behind you! Look out!"
Ragna turned his head. Zeref was far behind him and building up magical energy in his hands. The wizard released it in the form of numerous dark energy tendrils that were racing towards the Grim Reaper. Ragna cringed in fear.
'Shit! This is bad. I'm at a disadvantage against magic users because it's the only thing that can hurt the Black Beast! I'm gonna get annihilated!' He mentally panicked.
But then Ragna thought back to all the battles before this, when he would always be in a pinch. His fights with Hakumen, with Nu, Terumi, Relius, Azrael, Nine, Kagura, Izanami, even System. He couldn't win on his own… People would show up and bail him out. Jin, Noel, Rachel, Kagura, Makoto. Even though he would appreciate the backup in the end, the fact he couldn't win using his own strength alone was, honestly frustrating…
'No, don't back down. You've spent the last month training with a demigod samurai, a crazy rubber pirate kid, and karate bigfoot. Plus, you got this freaky new grimoire that hold the True Azure.'
Ragna shook his head and snapped out of his thoughts. He tightened the grip on his sword.
"I'm not like I use to be, Rabbit! I'm stronger than ever before! My days of getting my ass handed to me are over!"
With a click of a button, Blood Scythe changed from a massive sword into an even bigger death scythe. Ragna spun the scythe around in his hands like a fan blade and it erupted in dark energy. He then used his rotating fan to shred the magic tendrils as soon as they made contact with the spinning weapon.
"PLUTO'S GATE!!!"
Zeref was surprised to say the least.
'A defensive move? That wasn't in the description Hazama told me.'
Ragna stopped twirling his scythe and changed it back into a sword. He bolted straight towards Zeref and swung his sword down hard, leaving a trail of darkness as the blade sliced through the air.
"CARNAGE SCISSORS!!!"
Before the blade could touch him, Zeref leaped backwards to avoid the attack last minute.
'He dodged the first one, but this move's a two his strike!' Ragna stated in his head.
'No! He missed his chance to hit me! He's wide open!' Zeref panicked.
Zeref's left hand became cloaked in black magic which he then tried to reach for Ragna and burn it into his body. Ragna raised his right arm and summoned a shield of blue fire to defend from the attack.
"Drive Shift: BLUE ARMORY!!!"
The fire burned away Zeref's hand and, since he was a reanimation made from paper, the flames quickly ignited the rest of his body as well.
'Yes! His body's as flammable as any kind of paper! You wanna make zombies, Madara? Next time don't make em out of fire starter!'
'He took advantage of my body's weaknesses in a way I couldn't expect. Brilliant!' Complimented Zeref.
The two backed away from each other. Zeref used Air Magic to suffocate the flames and extinguish himself before the blue fire could consume him. Ragna grunted in annoyance.
"Guess it'll take more than one try to burn you to a crisp." He pointed out.
Ragna swung is sword up and lobbed a small blast of dark energy at Zeref. The Black Wizard erased it using a spell, but he then noticed that Ragna vanished. He looked up and saw his opponent high above him. The blast was a diversion. Ragna cloaked his sword and dived down at Zeref like a meteor.
"NIGHTMARE EDGE!!!"
Zeref teleported away and all Ragna's attack did was turn up a cloud of dust. The wizard reappeared somewhere else in the darkness only to see Ragna dashing right up behind him, ready to swing his sword for a lethal blow.
The Grim Reaper swung his mighty sword upwards, but it was a pointless attack as Zeref blocked it with a hand cloaked in black magic. Ragna growled in irritancy.
While Soul Eater can consume attacks and effects that utilize life energies, like Ki or Spirit Energy, it can't consume forces like magic. It's why he had such a difficult time fighting Nine way back when.
So he decided to take advantage of Zeref's hold on his sword. Ragna jumped up and roundhouse kicked Zeref in the neck, sending the mage flying.
Zeref quickly recovered. He began to charge magic into his left hand, covering the appendage in dark flames. Ragna performed something similar and cloaked his own right hand until it transformed into a huge black monster claw with red nails and wirings marks running across its surface. The two charged at breaking speeds at each other.
"DEVOURED BY DARKNESS!!!"
"DARK BLAST INFERNO!!!"
The two attacks collided and sparks of dark energy erupted from the clash. Both sides fighting for dominance. In terms of raw power, Ragna had the advantage, but Zeref's magic couldn't be consumed by Soul Eater, nor did it need any of his physical energy to use. Ragna was going to reach his limit first, so he had to think of something. He charged his left hand in black energy and struck Zeref right in the face.
"HELL'S FANG!!!"
Zeref lost his focus, which allowed Ragna's claw to grab hold of the wizard's right hand. Ragna then jumped up and pushed both his dark cloaked feet into Zeref's face, just like his punch.
"GAUNTLET HADES!!!"
Zeref was blown away, tumbling to the ground in a cloud of dust. This was the Grim Reaper's chance!
Ragna lifted his sword up and overflowed it with dark energy. The sclera of his right eye turned black and his iris glowed bright red.
"It's over! GETSUGATENSHO!!!"
He swung his sword down and fired a slash-shaped beam of pitch black energy. It was hurdling straight towards Zeref too fast for the mage to react. It exploded in a massive blast, consuming the wizard totally.
The dust soon settled and Zeref was seen on his knees. His paper body regenerating slowly from the injuries. Ragna was out of breath. All that, and Zeref could still regenerate. Zeref stood up, a look of astoundment covered his face.
"Very impressive, Ragna the Bloodedge. You exceeded my expectations of your strength. No wonder Hazama finds you dangerous." Complimented the wizard.
"Save your compliments, kid. I'm not done here yet, not until I make you stay down permanently." Ragna replied menacingly.
Zeref only smiled warmly.
'Such determination, and he has the power to support it. And although he hasn't show it, I sense that he has great compassion for others in his heart… Just like Natsu.'
"I underestimated you. Despite not having any magic power, you can hold your own against me and my Death Magic." Zeref said gratefully.
"Yeah well, I got a whole bunch of people counting on me to help the save the friggin' Multiverse, so I can't just lie down and take it. This is gonna be the lamest thing I've ever said but…"
Ragna twirled his sword before resting it on his shoulder. Blue flames erupting from the mouth ornament on his right shoulder.
"I guess you could say my magic is never giving up."
Zeref's eyes widened. Shock sweeper his whole body. Those words. He's heard them before. It was long ago. Before his final battle with the wizards of Fairy Tail.
…
*Flashback*
…
Zeref Dragneel's story is not for the faint of heart. It started back when he was small. He and his little brother, Natsu, lived with their parents in a small village. They were happy… but happiness never lasts. Then came that day… The day their home was attacked by dragons.
Zeref survived. His brother and parents however… Zeref fell into darkness after. He spent years studying all kinds of magic. From recovery magic to the darkest, most forbidden spells, he became obsessed with bringing back his little brother. Inadvertently making himself immortal in the process.
Finally, Zeref's goal became reality as Natsu was born again. However, after studying such unholy magics and harming so many people. Zeref did not wish for Natsu to follow in his fate. So, he left him with an old friend. Igneel. King of the Fire Dragons and among the few kind dragons in the land.
The years that followed only added more darkness onto Zeref's heart. In truth, he was a kind and gentle person, not wanting to hurt anyone, but his powers would go out of control at any time. He hurt so many people, such as his lover, Mavis.
Zeref lost all hope… Until one day.
He had crossed paths with someone. A swordsmen, just like Ragna. One who also lacked magic power. Zeref battled this mysterious swordsmen, yet despite how hard he fought, non of his attacks hurt this person. It was as if this swordsmen was born to fight magic users.
After being brought to his knees, Zeref explain his some of his situation to the swordsmen. His immortality, his brother, the rules he had broken. The swordsmen spoke, or rather yelled at him angrily.
"Cry me a river, pal! If you wanna find away to get rid of this curse of yours, then turn to the people you care about and ask for their help! Then you can stone for the things you've done!"
Zeref then replied with. "It won't even matter… I've already given up hope…"
"Shut up! Even if they reject you asking for their help, there's always a way to overcome the impossible! A way to cure yourself! A way to make amends with the brother you left! The girl you killed! Stop complaining and actually do something, damnit!
Take it from me! I was born with no magic, but still managed to kick your sorry ass, didn't I? So nothing's impossible! Now patch yourself up and go see your brother! And don't run away this time!"
The swordsmen left Zeref with that and began to walk away. Zeref stood back up and called out to him.
"Wait! You truly believe that? That such a possibility exists? Despite all odds?"
"You bet, you jerk! I'm proof of that! Because even without traditional magic power, I plan to make my dreams a reality!"
Tears ran down Zeref's face.
"What even is your goal? In fact, I don't even know your name."
"Zeref, right?"
The swordsmen turned around. He tugged on his black robe with a bull skull on it.
"My name's Asta! I plan to become my kingdom's next leader of our Magic Knights! The Wizard King!
And I'm not gonna let anything stop me! Not even you, Black Wizard or whatever you call yourself! BECAUSE MY MAGIC IS NEVER GIVING UP!"
It was that swordsmen, Asta, who renewed Zeref's hope in Natsu defeating him. And you know what? He was right.
Both Natsu and Zeref clashed. They pushed past their limitations in a clash of the ages, right in the middle of the Fairy Tail guild hall.
"FIRE DRAGON KING DESTRUCTION FIST!!!"
"DARK BLAST INFERNO!!!"
"ZEREEEEEEEEF!!!"
"NATSUUUUUUUUU!!!"
…
*Present*
…
Zeref smiled.
"Huh? What's with the grin?" Ragna asked, feeling slightly uncomfortable.
"You just remind me of a friend. That's all."
After the reply, Zeref took a stance and began to make signs with his fingers. He was channeling magic around him.
"Are you ready to continue, Grim Reaper? I'll help you past my attacks as much as I can."
Ragna was silent for a moment. He swung his blade and transformed it into a massive scythe, cloaking the blade with blue fire.
"You know, the books said you were like this evil wizard and all, but there's actually a decent guy under there. I look forward to meeting him once I figure out how to kill you."
The two charged. Zeref still smiling warmly.
'Even years past, I can tell your influences remain in the generations to come. I know there is hope for the Multiverse so long as this man exists…
Thank you for keeping our world save for his arrival… Igneel, Mavis, Layla, my dear little brother, Natsu, and…
My first true friend… Asta.'
Next time
We head back to see how Naruto fared against Ichigo, and how he ended up crossing paths with Goku. The battle of the ages closes in fast.