Chapter 19: All that is Unravelled
"Wow!"
The young Madeline gazed at Ichigo with glimmering eyes full of wonder and admiration. Never in her wildest dreams would she be able to meet the one and only Transcendent. It was like meeting your hero and idol for the first time.
As for Ichigo, he felt a bit of unease with all this attention. The little girl was looking at him weirdly. He didn't want to push the kid away, but somebody had to get Madeline off of him.
"Natsu! Lisanna!" the reaper called the parents. "Your kid is looking at me funny."
The interaction caused everyone to laugh at Ichigo's unusual predicament. While this was going on, Makarov and the other high-ranking mages couldn't help but observe the child from the future. At first, they found it hard to believe that the pink-haired girl was the daughter of Natsu and Lisanna. However, once the mages took a good look at Madeline, their doubts were thrown out of the proverbial window. Her resemblance to the youngest Strauss and the son of Igneel is genuinely uncanny.
"I was skeptical at first," Makarov admitted while looking at the child now in the hands of her mother and father. "But after looking at her closely, you can see Lisanna and Natsu in her."
"I still can't get over the fact lava brain has a kid," Gajeel expressed after seeing the similarities between the mages and the time traveler.
"Yeah," Gray agreed. "Who knew the dunderhead would be the first to have a kid?"
"Seeing her gives us hope that there is a bright future," Erza conveyed. It wasn't long ago that they were kids themselves. It was still hard to fathom that two of their family would become parents in the future.
"Uncle Elfman!" Madeline was trying her best not to look startled. Elfman quickly snatched Madeline from Natsu, lifted her, and placed her on his shoulders out of excitement. The poor girl gripped the middle Strauss' clothes for dear life while the bulky man jumped repeatedly. There was no doubt Elfman was ecstatic for finding out he had a niece in the future. That said, his enthusiasm was giving Madeline a bad case of nausea. After a few minutes of the ride, poor Madeline had swirly eyes for being dizzy and eventually fell to the ground.
WHACK!
Elman flew across the bar and crashed into a table, breaking the furniture in two. Everyone who saw the whole thing turned their heads to see who did it and found Natsu with his fist smoking from the impact with the hulking man's face.
"There's more where that came from, you big oaf!" Natsu yelled. "Nobody does that to Maddie and gets away with it!"
"Hey!" Elfman shot back. "I was just having fun with my niece!"
"Well, that's not how you do it!"
Elfman threw a chair that hit Natsu square in the face. Getting up with a snarl, the dragon slayer pounced at the big guy with the other doing the same. What was once a family get-together devolved into a full-blown fistfight that pretty much tore the pub they rented. Soon, everyone got in on the action.
Lucky for them, Yuzu had more pressing matters to attend to.
All the sensible mages sighed in annoyance. As usual, Fairy Tail solves its problems with fists. Lisanna smacked her hand on her forehead while cradling a woozy Madeline. "Ugh…" she groaned. "Why do I even bother?"
Makarov, meanwhile, was ghost-white. His eyes had no pupils, and his mouth was agape in shock. Regardless of the outcome, he will foot the bill for all the damage caused by this brawl. Knowing that the expenses would hit through the roof, the dwarf fell backward and fainted with some saliva dripping from his open mouth.
"Well, that escalated quickly," said Karin, snickering before looking at the unconscious old mage. "Hey, gramps. We still have a problem to deal with."
Jolting awake, Makarov quickly composed himself to address the issue presented by the female death god. "Oh, right. What is it you wish to discuss, Karin?"
"It's about the threat that's coming."
"I see," Makarov nodded as he listened intently to Karin's saying. As more information was revealed, more and more did they realize the dire circumstance they currently found themselves in. The wizened sage looked at the child in Lisanna's arms. If it weren't for her, they would've been fighting this threat blind. Makarov shuddered at the thought of fighting the forces of Hell and a horde of dragons. It was a suicide mission, plain and simple. Still, even with this knowledge, it was best to avert the crisis rather than foolishly face it.
The third master wasn't alone, however. His godmother, Mavis Vermillion, was also listening to the intel gathered. The teen-looking woman began formulating the best possible approach for this calamity. Yet, casualties would be unavoidable no matter how she looked. The only way for them to get out of this mess without loss would be to prevent the Gate from opening in the first place.
"That's the only way," Mavis stated under her breath.
"What is, First Master?" Makarov asked, overhearing the child apparition.
"The gate is the key to all of this," the ghost clarified. "The Gate must not be opened. If it does, then we would suffer massive casualties."
"That's pretty obvious," Karin remarked. "Still, for the Gate to open, certain conditions must be met. One of which is an eclipse."
"Hence, the name. From what you told me, that Arcadios fellow you mentioned revealed that a lunar eclipse will occur at midnight."
"Correct. We still have hours, but I'm afraid they might try to fortify the palace's security to prevent any of us from entering," the reaper then shrugged nonchalantly. "Not that it matters to my sister and me." Karin then decided to change the topic. "I've heard Ichigo finished the games with a powerful shot."
Makarov nodded. The bright flashes of red and blue merging into vibrant purple were still ingrained in his mind. "He did. If I remember correctly, he called that attack Getsuga Jūjishō."
"Damn," the reaper muttered in slight surprise. "I'm surprised the city wasn't obliterated."
Mavis and Makarov were taken aback. Not obliterated? Does that mean Ichigo could've made that blast, which was already impressive, more powerful?
"I can tell you're shocked by the looks on your faces," Karin commented as she began explaining. "Getsuga Jūjishō is one of his most powerful attacks. At full power, it can practically distort space." That revelation was heard by the two masters and the rest of the guild. All eyes were now on Karin as she continued. "Ichigo once shot a Getsuga Jūjishō at a Sternritter as a warning, nearly killing the girl. This is a Sternritter we're talking about and not some run-of-the-mill Quincy but a member of the elite guard."
"He almost killed an elite Quincy with a warning shot?" Makarov repeated just to clarify. "What we saw earlier was comparable to Acnologia's breath attack that almost blew us to kingdom come."
"Well, he was seventeen, and his control was terrible. It still sucks now, but at least he can tone down the intensity if he tried."
"If this is how powerful he is in Shikai, just what kind of being is he in Bankai?" Mavis inquired, still trying to wrap around how a warning shot could distort the fabric of space.
"Trust me, you don't want to know." Karin's reply was honest. She had seen her brother at full power, which is a sight she never wants to witness again. "I consider myself a fairly powerful fighter, but compared to Ichigo? Even my Bankai can be considered cute."
All eyes were still focused on the reaper after she had compared herself to her older brother. Silence hung in the air while everyone in the inn tried to comprehend what Karin had said.
"…Then how would you describe Ichigo at his fullest?" the child-like ghost asked, thinking she knew the answer.
Once more, stillness pervaded while the mages awaited the raven-haired Kurosaki's answer. What they got was not what they expected.
"Cataclysmic," Karin answered. With that, she left to attend a small family gathering.
After being rescued, Yukino found herself in a tight bear hug from Kazui. Despite being just as old as Wendy, he was stronger he let on. It was probably because of genetics, but she wished the kid didn't hug her too tightly right now.
"Can't…breathe."
Kazui didn't listen and just continued what he was doing. He almost lost his big sister to those knights, so it was understandable why he was so clingy. That said, he might be too tacky for the Celestial mage.
"Ummm…Kazui," Orihime said while a blob of sweat appeared on her forehead. "I think Yukino needs a bit of a breather."
"Huh?" Confused, the boy turned to his adoptive sister to see her purple-faced. "Whoops," he said and quickly let go.
Yukino managed to catch her breath. However, it was only a brief moment of reprieve when Orihime wrapped the girl in her arms and stuffed her into her chest. The Celestial mage realized that her new mother had a bigger bust size than hers.
"Orihime, you're also doing the same thing," Yuzu reminded to which the woman quickly let go.
"Whoopsie," Orihime was smiling sheepishly. "Sorry."
"Like mother, like son," Ichigo commented with a smile. His gaze then turned towards his adoptive daughter, sporting a concerned expression. "Are you alright, Yukino?"
Yukino blushed. She still wasn't used to all the worry she was getting. The Celestial mage felt ashamed of herself for getting into trouble. "I'm sorry."
"What for?"
"For causing all this trouble and making all of you worry."
The reaper just sighed. The girl was blaming herself for this trouble when, in fact, she had no control over it. Ichigo approached Yukino and placed a hand on her head. He looked at her with warm, caring eyes that put her at ease. A small gesture but one with significant impact. "It's alright," he assured her. "It's not your fault, so don't beat yourself about it."
"But…."
"No, buts," Ichigo stated firmly. "If anyone is at fault here, it is me. I should've been more careful. In fact, I should've never let you go there, but my need to solve this conspiracy took more priority than your safety."
Yukino squirmed from all the embarrassment and attention. It has been a long time since she experienced any form of affection, be it familial or otherwise. Though appreciated, she still feels uncomfortable.
"Go spend the rest of the night with the rest of the guild," Ichigo advised. "You've had a rough time. Just go and enjoy being with friends and family."
Yukino did as she was told. Before she got outside, Yuzu and Karin opened the door, intending to discuss the unfolding events. But before that, they ruffled the Celestial maiden's hair before letting her go mingle with the rest of the Fairy Tail mages.
Now, all that was left were the five Kurosaki members. Once the truth about the Eclipse Gate was unraveled, they decided that while the guild would develop a general plan, they'll enact a contingency if things went pear-shaped.
"How's Yukino?" Ichigo asked the twins. Considering what the girl went through, he worried that her daughter might have been traumatized.
"Don't worry, bro," Karin assured while pulling a chair and sitting down. "She's tougher than she looks. Honestly, you worry too much for all of us."
"I wouldn't be a good brother if I didn't."
"Well," Karin shrugged, "…we all know that's not true. Anyway, let's get to the heart of the matter. Yuzu?"
"Right," the Quincy twin nodded and then began explaining. "Our encounter proves that the dragons that'll invade Ishgar came from the Gate itself. Not only that, this is a ploy constructed by a future version of Rogue Cheeney."
"The guy from Sabretooth?" Orihime asked.
"Yeah," Yuzu replied and then continued. "We don't know the reason, but I think he's been manipulating the princess for years…."
"Which means that he's been here since the game's inception," the family's matriarch concluded.
"Be that as it may, there is still the reason why he's doing this." Ichigo stood up from where he sat, letting Kazui take his place beside Orihime. "What could he possibly gain by unleashing ten thousand dragons?"
"We don't know," the Soul Reaper twin admitted. "We haven't got the chance to capture him after he tried to kill Madeline."
"So, what are we going to do?" Kazui asked, gaining the attention of everyone.
"We do what we always do," the family patriarch replied confidently. "We protect our friends and family. We'll do it no matter how difficult it seems. And if push comes to shove…." Ichigo pulled his robe to the side, revealing a black drawing of his deputy badge. The others did the same, and each one had a unique emblem on their person.
Kazui had the crescent moon over a six petal flower.
Orihime had the image of her hairpins.
Yuzu had the Quincy cross.
Finally, Karin had the Shiba Clan insignia.
"…we release our limiters."
"You do realize, we only do this as a last resort," Orihime reminded.
"I know. That said, there's an off chance that things might escalate too quickly."
"I can't help but agree with you." Yuzu expressed. She had to admit, despite her power, she would eventually be overwhelmed if swarmed by a hoard of dragons all at once. "If we fail to stop the Gate from opening, we need all the power we can muster to hold the hoard back."
"It's the Togabito I'm worried about," Karin interjected. "I'm confident that if a handful of dragons managed to pass through the Gate, we could put them down with little help from our guildmates. If the Gate of Hell decided to open, then shit will definitely hit the fan."
"Kazui," Ichigo called his son. "Mind getting the Swear Jar over there?" his finger pointed to the glass container full of money. Kazui casually strode to the drawer where the infamous jar was sitting.
Karin groaned and grumpily grabbed some jewels from her pocket and placed them inside the jar once Kazui held it.
"You really need to watch your mouth, sister," the younger twin reminded while preventing a smile from forming on her face.
"Oh yeah? Like you haven't cussed before," the raven-haired woman shot back with a smirk.
Yuzu was taken aback. Her older twin referred to an old memory, and it seems she, and to some extent, Ichigo, still kept bugging her about it. "THAT WAS ONE TIME!"
"It made good blackmail material, though."
Ichigo sighed as she watched his two sisters bicker. Although entertaining, there were still matters that needed to be resolved. The eldest of the siblings moved to the twins and flicked a finger on each of their foreheads.
"Ow," Karin and Yuzu said in unison. They were holding their foreheads and rubbing the spot to ease the pain.
"Now that that's done," Ichigo then began explaining the plan he had in mind. "Here's the plan. Orihime," he looked to his wife, "be ready for many casualties. Despite Mavis being as smart as Urahara and Aizen, I still expect complications."
"Of course," Orihime nodded. "If need be, I can cast Sōten Kisshun on the whole city."
"Just don't overexert yourself, honey."
"Thanks, dear."
Ichigo's gaze then landed on his sisters. "Karin and Yuzu, you two will take charge in fighting any dragons you see. Don't pull your punches. The sooner we eliminate the target, the higher the chances that lives could be saved."
The twins stared at each other before showing their agreement with the plan.
"Kazui." The boy stood at the ready, prepared to do what his father asked of him. "There's no doubt Lucy and Yukino will return to the palace and get their keys. I'm also certain that Mavis will be sending a squad to prevent the opening of Eclipse. My task for you is to go with them and ensure their mission is successful. Make sure your big sister and our guildmates return unharmed. Unless they send someone like Laxus or Erza, you're the strongest person who'll be participating in the retrieval."
"Sure, dad!" chirped Kazui.
With that done, they decided to join the rest of Fairy Tail in preparing for the looming threat.
Ichigo looked at the time on the wall…
7:26 P.M.
They only have at least four and a half hours before midnight. Time was running out. Suppose any more complications arose before Mavis' plan could be enacted. In that case, he'd doubt they'll be walking out of this conflict in one piece. The more Ichigo thought about it, the more he concluded that he may have to unleash Bankai if necessary.
As he listened to the first master, Ichigo observed the various expressions of the wizards present. It was clear that everyone, including the S-Class wizards, was on edge. He couldn't blame them. This was the most significant threat the magic world had ever seen. Of course, they'll be restless. They don't know if they'll come out of this alive.
To the reaper, though, this wasn't something new. Ichigo had dealt with world-shattering events twice. He was a significant figure in the Winter Wars and Blood Wars, and he mostly fought on the frontlines. The same can be said for his wife, who was why the battle with Aizen started. Karin and Yuzu have experience, but they were more casualties than participants. Kazui was the only one in the family who had never witnessed war. However, it didn't stop him from drilling the instinct to fight and kill into the kid. He'd be damned if his son would hesitate in the most crucial moments.
The explanation was long. Mavis mapped out critical areas in the city that would probably be under attack. Suppose Future Rogue was the mastermind behind the Eclipse. In that case, it's safe to assume that he has some form of control over the dragons he'll unleash. The civilian area, Domus Flau, and Mercurius Palace would be the most obvious targets. These places would have the most number of people, therefore would be prime sources of food for the massive reptiles.
"I have a question…."
All eyes turned to Lucy, who was raising her hand.
"Is it alright if I ask Madeline? She may be the only one who can answer this."
Madeline was sitting in between her parents. She listened intently to the discussion, which surprised her when her name was mentioned. However, the young girl expected questions to be raised regarding the future.
"You can ask me anything," Madeline answered.
"What happened to Ichigo in the future?"
The question was out, and it was a perfect one. Madeline had recounted what had happened to the guild and those who survived except Ichigo. What did happen to the reaper in the distant future?
This caught the interest of the patriarch and the Kurosaki family as a whole. When Madeline told her story to the jailbreakers, she failed to mention anything regarding Ichigo except that he was called the Transcendent.
Now, all eyes fell onto Natsu and Lisanna's daughter. With a deep breath to gain her confidence, she finally revealed the fate of the mighty reaper.
"I…never got the chance to meet Ichigo Kurosaki in my timeline," the girl admitted. "However, senseis Karin and Yuzu told me that if he didn't do what he did, the world would've been overrun by Hell's prisoners. That would destroy this realm's cycle of life and death."
The young time traveler saw a diminutive old man approach her. Madeline recognized right away who this person was.
"Hello there, young one. I'm Makarov Dreyar, the third guildmaster of Fairy Tail."
Madeline bowed, showing her respect for the old man. She's heard stories of the Titan Magic-user, and they were never short of amazing. "It's an honor to meet you, Master Makarov."
"Such a courteous young lady. Clearly, you inherited that from your mother. I won't expect something like that from Natsu any time soon."
"HEY!" cried Natsu, feeling insulted.
"Well, anyway, we are all curious about what happened to Ichigo in the future. If you haven't met him before now, something must've happened to him."
Madeline knew the answer. Although, she was given a warning earlier not to disclose the information. The girl looked to her two soon-to-be teachers as if to ask permission. Yuzu and Karin saw her gaze and knew precisely what she was asking. They agreed. It was only a matter of time anyway.
"Ichigo isn't in my timeline because he no longer exists within the physical plane."
"Can you elaborate that for us, dear?" Mavis requested while approaching the child.
"He transcended. After that, he went to Hell and faced the Warden, thereby preventing any more sinners from escaping."
That answer made everyone quiet. None of the wizards dared to say anything until Grey hesitantly spoke.
"You're…kidding, right?" The ice wizard's voice was shaky. That revelation was just unbelievable.
Madeline shook her head, indicating that she was serious. "No. A Togabito has enough power to go toe to toe with a lieutenant class Soul Reaper. The strongest mages here in Earthland wouldn't stand a chance against one, especially those from the lowest levels. The only one who had the power to stop Hell's forces from spilling into our world was Ichigo Kurosaki. So, he went into that damnable place, sealed it from the other side, and took on the brunt of the sinners on his own."
"But that's suicide!" Cana exclaimed. "I know Ichigo is mighty, but even he couldn't take on the entirety of Hell on his own."
"I haven't told you this," Yuzu interrupted, "…but Ichigo isn't new to dealing with the forces of Hell. I was once kidnapped by Hell's forces when I was younger." That earned the Quincy a gasp. "That time, my brother didn't have full control of his zanpakūto yet. When he thought I died, he went on a rampage and nearly destroyed the place with a Cero Gigantes."
"You're not pulling our leg, aren't you?" Gajeel asked with doubt.
"No. However, Ichigo's true intention wasn't just to hold back the Togabito and other hellish things. His real reason was to fight the Warden of Hell."
"Just a question," Levy raised. "Just how powerful is the Warden of Hell?"
Ichigo and Yuzu glanced at each other. They never had the chance to meet the Warden but based on Kisuke's research notes, the being was comparable to the Soul King.
"Let's just say…the guy's power can be described as biblical."
Karin's answer was so casual that Levy deadpanned at the answer.
While the discussion was proceeding, Laxus caught a term that most of his guildmates missed. It was something Madeline said about Ichigo. Since no one was asking it, the Lightning Dragon Slayer took himself to question the child.
"I have a question, Madeline."
"Ummm…what is it?"
"What do you mean when Ichigo transcended?"
Some secrets aren't meant to be revealed. For the Kurosaki family, there is one secret that they've kept hidden for fifteen years. Now, their new guildmates face a threat that could wipe out all of Fiore. To save them, this secret will reveal the reasons that prevented the entirety of Hell from conquering Earthland.
Madeline again was hesitant. Of all the secrets Ichigo carried, this one was the heaviest. Her eyes darted towards the man in question, and he gave her his permission.
"Alright," Madeline began. "To fight the forces of Hell and its Warden, Ichigo transcended. It means he no longer exists within our plane of existence because he became the one thing that could defeat the Warden of Hell…
"…A transcendent being. Ichigo became a Soul King."
While most mages didn't understand what the young Fullbringer meant, Lucy, Makarov, Mavis, Laxus, Erza, and Macao were shocked as they stared at Ichigo.
"I don't get it," Natsu expressed. "What's a Soul King?"
"Yeah, I'm with Natsu here," Lisanna stated. "What did Madeline mean when she said Ichigo became a Soul King?"
Knowing that the secret was out, Ichigo stepped forward and explained, "A Soul King is an omnipotent spiritual being that holds all existence together. He is called the Great Lynchpin, and he created the realm where my family and I come from. I guess to put it simply, he's our god."
With everything put into perspective, only one reaction came from the wizards who weren't in the know…
"WHAT!?"
"Ichigo became a god?"
"How's that possible!?"
"There are special qualifications to become a Soul King," Orihime began explaining. "Only those with a combined hollow, Quincy, and Soul Reaper heritage can become candidates and take the throne. Which means…"
"Ichigo, Karin, Yuzu, and Kazui are all candidates," finished Mirajane.
The door suddenly opens for Nab to barge in on the conversation.
"GUYS! IT'S THE ROYAL ARMY! THEY'RE COMING THIS WAY!"
"What!?" Makarov roared.
Ichigo sensed the incoming soldiers with his Pesquisa. He also noticed that Orihime and the others were also aware.
"This is bad." Makarov sounded distressed.
"We need to enact the plan right now!" Mavis ordered.
Everybody scrambled. The designated parties grouped together and quickly headed out of the inn, only to find a hoard of knights blocking their way.
"By order of Princess Hisui E. Fiore, all are now underarrest!"
"Was it wise to send a whole regiment to apprehend Fairy Tail?"
Darton and Princess Hisui were pacing through a dark hall. After the revelation and the threat imposed by the Kurosaki twins, Hisui was desperate to ensure her plans weren't jeopardized. She sent the entire regiment under her command to capture the wizards to prevent the guild from foiling the ritual.
"It won't be enough," Hisui admitted. "I'm hoping that it would give us enough time before midnight."
"Fifteen hundred knights and two hundred military mages would be considered too much. However, this is Fairy Tail we're talking about."
"I know. I doubt it would be enough with that family over there."
"You mean the Kurosaki family?"
"Who else?"
The reply sounded irritated. Clearly, the situation was getting into the princess. "My apologies, your highness."
"This is not a time to jest, Darton. Eclipse II is the only hope for the kingdom. I hope that we can keep them away long enough to initiate the plan."
"Where is Colonel Arcadios?"
"With his knights. He and his contingent are transporting the Eclipse Gate outside and protecting it from intruders."
"I have never seen him so terrified before."
"Agreed." Darton shivered when he remembered the knight's frightened face. "To think that someone could terrify a man like the colonel is unthinkable."
"Is it true?"
"What is?"
"That they're gods?"
Darton thought about it. The power he witnessed. The sheer pressure of their presence. No mage on Earthland could impose his will on such degree, except for the Ten Wizard Saints. And after seeing Ichigo Kurosaki dispatch Jura Neeks like a toddler with ease, then it was safe to assume the rumors surrounding the family.
"The white-garbed woman who uses magic arrows," the minister began recounting that night. "She mentioned that my men and I could've died if her nephew unleased his powers."
"Even the child has that much power!?" Hisui sounded surprised.
"He does," Darton answered. "What's more, the woman in white who called herself a Quincy told us that for endangering the lives of her brother's children, we have earned his wrath. Not only that, she gave us a warning…one that even now plagues my mind."
Although unnoticeable, the princess was shaking. She could still hear the warning the twins gave her. Hesitantly, Hisui asked, "What is it?"
"Fear the wrath of the hollow, for it will finally be unleashed."
"The hollow?"
"Even I don't know what that is. However, the way she said it still lingers in my thoughts. It's as if the word brings utter terror to the hearts of man."
"Whatever it is, I hope it is not something that would bring calamity to the world."
"How many of them are there!?"
"They keep coming out of the woodwork!"
"Keep fighting!"
Spears, swords, and magic clashed as Fairy Tail tried to fend off the royal knights. It was a surprise attack ordered by Princess Hisui to buy more time for her plans. They expected that the princess would do something to hinder their attempts at stopping the Eclipse. However, they never anticipated something this desperate.
"This is bad," Makarov said after blasting a knight through a wall. "If this keeps up, we'll eventually be overwhelmed."
"Hey Yuzu, Karin!" Grey called. "Why don't you unleash your spiritual pressure and pin them down."
"Are you nuts!?" the reaper in question yelled. "Do you want to die of asphyxiation? Do you want me, my sister, nephew, sister-in-law, and finally, my brother to release our spiritual pressure simultaneously? Do you have any idea what it feels like to have a planet on your shoulders!?"
"On second thought, let's not do that."
"Let's not!" Karin turned towards the contingent of soldiers. This fight was taking too long. They didn't want to kill anyone, so they decided to hold back much of their power. Unfortunately, it made the ordeal a tad more complicated than it should be. It would've taken minutes if she and the rest were allowed to kill. Sadly, that wasn't the case, and now, more than an hour and a half had passed. "We're wasting too much time!" she shouted. Karin reared her sword, and it glowed an ethereal navy blue glow. "Getsuga…"
Everyone who knew the attack immediately ducked down.
"…Tenshō!"
The familiar blue arc of power blasted through the sea of soldiers, blowing them away and creating a path for the wizards to escape.
"Everyone with jobs assigned by Master Mavis should get going!"
"Kazui!" Yuzu called out to her nephew.
"Yeah?"
"Go with Lucy, Yukino, Mirajane, and Wendy to get their keys."
"Happy, and Carla will assist you!" Mavis added.
"Hey!" Laxus yelled to no one in particular. "Where's Ichigo!?"
"He's making some preparations for midnight!" the archer twin answered.
"What kind of preparations!?"
"It takes time, but once it's done, it'll give us the advantage we need to fight the dragons later on."
"Well, that's good."
Meanwhile, Madeline flickered through the soldier and took them down with precision strikes using her Bringer Light. "Mama!"
"Maddie?" Lisanna turned around and saw a knight about to swing his sword. She could've dodged it easily. However, a certain salmon-haired mage had other ideas.
The soldier flew across the stone pavement and landed hard. There was smoke coming from his face while much of his garments were singed.
"How dare you try to kill the mother of my child!?"
"Natsu!" Lisanna was quickly engulfed in a tight hug from her childhood friend. The closeness made her blush.
"Lisanna. Are you alright?" Natsu asked, his voice carrying concern.
"I'm fine," the younger Strauss assured. "Besides, I could've easily dodged that strike, no problem."
"I just don't like seeing you in any danger."
"Mama! Papa!"
The two young parents found themselves in a tight embrace with their future daughter.
"I'm alright, Maddie," Lisanna kneeled and hugged Madeline. "I'm a lot stronger than you think."
"I know, Mama. Still, I don't like seeing you in danger."
"Oh, sweetie. I can take care of myself. Besides, I should be the one protecting you."
"The same goes for me," Natsu chimed in with a grin. "I'm your Papa, so it's my job to take care of you and Mama."
"Hey, guys!"
The family of three turned to see Karin blasting a knight with a weak Kidō.
"I love the family bonding and all, but we still have a whole ass battalion to take care of."
"You don't have to tell me twice!" Natsu ran towards the knights and began pummeling the first one he got his hands on.
Madeline followed suit and threw fireballs while moving with Bringer Light. On the other hand, Lisanna was curious about Ichigo and Orihime.
"Where are Ichigo and Orihime?"
"Like what Yuzu said, they're making preparations for later."
"What would that be?"
"A powerful spell that could turn the tide of the battle if things do go sideways."
"What kind of spell?"
"It was Orihime's plan. She's gathering the necessary reishi to cast a spell on the entire city later on."
"THE ENTIRE CITY!?"
"My sister-in-law has just as much spiritual energy as the rest of us, but she will be worn down if she exerts too much."
"You have a point."
Karin had a grin. She parried a sword slash before punching the lights out of a knight. "We've put three plans in place should the situation go out of hand. What those preparations are, you'll find out later on. Although, I could give you a clue about one of them."
There was this sense of curious anticipation in Lisanna's eyes.
Karin enjoyed seeing that. It gave them an edge over everyone else. "By midnight, all will feel the hollow's fury."
After Karin cleared an opening, Lucy, Yukino, Mirajane, Wendy, the two Exceeds, and Kazui were racing across the city streets toward the palace. The fighting near the inn took more than one and a half hours, and who knows how many more soldiers they were going to face.
"This is bad," Lucy said while running. "We might not reach the palace if more of those guards appear."
"We've wasted enough time," Mirajane stated. "Let's hurry."
Suddenly, more soldiers appeared on the streets to block their path.
"Goddamn it!" Lucy cursed.
A blur suddenly passed by them. One by one, the soldiers dropped to the ground unconscious. In the center of the bodies was Kazui Kurosaki with his sword unsheathed. Surprisingly, his weapon wasn't stained in blood.
"Kazui?" Everyone asked in concern, more so Wendy.
"Don't worry," the boy said. His tone was so severe that it scared even Mirajane, dubbed the demoness. "I used the back of my sword to incapacitate them. They're alive."
"Alright," Yukino said hesitantly. She forgot that even sweet Kazui can be cold and terrifying at times. "I'm sure more soldiers will appear to stop us. We have no choice but to power through them."
Everyone agreed and continued to the palace.
Just as predicted, they encountered resistance on their way to the destination. They all agreed that they would use non-lethal force. Unfortunately, that arrangement made the trip longer than they liked, wasting precious time. Though Kazui could just use Flash Step and knock the knights out, he understood that the real battle hadn't arrived, and he needed to conserve his energy.
The crew managed to reach the palace gates only to meet another contingent of soldiers.
"You've got to be kidding me!" Lucy exclaimed. She was getting tired of this.
"How many did they mobilize just to stop us?" Mira asked.
"By the looks of it, a whole regiment, I guess?" Yukino answered.
"This is starting to piss me off," Mira growled, her demon side rearing its ugly head.
"I can blow them away," Wendy suggested. "I doubt it'll be enough, though."
The mages felt energy gathering into Kazui's sword. They saw golden flecks of reishi condense into the tip of his zanpakūto. The boy reared his weapon back and slashed the air, releasing the gathered power of his blade.
"Getsuga Tenshō!"
The blast struck and blew away the royal knights in their way. Kazui didn't waste any time and quickly charged at the soldiers, and the others followed suit.
"I've had enough of this!" Kazui spat, annoyed at the number of knights getting between them and their destination. "Oh, Lord! Mask of flesh and bone; all creation, flutter of wings. Ye who bears the name of man, truth and temperance! Upon these sinless walls of dreams, unleash but slightly the wrath of your claws! Hado #33: Sōkatsui."
A torrent of blue fire engulfed the front of the palace gate. The knights standing guard disappeared in an intense wave of blue fire as their screams of pain echoed through the night.
Wendy and the rest could see in Kazui's eyes the frustration building up. The boy's eyes shifted from white and brown to black and gold before reverting to the typical colors. Seeing this happen to Kazui made the blue-haired dragon slayer grow worried. After being exposed to spiritual energy in her bout against Chelia, she developed abilities usually found among the Kurosaki family. One of which was spiritual sense.
There was this reddish-golden aura emanating from Kazui. Wendy surmised that this was spiritual energy. However, ever since they ventured to stop the Eclipse from activating, she noticed these black flecks of reishi flicking in and out of existence from the boy.
"Kazui. Are you alright?" Wendy softly asked the child reaper.
"I'm fine, Wendy," the boy answered. He had a grin that masked his frustration.
However, Wendy could see it clearly. "Kazui, don't push yourself too much."
"I have to, Wendy. We're losing too much time."
The girl understood the need for haste, but the behavior Kazui was displaying worried her. Wendy slowly walked to the boy and gently laced her fingers onto his. Despite gaining a faint blush, the act calmed Kazui down. His breathing was no longer heavy, and the fury he felt gradually faded.
"Thank you, Wendy," Kazui spoke softly. His grip tightened around the dragon slayer's hand. "I needed that."
"There is definitely something going on between them," Lucy whispered to Yukino, who responded with a nod.
"I think we have more pressing matters to attend to than some budding young love," Carla interrupted while floating overhead.
"Carla is right," Panther Lily agreed. "Besides, we don't have much time left."
Suddenly, more guards poured out of the gates, ready to stop them.
"Seriously!?" Mira exclaimed in frustration. "It's like they sent everyone after us, including their dog." She meant that in a literal sense because some knights have magic hounds as support.
"We have no choice but to force our way in," Yukino declared. "They probably knew we were coming, so they must've secured every other entrance."
"How much time do we have left?" Happy asked.
"None of us brought a watch," Lucy answered.
"How about you summon that clock spirit of yours?"
"In case you forgot, our mission was getting our keys back. Oh, and another thing, Horologium isn't a timekeeper!"
"By my estimates, the fighting at the inn lasted well over one and a half hours," Kazui answered.
"And our attempt at breaching the palace is running at an hour already," added Lily. "If this keeps up, we'll never make it in time."
The group powered through the soldiers like they said they would. However, it took longer than they desired due to the restraint they imposed on themselves to avoid casualties on the knights who were only doing their job.
After a grueling hour of fighting more than a hundred soldiers, Kazui and the rest finally managed to enter the palace. They managed to learn from interrogating one of the guards that the Eclipse Gate was being moved into the palace courtyard.
"We're getting close," Kazui said, alerting his guildmates. "I can sense a large amount of spiritual energy coming from the courtyard."
"I can also sense magical energy coming from the same place," Mirajane added. "We still have two more hours before midnight. We're going to reach it in time."
With the hope of preventing a calamity from happening, Wendy couldn't help but exclaim her joy. "We can save the futu–"
A mass of blackness shot from a distance at the dragon slayer. Luckily, Kazui managed to grab her and pull her away from the shot.
The retrieval team now waited for the next attack or the attacker's appearance on high alert. The latter occurred as a shadowy visage emerged and molded into the person who orchestrated this entire disaster.
"Rogue," Lucy said with disdain.
"I see you managed to get passed the guards," the older time traveler remarked with a cocky grin. "Honestly, I thought you would get here sooner than this."
The mages and the Soul Reaper were on guard for any underhanded tricks this future version of Rogue might pull. Mirajane could still remember how this vile man almost killed her niece and that anger was still burning inside her. As for Kazui, his blade was humming with white light, responding to his reiatsu.
"What do we do?" Lucy asked.
"He'll try to keep us away from the device," Carla answered. "We can't afford to waste time with him."
"Still," Kazui interrupted, "if we manage to subdue him, we can end this calamity sooner."
"As if you have the power to do that," Future Rogue boasted. Whisps of black and white energy began seeping through his body until all of his power burst forth. Bright and dark magical power swirled around the man and permeated the surroundings.
Wendy, Lucy, and the Exceeds froze. The released magic output was beyond anything a dragon slayer was supposed to have. This malicious Rogue's raw force and pressure began to strain them until another energy enveloped the area.
"If you think you could intimidate us for one second, then you're wrong."
It was Mirajane who spoke. They could feel her magical energy rising in preparation for the eventual fight. However, the pressure they were feeling didn't come from the demoness. Instead, it came from the young death god.
"I'm not about to let you get away after attempting to kill my beloved niece," the white-haired woman growled. Once her power reached its peak, she unleashed her magic and transformed. "TAKE OVER: SATAN'S SOUL!" Her visage changed, now taking on her demonic form.
Rogue wasn't intimidated. He'd heard of Mirajane the Demon and acknowledged her power, but it would take more than her to beat him.
"I know an overconfident grin when I see one," Kazui stated, gaining all of the attention. "If you think Mira is an easy opponent for you, which I doubt, then you'd be surprised since you haven't fought me."
Rogue chuckled before falling into a cackle. "What do I have to fear from some punk?"
"This."
The sudden change in Kazui's voice accompanied the sudden explosion of his spiritual energy. The raging torrent of power circled around the boy in bright colors of gold and red.
Pointing his sword forward, the power released began converging onto the blade. Rogue took a step back when he caught something unsightly. It was a threat, no doubt. However, what truly unnerved him was Kazui's eyes. It had become a demonic gold and black that made even Mirajane's Satan Soul tame in comparison.
"You manipulated people for your selfish desires. You put my big sister in danger. Finally, you want to plunge the world into chaos. For that…I will kill you."
The declaration was compounded by the disembodied voice of the reaper. Wendy remembered the last time Kazui promised to kill someone. She was lucky that she managed to stop him. However, the dragon slayer doubt that she'll be able to stop him.
"Your power is shadows, right?" Kazui asked. He didn't get an answer. He didn't need one. "Then your darkness will disappear in the light." The powers condensed into his sword, and finally, he uttered his release command. "SHINE, MANGETSU!"
Everyone present covered their eyes as an intense light engulfed the area. It was like the sun itself was present. When the brightness receded, the mages finally witnessed Kazui's Shikāi, one they'd been excited to see.
Though the command was "Shine," the weapon was anything but bright. The simple katana transformed into a Dao sword as black as night. Serrations covered the top half on its blunt side while the edge glimmered menacingly with its sharpness. The handle was curved, providing a comfortable ergonomic grip. What was strange about the weapon was the guard. It had none, and instead, a crescent shape embracing a six-pointed star (or sun) with the top ray connecting to the blade while the bottom led to the handle.
Everyone was surprised, none more so than Wendy. "That sword!" she internally exclaimed. "It's the same sword I saw in my dream the other day."
Rattled by the sudden transformation, Future Rogue hid his unease and mocked the boy instead. "Ha! You think a weapon change can scare me?"
What the dragon slayer from the future got for a reply was a sword swing to the face. Rogue managed to avoid the slash and retaliated with a shadow spear, thanks to his enhanced senses and reflexes.
Kazui pointed his sword forward and drew a circle in the air. When the shadowy attack reached him, it dissipated when it collided with a light shield.
"What the…!?" Future Rogue was left flabbergasted.
"This is Mangetsu, the Shining Moon," Kazui said, referring to his sword. "As the name implies, it can manipulate light and all properties it possesses. So, no matter what kind of dark, twisted trick you try to pull, I'll be able to shed light upon it."
"You little brat!"
"I'm not the only one you should worry about, though."
Future Rogue was confused for a moment until his senses went haywire. Quickly jumping away, he saw Mirajane with a furious glare focused at him just after punching a hole where he stood. He turned to his side to see Kazui rearing back his zanpakūto for a deadly strike. Summoning his black powers, the dragon slayer from the future created a sword made of shadows and blocked the boy's attack. However, this left him open to the demoness' attack. A solid carapace-covered punch landed on Rogue's side, causing him to wince. Kazui took no time and capitalized on the opportunity and struck with his sword. Rogue managed to block just in time, but the swing's force was strong enough to push him far.
After that strike, the deranged dragon slayer righted himself and gathered his magic power by breathing in. Kazui recognized the rising energies and quickly plunged his sword into the ground. From the rays in his sword's guard, four detached from the weapon and erected a barrier made of light similar to Orihime's.
Once the dark energies peaked, Rogue roared at the child reaper and the Take-Over wizard. "SHADOW DRAGON ROAR!"
The barrier managed to hold out, protecting Mirajane and Kazui. This left the Rogue from the future in surprise.
"HEY!" Kazui yelled at the rest of his guildmates. "Don't just stand there. Get going!"
"We'll hold him off!" Mira said before engaging the dragon slayer once more.
"Right." Lucy, Yukino, Wendy, and the Exceeds nodded and took off.
Before they left the fighting, Wendy turned back to look at Kazui and said, "Be careful, Kazui."
The boy heard this and smiled that radiant smile he had shown Wendy the first time they met. "I will."
"As if I'm going to let you get away!" Future Rogue shouted and formed a ball of black magic power to prevent the mages from escaping, only to retract it to avoid his hand being lopped off. "Damn you little shit."
"I've dealt with worse enemies before," the young reaper revealed. "Compared to them, you'll be a good exercise."
That comment made Rogue fume. "Are you mocking me, little boy!?"
"Kazui," Mira called for the boy's attention. "I'm not sure if it's a good idea to piss him off."
"I wasn't bluffing when I said I fought with worse opponents. Before joining Fairy Tail, my family and I went hunting for hollows of various kinds. Some no stronger than a B-rank mage while some as powerful as an S-class wizard."
Mira looked at the boy in surprise. However, what Kazui said next stumped her.
"My father told me that the one thing that differentiates the victors and the defeated is the instinct to kill."
Something uncharacteristic appeared on Kazui.
A grin. A feral, maniacal grin that made Rogue and Mira shiver.
"For beings to gain power, one must develop the instinct to kill, mostly forged in life and death battles. One must develop an insatiable hunger to engage in battle. One must live to mercilessly crush, shred and slice their enemies."
"Kazui," Mira spoke softly while visibly shaken from the boy's sudden change in demeanor. "What are you saying?"
That's when they notice it. A mass of white substance over the young reaper's right eye. Mira was a mage who subdued demons, and she recognized the energy behind the mask as something malevolent.
"I'm saying that the instinct to kill is an inherent essence of our being. Deep within our bodies lies the honed instinct to dominate and slaughter our enemies." Kazui pointed his zanpakūto at the man from the future. "And I will show you that my instinct to kill is beyond your lofty ambitions. I'm going to enjoy this."
Kazui disappeared. Rogue went into a frenzy, looking around for any signs of the boy. What that boy said unnerved him. That wasn't like any opponent he had fought before. This primal fear sent a cold shiver down the time traveler's spine. However, it was those eyes that truly rattled him. Those were the eyes of a beast waiting to be unleashed.
A hand could be felt on Rogue's shoulder. The time traveler stopped looking; all of his senses focused on that warm touch. Time seemed to freeze. He slowly turned his head to see who that hand belonged.
It was Kazui with half of his face covered in that hellish substance.
With a wide grin and his weapon reared back, Kazui whispered to the man from the future.
"Too slow…"
A/N: ModernRogue11 here and I just want to say thank you to all of you amazing readers. This fanfic just got a TV Tropes page. When I first started this story, I only did it to pass the time and let my interpretation of a Bleach/Fairy Tail crossover be heard. I never expected it to be this well-received by all of you, so once again, thank you.
I just recently posted the prologue chapter for my Gate/Call of Duty fanfic. I did that just to get that idea out in the open to see if it'd gain enough traction before I jump right into it.
Another thing, the amazing fanfic author Sigan just gave me permission to create a sequel for his Devil is a Part-timer fic, The Devil and the Hero: Forgive and Forget. I urge you to read the story. It is the best story in the category in my opinion and you will be satisfied with the ending after the lackluster one we got from the light novel. If I ever got the time to proceed with writing it, I will give it the title The Devil and the Hero: Fight and Protect. The author of the original told me than I can make it as my own, only that I recognize his story as the first part and his contribution.
As always, don't hesitate to leave a comment if you enjoyed the story and if you have any suggestions, opinions, or advice, then I appreciate it.