"…I have no clue where the hell I am." I spoke out loud with a frown as I stood at the front entrance of the camp I was in, scratching my head while also carrying my new weapon that were the pretty magic staff I got from the dead cultist.
This body must have been used to handling the staff as I found myself subconsciously adjusting my grip on the staff whenever I wasn't paying attention, which made sense given how I was moving earlier whilst fighting the Zeref cultist.
Now, however, I had a bit of dilemma on my hands, that being the fact that I had no clue where I am or which direction would lead to civilization.
I would try a random direction, but that is stupidity of the highest order and I also know that no human can survive without the proper nourishment and water.
"Maybe I should check out that main building." I muttered with a frown as I looked at the worn down building next to the camp, not having checked it out since I was still a bit unsure of going into random buildings after nearly losing my life to a random insane guy.
"A slow death by hunger and thirst or a quick death by someone ambushing me as soon as I enter the building. Hmm, wonder which one sounds better? Urgh, I hate myself." I grumbled as I turned and began walking towards the building, slowing my steps as I drew closer to the building before standing with my back to the wall as I slowly turned the door knob.
'One…two…three!' Without wasting any time, I dove in head first while spinning around to look at the space behind the door, frowning a bit as I saw nothing before I began to slowly walk while spinning in a circle to make sure I didn't miss a single spot.
Thankfully, my paranoia was for naught and I made it to the only other room in the building, but unfortunately, it was locked and I didn't have a key.
'Well…shit. Could I perhaps…?' My thought trailed off as I looked at the staff in my grasp, taking a deep breath as I aimed the end of it at the door while gripping it tightly with both hands.
"Now, how do I activate this? Uh, should I just think of it activating? No, it wouldn't be that simple." I muttered with a frown as I decided to just try it out, looking at the door with determination before imagining a bomb flying out of the staff and blowing the door open.
However, I may have miscalculated just how powerful the blast would be as I watched a flash of light fly from the staff and completely sent the door flying out the makeshift window on the opposite side, making me blink in shock as I slowly looked down at the staff before frowning slightly as I felt myself instantly feeling like I ran a few kilometers.
'So, does that mean ethernano is linked to my stamina or is ethernano my stamina? Also, how much would I have compared to the average mage in this world? Most likely not a lot especially if my memories of being a slave since I was twelve are actually real.' I thought with a frown as I began walking into the room, ignoring the trail of destruction the door left as I looked around only to see just a moderately-sized desk in the middle of the room.
The things on top of it though made me smile as I saw a map that span the entire desk as well as a pocket-sized compass sitting on one of the corners, to which I quickly rushed around to look at it correctly while also pulling the magnet closer.
'Okay, okay. From my memories, the guards said we were close to the north-eastern side of Fiore, which means that we're in this area. All around me is nothing but a desert, which means that we're further inland.' I thought with a hum as I roughly traced the area where I was, slowly trailing my finger across the map to figure out a path towards the one place I knew about.
Magnolia Town.
If I can believe what the guards said, then Fairy Tail has been gone inside Fairy Sphere for the past five years, which means that this year would make it six and that means they would come back in two years.
Did I just want to go to Magnolia Town because I wanted to join the guild? Oh, yes, but it was also because it's the only guild that I actually cared for in the anime/ manga.
Now, I got a chance to actually be a part of them, so I will most definitely try my damn best to make sure that I can join them even if it means I get to be a support character.
'Well, that's a lie considering I never lied to be second best in my past life so I'll be trying my damn best to be first in this one.' I thought with a smirk as I rolled up the map along with the compass, finally having a path worked out before grinning as I looked around the room.
Now, time to see if I can't find any food to take along the road.
Fortunately, I did manage to find a few cans of preserved food along with a backpack and a metal canteen, which was still three quarters filled with lukewarm water.
'Was it the best? Oh, not at all, but at least it was something so I didn't mind it.' I thought with a smirk as I walked through the shifting sand of the desert below my feet, thankful for the staff as I could use it like a walking cane while carrying the backpack of food and water on my back.
The sun was a bit hotter than I expected, but the hood was thankfully keeping most of my body protected except for parts of my arms and legs since it was torn in those places.
"Hah, maybe I should have just stayed at that camp and not have gone anywh-What the hell is that?" I whispered with wide eyes as I quickly ducked into a prone position, staring in shock at the armadillo-like creature slowly walking across my field of vision.
Normally, I wouldn't even care if it wasn't for the fact that the armadillo was the size of a tow-truck with dozens of spikes on his back like quills, making it go from a normal threat to 'I don't want nothing to do with it'.
'Maybe if I sneak past, I won't have to do anything.' Unfortunately, the universe doesn't seem to like me as the ground besides the armadillo burst open, both it and I being startled by the explosion before I let out a soft groan at the sight of a large grey-like ape covered in mud bursting from the sand with a roar.
'Wait, where the hell did it even get mud?' I thought as I finally noticed the wet dirt on its body, watching as the ape and armadillo rolled around in the dirt with the ape having its arm around the dillo's neck before I winced as the ape flexed and a loud snap echoed in the air.
Okay, new note to self: Do not mess with the muddy ape.
Watching as the ape let go of the armadillo while standing up, I watched as it grabbed the armadillo's leg before beginning to drag the beast away, making me frown as I waited until it was far enough for slowly standing up into a crouch and began following after it.
After all, if its body is covered in mud, that means that it probably lives near a river and if there's a river…
'There's civilization.'
'…Oh, that's how it got the water.' I thought with a slight frown as I finally caught sight of the edge of the desert, the ape still oblivious to my presence as it slowly dragged the body of its prey.
However, the source of my shock were the three other apes of the same size standing and waiting for him, one of which was also dragging the corpse of some large anaconda the size of a bus while the other two were carrying large barrels that had water nearly spilling out from its top.
'So, he's part of a…pack? Troop? Pride? Whatever the hell it's called, he has friends and that means this is the end of my journey tailing him.' If he has friends waiting for him, then they all most definitely form part of some sort of ape society, which means that they may have apes on scouting or hunting positions that would see me co-!
Without thinking, my body rolled to the side and down the hill of sand just as something slammed into it, my eyes snapped shut as I continued rolling to keep the sand out before I rolled to my feet and dove to the side just in time for the ground where I previously stood to explode as well.
With wide eyes, I watched as another two apes slowly walked around me, the other four having already placed their things down as they walked over with snarls and growls.
"Well, hello, gentlemen~ Don't suppose you'll let me go, eh?" I asked while tightly gripping my staff, slowly letting the strap of my backpack fall down my arm before spinning and throwing it at an ape just as it tried to leapt at me.
With a grunt, I dove forward before spinning around and aiming it at the second ape that tried to attack me from behind, activating the staff with a thought and watching as a flash of light sent the beast's head to oblivion.
The force of the attack however sent me further back than I thought and I grunted as I smacked into something solid, looking up from my seated position before giving a sheepish grin at the ape glaring down at me.
Not even thinking about it, I aimed the staff at the ground before activating it while letting go of it, laying down just as it tried to grab my head right before the blast from the staff exploded a large amount of sand into the air.
Rolling backwards and through the legs of the ape behind me, I drop kicked it into one of the apes charging at us before grunting as I fell on the floor, rolling away before jumping to my feet just as an ape tried to grab me.
Now on my feet, I cursed my luck as my staff was lying in between the apes, one of which had rushed over to the barrels to wash out his eyes while the other four were all glaring at me as they slowly lumbered closer.
'Well, shit. What to do now? 'I racked my mind for a solution here as I looked between the four apes, noting how the ones at the back all did not try to move past the first one the moment he snarled at them and I also noted how he was a bit bigger and covered in more scars compared to the others.
'Must be the one in charge. If so…maybe this might work.'
"Oi, you gonna fight me like a true man or are you going to hide behind your men like a coward, eh bitch?" I asked while staring directly at the ape in front, the other ones howling and growling before quickly silent as the one in front snarled at them.
"I not scared of you, human." He growled and while I was a bit surprised at him being able to talk, I pushed the surprise back and smirked before shrugging.
"Considering you're trying to fight me with three other guys, I'd say you're scared of me, buddy. I understand. Most apes I know are cowards."
"I no coward! I fight you alone!" The ape howled as it beat on its chest, to which I snorted while crossing my arms.
"And what will that bring me? Even if I do kill you, your fellow apes are just going to kill me to prove themselves better. How about this? One on one, just you and me. The winner is allowed to leave without the others trying to kill him. That cool?"
"Cool, human." The ape answered and I nodded as I raised my fists into a basic boxing stance, waiting as the ape slammed his fists one after the other on the ground before charging towards me with a roar.
Unfortunately for him, I studied the ancient arts of Bully Maguire.
Waiting until it was close to me, I grinned as I reached down and picked up a handful of sand, the ape's eyes widening right before he howled and snapped them shut as I threw the sand directly into them.
Watching as the beast continued charging despite the fact that it was nearly blind, I moved out of the way while secretly pulling out a butcher's knife I took from the camp, leaping on the beast's back before a gargled gasp escaped its lips as I stabbed the knife deep into its throat and tore it out.
Jumping from its back and rolling with a grunt on the floor, I grinned as I saw the beast slowly stumble forward with a gaping hole in the front of its neck, blood spewing profusely from its neck as it fell to its knees and fell onto its back with a dying growl.
Turning to the rest, I expected them to attack and frowned as they simply glared at me while moving out of the way, to which I slowly moved forward to pick up my staff and backpack before slowly backing away from them.
"We got a deal, right?"
"We got deal, human man. He no deal." One of them answered with a smirk while pointing behind me and I turned around quickly right before a wheeze escaped my lips as the first ape from before slammed into me with the force of a truck, my vision spinning and darkening at the edges as I was sent ragdolling through the sand before slowly coming to a still.
Forget recognizing up from down. I couldn't even think straight as it felt as if nearly every rib in my chest was shattered, every breath feeling painful while I looked down at feeling a pain in my leg only to blink at the butcher knife stabbed deep into it.
'…Huh, well…that's something.' Slowly rolling over with a raspy cough while making sure that the blade stayed in my leg, I looked at the ape that hit me before glaring at the others that were staying away with happy grins.
"I thought we had a deal?"
"He not include in deal." The one at the front spoke and I gritted my teeth as I slowly stood up, hobbling on one leg while taking deep, painful breaths as I used the staff as support.
"You think I'm just…going to die lying down like a dying animal, eh? Nah, if I'm dying, you're coming with me." I spoke with a bloody grin as I wanted to pour in the entirety of my energy into it, the ape frowning in concern as it watched the lacrima at the top of the staff beginning to glow brighter and brighter.
"Oh, it's too late for that, buddy! Hahaha! I'm a goddamn crazy bastard and you are going to be stuck in hell with me for all of eternity."
"That sounds so cool!" I blinked as I heard a boy's voice echoing behind me, the apes looking just as surprised as I did while the crystal grew duller as I turned around only to be surprised by a grinning purple haired boy standing behind me with his hands behind his head in a relaxed position.
Dressed in a long and dark sleeveless open jacket over a pair of loose green-coloured pants, a white sash wrapped around his waist and jacket and a pair of light brown boots with an orange scarf tied in a knot around his neck, I could not mistake Romeo Conbolt for anyone else as the kid grinned at me before looking at the apes in front of me.
"You know, you got some cool one-liners, mister, but Forest Vulcans are a bit too hard for a starting mage to handle. I'll take care of this." He spoke and walked past me without a word, to which I watched as he held his hands out to the side before my eyes widened slightly as dark purple flames began to radiate from his arms and hands.
The next moment was in the blink of an eye and I watched in shock as the Vulcan I was facing fell to the floor with its body falling forward while the ashes of its head slowly fell to the floor.
"Now, then. The rest of you have a deal with the old man, right?" Romeo asked with a grin as he looked at the apes and I watched as they all nodded before rushing to pick up their food an water.
"So, who are you, old man?" He asked as he turned to look at me and I blinked before wincing as I remembered my injuries.
"Uh, don't suppose you got a camp nearby where I can rest, huh?"
"Nah, but we do have a hotel room."
"We?" I asked before freezing as I felt the familiar feeling of metal against both sides of my head, slowly looking at my sides to see a woman dressed in a cowgirl outfit and a man dressed in a poncho standing on my sides while both had a pistol pressed against my skull.
"So, mister, before we go anywhere, we have a few question for you, Zeref cultist."
A/N: And we are back with another chapter! Again, sorry for the late upload but it took me a while to figure out how to continue this one.
Next chapter, continuing the mess that is this misunderstanding.
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As always, read, enjoy, review and until the next one...
Ba-Bye~!