Chapter 4
The warm glow of lanterns bathed the hall of Cait Shelter in a gentle amber light. Naruto, Wendy, and Carla stepped inside, weary from their mission, their bodies carrying the scent of travel, dust, and victory. The wooden floor creaked softly beneath their feet as they approached the center of the hall, where Roubaul awaited with a patient, knowing smile.
"Ah..." The old man exhaled a sigh of relief, his ancient eyes crinkling at the corners. "Safe and sound. And victorious, I see."
Wendy brightened despite her exhaustion. "We did it, Master Roubaul! We saved the village!" Her voice carried a mixture of pride and disbelief, as though the success of their mission still felt surreal.
"Indeed you did," Roubaul said, his voice soft yet resonant, like the distant whisper of wind through ancient trees. "To lend strength to the weak, to stand against those who exploit others... This is the essence of what it means to walk the path of a wizard."
Naruto gave a casual shrug, his arms crossed over his chest. "Wasn't much," he said, though the faint curve of his lips betrayed a flicker of pride. "Just some bandits who thought they could brute their way through life."
The old master chuckled, his eyes twinkling with wisdom. "A river does not boast of carving through mountains, young man. Yet it does so, not by force, but by persistence." He nodded toward Wendy. "And I sense great persistence in you, child."
Wendy flushed under the praise, Carla giving a faint "hmph" while clearly sharing in the pride. Roubaul clapped his hands gently. "Come, you must be tired from your travels."
The three were led to a modest dining area where simple yet hearty dishes awaited them: steaming bowls of stew, fresh bread, and crisp vegetables harvested from the nearby forest. Naruto, unsurprisingly, devoured his meal with gusto, while Wendy and Carla laughed at his antics.
The next morning, golden sunlight filtered through the open training grounds behind Cait Shelter. Wendy stood with her fists raised in a shaky guard stance, her expression a mixture of anticipation and determination.
"Okay," Naruto said, stretching his arms over his head until his joints popped. "Hand-to-hand training, just like you asked." He dropped into a relaxed fighting stance. "We'll start slow. Hit me with your best shot."
Wendy took a deep breath and charged, her feet light on the grass. She swung a punch, aiming for Naruto's midsection. He sidestepped with ease, guiding her momentum with a gentle tap on her wrist. She stumbled, catching herself with a huff.
"Good speed," Naruto commented. "But telegraphed. Don't tell your opponent your next move with your eyes. Again."
The girl nodded and lunged again, this time with a sharper jab. Naruto pivoted away effortlessly, tapping her shoulder as she passed.
"Too much force," he said. "You're focusing on power. Power's good, but precision wins fights."
Wendy groaned, her fists trembling slightly. It wasn't just the physical exertion; it was the draining sensation that washed over her every time she got close to Naruto. The oppressive, invisible pull of his magic gnawed at her stamina.
Carla, sitting nearby with her tail curled neatly around her paws, watched with a frown. "This is pointless," she said. "She can't even get near you without feeling like she's run a marathon."
Naruto sighed, scratching his neck. "Can't turn it off," he said, eyes glinting with frustration. "The tetragram seal's working overtime. Until I figure it out... anyone close is gonna feel it."
Wendy swayed but steadied herself. Her eyes, though heavy-lidded, burned with determination. "I'm...not quitting," she panted. "I asked for this."
Naruto's lips twitched in something close to approval. "Alright then. Come on, Wendy. Again."
The girl charged once more, arms swinging with renewed effort. Her punches were slower, her body wilting under the oppressive siphon of Naruto's presence. Yet she kept moving, kept striking. One clumsy punch actually grazed his sleeve before she crumpled mid-swing.
Naruto caught her before she hit the ground.
"That girl," Carla said softly as she hopped over to check on Wendy. "She's too stubborn for her own good."
"Yeah," Naruto said, carefully lowering Wendy onto the grass. He rubbed his hands together, feeling the faint hum of energy still siphoning from the air around him. "Reminds me of someone I know."
Carla shot him a curious glance, but he didn't elaborate.
Later that evening, Wendy lay bundled in her cot while Carla hovered protectively nearby. Naruto sat on the windowsill, gazing at the moonlit village below.
"So," Carla began after a long silence. "This 'Nuclear Fusion Magic' of yours... It siphons magic from around you automatically?"
Naruto gave a nod. "Yeah. Like two forces grinding together until they spark. But the seal..." He flexed his fingers, feeling the subtle drain as the tetragram reacted to the magic-rich air. "It's still unstable. And it's pulling from people nearby."
"Can you stabilize it?"
"Eventually. But until then..." He gestured toward Wendy's sleeping form. "Anyone close is gonna feel like they're running uphill with weights strapped on."
Carla frowned. "She won't give up."
Naruto's smile was faint. "I know. Grit like that... it doesn't just go away."
The moonlight painted his profile with sharp shadows, and in that moment, he looked less like the carefree wanderer they'd first met and more like the battle-worn warrior he truly was. Carla, watching from her perch, found herself hoping that he figured out that seal sooner rather than later.
Because Wendy wasn't going to quit.
And neither, it seemed, was Naruto Uzumaki.
Naruto, Wendy, and Carla embarked on more missions in the following weeks, each quest no lower than B-rank. From escorting high-profile merchants through dangerous terrain to confronting rogue magic users causing chaos in distant villages, their teamwork grew sharper with every challenge. The trio's camaraderie strengthened, each success celebrated with modest meals and playful banter.
As if following a ritual, after every mission, Wendy would shyly ask Naruto, "Can we train again?" Her blue eyes shimmered with determination, the nervousness that once colored her voice replaced by genuine eagerness.
Their training sessions became a battleground of resolve. Naruto's innate siphoning magic, a byproduct of his modified tetragram seal, the seal that systemized the theoretical nuclear fusion Kurama once thought him. The seal made every movement for Wendy a test of endurance. It was more than physical exertion; her magic seemed to drain faster the closer she got to him. Yet, each day, she pushed herself further.
Carla often observed from the sidelines, her tail twitching with worry. "Wendy, that's enough for today," she'd insist when the girl's legs wobbled from exhaustion. "His magic will drain you dry if you keep pushing."
But Wendy would grit her teeth, raise her fists again, and whisper, "Just… a little more."
Naruto watched this determination with growing respect. He adjusted his training methods to test her reflexes and precision rather than brute strength. Wendy adapted quickly. Her Sky Dragon Slayer magic, once reliant on wide, sweeping blasts of air, became more refined with each sparring session.
One afternoon, during a spar on the outskirts of a remote village, Wendy shifted her stance, her right arm extending forward with her index finger pointed at Naruto.
He cocked a brow. "What's this? Sky Dragon finger guns?" Ah~ firearms, a weapon commonly used by civilians, criminals who aren't adept in using ninjutsu back in his previous world. The mention of the gun made him reminisce about his first encounter with Zabuza, Haku, Gato and his minions. "Never seen those in ages."
Wendy smiled softly. "Sky Dragon's Piercing Talon!"
A thin, concentrated beam of pressurized air shot from her fingertip. The attack whistled through the air like a sniper's bullet. Naruto twisted to avoid it, but the beam grazed his shoulder. Pain flared through his muscles as a bruise formed—an unfamiliar sensation against his siphoning barrier.
Naruto blinked, then looked at Wendy with genuine awe. "That… was impressive."
Carla's eyes widened. "A pinpoint, long-range attack. And it actually bruised you."
Wendy blushed but quickly followed up with her next technique. Shifting into a closer stance, she clenched her fists, channeling her magic into her fingertips. The air around her shimmered as if reality itself bent under the pressure.
"Sky Dragon's Claw!" she shouted.
She lunged forward, thrusting her palm at Naruto's chest. Instinct kicked in, and Naruto sidestepped. But even with his enhanced reflexes, the burst of compressed air scraped his black sweatshirt, forcing him to retreat.
He let out a low whistle. "Okay, whoawhoawhoa that's scary."
Carla crossed her arms. "Wendy, these techniques are effective, but you should only use them on standard opponents. Naruto's… well, a freak of nature. Others might not survive hits like that."
Wendy giggled, breathless yet proud. Naruto patted her shoulder with a grin. "You've got some serious firepower now. But remember, precision over power. You're already strong—now we make you sharper. But... yeah Carla's right you gotta be careful with those newfound technique of yours. Try to "lighten" it out depending on your opponents."
The blue-haired girl nodded, ready to embrace the next stage of her growth.
Naruto couldn't help but smile. This kid had potential, and he was lucky enough to witness it firsthand.
Time passes after their successful back to back missions and rigorous training, Naruto, Wendy, and Carla had become well-known for their efficiency and skill, their names starting to sprung as rising talents across Fiore. During this time, Naruto focused on making sure his modified tetragram seal—a complex fusion of his innate chakra and the world's ethernano, served as a substitute for Kurama's energy to function properly, without the possibility of stirring trouble. This seal required him to remain in Sage Mode deliberately, as it was essential for completing the system within the sealing formula, for him to gather Ethernano. The siphoning effect he experienced during battles accelerated the process, but it was still a monumental task, akin to filling an ocean with a mere pond's worth of water. His ultimate goal was to achieve a self-sustaining energy state, a faux Baryon Mode, without the severe drawbacks of the original.
The wagon creaked to a halt at the edge of a sprawling meadow, where the air buzzed with the palpable energy of concentrated magic. Naruto hopped down first, his Sage Mode always active, golden toad-like eyes scanning the horizon. The meeting place was a strategic vantage point—a cliffside plateau overlooking the dense forests of Fiore, where the allied guilds could convene without risking eavesdroppers.
The mood of the three seemed tense as they sat silently on the cargo, they hopped in, this new mission of theirs, possibly a jonin-tier and above considering it involves multiple organizations, Naruto mused as he recalled Roubaul briefing them three, him, Wendy and Carla about the alliance between guilds all to hunt a single dark guild called Oracion Seis, the guild comprised of mere 6 wizards. Naruto, Wendy and Carla would represent their guild Cait Shelter, working alongside the most well known guilds across Fiore, Fairy Tail, Blue Pegasus, and Lamia Scale.
"For an alliance of all four guilds just to take down 6 wizards. They must be the equivalent of S-Rank Shinobi listed from the bingo book." Naruto looked at the horizon deep in thought, his gaze shifted to Wendy and Carla, who were quietly preparing their gear. Wendy's hands trembled slightly as she adjusted herself on her seat, her usual nervousness creeping in despite her growth over the past weeks. Carla, ever the protective companion, placed a reassuring paw on Wendy's shoulder. "I gotta make sure to keep my guard up. Sure they've gotten stronger but… with this kind of missions anything's possible."
As they moved toward the meeting point, Naruto's heightened senses picked up signatures—twelve of them no— thirteen, he recounted there was a signature similar to Carla, each emanating impressive levels of power despite their suppressed temperaments leaving only one, the Carla equivalent signature. His Sage Mode allowed him to perceive the subtle nuances of their magic, the way it flowed and intertwined with the natural energy of the world. It was a stark reminder that he was no longer in his own world, where chakra was the dominant force. Here, Ethernano reigned supreme, and its users were formidable in their own right.
"So this is it," Naruto murmured, his voice barely audible. "The big leagues in the world of magic."
The three walked out of the cargo they hitch hiked with and gave the man their gratitude, as well as handing the man a hundred jewel for their travels. Their eyes met the lone building in the middle of the forest.
"Looks like we're the last ones..." Naruto commented. Wendy glanced at him, worry evident in her eyes. He responded with a gentle pat on her head, noting how she had acclimated to his presence. Whether by choice or instinct—perhaps due to her upbringing by a dragon—Wendy seemed to have developed a resistance to his syphoning aura.
At the large door, Naruto felt an eerie similarity between an odd signature inside, a very distinct one compared to the rest of the present wizards at the building. Pushing the thought aside, he opened the door, revealing several figures from the allied guilds.
Lamia Scale's contingent included Jura Neekis, a bald, muscular man exuding a calm yet formidable presence, alongside Lyon Vastia and Sherry Blendy. Fairy Tail's representatives were Erza Scarlet, clad in her iconic armor with scarlet hair flowing; Natsu Dragneel, with his spiky pink hair and signature scarf; Gray Fullbuster, already shedding his shirt; Lucy Heartfilia, wearing her blue and white ensemble; and Happy, a small blue bipedal cat similar to Carla. From Blue Pegasus came Ichiya Vandalay Kotobuki, a stout man with a distinct cologne, accompanied by the Trimens: Hibiki Lates, Eve Tearm, and Ren Akatsuki, each exuding their own charm.
As the three of Cait Shelter scanned the room, numerous comments were directed at them.
"A girl?!" Lyon and Gray exclaimed in unison.
"A kid?!" Sherry and Lucy followed.
"A-a child?" Ichiya stammered, moments before being stepped on by the armored red-haired mage of Fairy Tail, as if emerging from a less-than-child-friendly establishment.
"So that's the famed... Sky Dragon Slayer of Cait Shelter. Then that means... the other one is... the infamous 'Leech, the Orange Leech,'" Erza commented, removing her foot from Ichiya's head as she scrutinized the Sky Dragon Slayer and her partner.
Whispers circulated about Naruto's feats—the most efficient man, according to tales from their clients. It was often said that Cait Shelter operated in stark contrast to Fairy Tail, executing missions with unparalleled efficiency, even under the most challenging circumstances that hypothetically expected massive casualties. In the past six months, Cait Shelter had completed the equivalent of an entire year's worth of missions, all accomplished by a single team of three.
As the murmurs settled, the room's attention focused on the newcomers, anticipation and curiosity evident in the eyes of the assembled mages.
"We sincerely apologize for our tardiness," Naruto said, bowing respectfully. Wendy and Carla mirrored his gesture, though Wendy's voice wavered slightly as she added, "W-we sincerely apologize."
Jura Neekis of Lamia Scale acknowledged their apology with a nod, his composed demeanor reflecting his status as one of the Ten Wizard Saints.
The atmosphere shifted as members of Fairy Tail took note of Carla's presence. Happy, the blue Exceed, gasped in delight, his eyes widening. "Wowee!" he exclaimed, his wings fluttering with excitement. He immediately approached Carla, offering a large fish he seemingly produced from nowhere. "For you, my lady," he declared with a hopeful grin.
Carla regarded the offering with a critical eye, her tail flicking. "Hmph," she huffed, turning her nose up, though a faint blush betrayed her surprise.
Naruto observed the interaction with amusement before addressing the group. "We understand the gravity of the situation with Oración Seis," he began, his tone serious. "Rest assured, Cait Shelter is committed to this alliance, and we will contribute our utmost to ensure the mission's success."
Erza Scarlet stepped forward, her armor clinking softly. "Your reputation precedes you," she said, her gaze steady.
She extended a gauntleted hand toward Naruto, who grasped it firmly in return. "I'm Erza Scarlet, S-Class Mage of Fairy Tail. I've heard stories of your missions—swift, efficient, and flawless. I look forward to seeing firsthand if your abilities truly live up to the image you've created."
Naruto gave a lopsided smile, his golden eyes glinting with a mix of amusement and determination. "Heh, no pressure, huh? We'll do our best not to disappoint."
The rest of the Trimen from Blue Pegasus shifted their attention toward Wendy with their usual antics.
"That girl is going to be gorgeous when she grows up," Ren Akatsuki commented from the sidelines, his gaze lingering on the blue-haired lass of Cait Shelter.
"She's already very cute," added Eve Tearm, his expression softening.
"Come, Miss. Right this way~" Hibiki Lates gestured dramatically, guiding Wendy toward a plush couch positioned at the right side of the hall. The three men surrounded her like hosts entertaining a VIP guest.
"They work fast!" Lucy exclaimed, her eyes wide and tone comically exasperated at the Trimen's efficiency in executing their signature charm. Their charms seemed to work to the lass as she gave up and smiled at their antics.
"You shouldn't smile at men so much," Carla commented toward Wendy, standing at the table placed in front of the couch.
"I-I didn't mean to!" Wendy squeaked, glancing at her feline companion.
The Trimen piled up around her.
"What kind of man is your type?"
"Would you like some cake too?"
"Seriously, you're too cute!"
Wendy comically sweatdropped buckets at their antics.
"We're not here to mess around! Clean up at once!" Ichiya declared, striking a flamboyant pose as sparkles shimmered around him.
"Certainly, our dear master!" the Trimen replied in unison. As efficiently as they had set up their mini host club, they dismantled it, removing the couch and table with synchronized precision.
"Man~" Ichiya struck a more fancy pose.
Setting up a carpet with lighting surrounding it, Ichiya struck another pose, to gather everyone's attention. "As if appears everyone is here, allow me to explain the operation." he struck another pose.
"Are those poses really necessary." Lucy commented.
"First is the location where the Oracion Seis— the six demon generals have gathered…" Ichiya struck poses in between his pauses. "But first I require the use of toilet parfum" as if a crab, Ichiya walked comically sideways.
"Hey! Don't add "parfum" to the end of that!" Gray commented.
"Man~" Ichiya struck a more dramatic pose.
Producing a carpet with lights surrounding it, he struck another pose to gather everyone's attention. "As it appears everyone is here, allow me to explain the operation." He paused mid-sentence to strike yet another pose.
"Are those poses really necessary?" Lucy muttered, deadpan.
"First is the location where the Oración Seis—the six demon generals—have gathered…" Ichiya struck poses with every pause, his voice laced with exaggerated gravitas. "But first, I require the use of toilet parfum," he declared, walking comically sideways like a crab toward the exit.
"Hey! Don't add 'parfum' to the end of that!" Gray shouted, exasperated.
It was for a brief moment, only Naruto could sense it with his Sage Mode, which was constantly active. The foreign signature he felt earlier copied the flamboyant man, his gaze followed as the copied Ichiya walked out coming from the rest room with the same lively quirk as the original. This was a superior transformation technique—no, whoever it was, they were a pro, mimicking Ichiya's character with unsettling precision.
"To the north lies the enormous Worth Woodsea. The ancients sealed a powerful magic deep inside it. It was known as—Nirvana." The fake Ichiya struck a dramatic pose, emphasizing the word "Nirvana" with flair.
"Seriously, we can do without the poses…" Gray commented with a sweat drop.
"Nirvana," Natsu and Lucy repeated in unison.
"I've never heard of it," Lyon said bluntly. Sherry turned her attention to Jura.
"Have you, Master Jura?"
"No, I haven't," Jura responded, his expression as solid as the earth magic he wielded.
"All we know is that it was a destructive magic so powerful that the ancients had to seal it away," Ren answered, his tone more serious.
"But we don't know what kind of magic it actually is…" Eve added.
"Destructive magic?" Natsu echoed, a wary expression crossing his face.
"I've got a bad feeling about this…" Lucy tensed.
Wendy gulped, her fingers clutching the hem of her dress as the weight of their mission sank in.
"Oi!" Naruto broke the rising eerie feeling that began to surface at the mention of Nirvana. He stepped forward and planted himself directly in front of the fake Ichiya. Without hesitation, Naruto drove a solid fist into the imposter's solar plexus. The effects of the modified tetragram seal work as intended, the drain works far more effectively when a blow is given a stronger force.
Gasps filled the hall as the transformation dispelled. The Ichiya doppelgänger morphed into twin, blue, miniature creatures. A golden glow shimmered around them as they flickered and dissolved into nothing.
"A-a spirit?" Lucy gasped, her eyes wide with recognition. The distinct glow of celestial energy lingered momentarily in the air, sending a chill through the assembled mages.
"It got away…" Naruto frowned in annoyance.
Chapter End