Chapter 22

The sea breeze was crisp, the sun gleamed off the rolling waves, and the Fairy Tail ship rocked gently as it carried its rowdy occupants toward Tenroujima. Naruto leaned against the railing, taking deep, controlled breaths. The motion of the sea was doing its best to throw him off balance, but he'd be damned if he let a boat take him out before even reaching the island.

Then came a voice. A voice that had haunted his days ever since he made that one, stupid bet.

"Brother-in-law!"

Naruto twitched. His grip on the railing tightened as he slowly turned his head, already knowing who it was.

There stood Elfman Strauss, arms crossed, chest puffed out, looking as serious as ever—if not for the shit-eating grin barely concealed behind his usual MANLY demeanor.

"Elfman…" Naruto greeted, voice wary. "I told you to quit callin' me that, man."

"But you are!" Elfman declared, thumping his chest. "You will continue the Strauss bloodline! As a MAN should!"

Naruto choked on his spit. "W-wha— what the hell—who's even feeding you this crazy—"

"Sis told me herself."

Naruto went stiff.

Elfman leaned in, his voice dropping to an almost conspiratorial whisper. "She said if I become an S-Class mage, you'd make me a nephew."

Naruto's brain hit the emergency brakes. "WHAT?!"

His yell was so loud that a few birds flew off the mast. Other guild members turned to watch, curiosity piqued, but they quickly decided to mind their own business when they saw the wickedly amused figure standing just behind Elfman.

Mirajane.

She was glowing with pure, unfiltered mischief. Hands clasped together, eyes closed in feigned innocence, she hummed softly as if the words her brother had just uttered weren't an absolute nuke to Naruto's psyche.

"You…" Naruto wheeled on her, stabbing a finger in her direction. "You don't have to spread that bet of ours, man!"

Mirajane's smile only widened, tilting her head slightly. "Oh? Why not? It's a cute little bet~"

"Little—LITTLE?" Naruto's voice cracked. "You made it sound like I signed a damn contract for fatherhood!"

"But you did agree, didn't you?"

Naruto floundered. His mouth opened and closed like a fish gasping for air. "I—"

Mirajane took a graceful step forward, her teasing gaze locking onto his. "And Elfman is working so hard for his dream… it'd be a shame if you backed out on yours~"

Naruto was about to launch into a full-on defense mode when Elfman clapped a massive hand on his back, nearly sending him overboard.

"Don't worry, brother-in-law!" Elfman beamed. "I'll make sure to be the best uncle ever!"

Naruto suffered.

His soul was leaving his body. The color drained from his face as the words sank in. He needed a savior. Someone—anyone—to get him out of this nightmare.

And then…

Like a beacon of divine intervention, Evergreen stepped onto the deck, her usual air of authority radiating from her posture. Her arms were crossed as she shot Elfman a scrutinizing look.

"Elfman," she called sharply.

The towering man instantly straightened up, his grin faltering.

Naruto nearly cried tears of joy.

"HOLY SHIT, it's an angel!" he declared dramatically, clasping his hands together in mock prayer. "Green-glasses, I owe you my life!"

Evergreen's brow twitched. "It's Evergreen!"

Ignoring her correction, Naruto pointed at Elfman. "She's a keeper, man! Keep him tied up, Everglasses!"

Evergreen narrowed her eyes, her glasses gleaming under the sun. "Evergreen!" she snapped again.

The sea trip went on as their ship rocked gently over the rolling waves, the sun mercilessly bearing down on its occupants.

For most of the crew, it was a battle of life and death against the unforgiving heat.

Lucy, draped over a wooden barrel, looked about five seconds away from melting into a puddle. Sweat trickled down her face, her blonde hair clinging to her skin. "This is… the worst… why is it so hot?!"

Beside her, Cana dramatically fanned herself with a hand, gulping down the last drops of her booze. "Even my liquor's evaporating… this is a crime against humanity."

Juvia, despite usually loving the water, was not enjoying it in vapor form. Her normally wavy blue hair was damp and clinging to her face. "Juvia is being boiled alive…" she muttered weakly, waving a massive fan over herself and Gray.

Gray, for his part, had already stripped down to nothing but his trunks. "Why is it that the ocean is right there, but I still feel like I'm in a damn oven?!" He had ice blocks everywhere to cool himself but alas all it does was make everything wet as it all melt from the touch of the sun.

Loke, the king of style, had ditched his usual suit for a smooth, unbuttoned tropical shirt and swim shorts. Despite his usual cool demeanor, even he was suffering. "This is why I stick to the Celestial World… too much sun." He adjusted his sunglasses, trying (and failing) to not look like he was dying.

Meanwhile, Erza, ever the warrior, sat stiffly in her beach chair, trying to remain composed. Her normally pristine red hair was damp from sweat, and her impressive... assets were pushing against her tight black bikini, glistening under the heat. She fanned herself slowly, her eye twitching. "This heat… is unreasonable."

Happy and Carla sat by Wendy, panting like overheated dogs.

"Aye… too hot…" Happy groaned, his wings completely limp.

Carla huffed on her human form. "This weather is simply atrocious…"

Wendy, despite looking a little flustered, was at least holding it together better than most. She smiled at the others. "I can try cooling you down with some air magic—"

"Nah, nah, we ain't getting in the way of that lil' miracle you pulled off."

All heads turned to Natsu—who was, infuriatingly, the most relaxed person on board.

The pinkette was straight up sunbathing, arms behind his head, completely unbothered. The smug grin on his face as he stretched out on his lounge chair was enough to make Lucy want to throw him overboard.

"Man, Wendy, you're the best! First time I can actually enjoy a boat ride without throwing up my lungs!" Natsu let out a relaxed sigh, basking in the sun's warmth like a goddamn lizard.

Lucy twitched. "Natsu… we're all dying here."

Natsu smirked, lifting his sunglasses. "Sucks to suck."

Lucy nearly committed violence.

On the other side of the deck, Levy was stretching under the sun, arms raised over her head, her toned figure on full display in her light-blue bikini. Laki assisted her, pressing down on Levy's back to help deepen the stretch.

Levy winced. "A-Ah… that's a bit much—"

Laki just smiled. "Flexibility is important, Levy-dear~"

While this was happening, Gajeel stood at the edge of the ship, staring out into the deep blue horizon.

The man was gone.

Mentally, he had left the ship. He was no longer Gajeel Redfox, Fairy Tail's Iron Dragon Slayer.

No.

He was Captain Gajeel D. Redfox, the Iron Terror of the Seven Seas.

A devilish smirk spread across his face as he imagined himself at the helm of a massive pirate ship, standing atop the crow's nest with his loyal first mate, a black roided bipedal cat of sorts. The salty wind ruffled his long pirate coat, a large iron cutlass strapped to his side as he laughed menacingly.

"ARRRGH!"

A few heads turned.

Gajeel, still lost in his dreamland, clenched his fist. "The Iron Buccaneers will rule the seas…" he muttered under his breath.

Levy blinked. "Uh… Gajeel?"

Laki waved a hand in front of his face. "Earth to Gajeel~?"

Still, the man was lost in his own world.

Meanwhile, at the Captain's Deck…

Gildarts Clive leaned casually against the railing, arms crossed as he grinned at an unusual sight.

Sitting on a wooden chair, sipping hot tea under the blazing heat of the sun, was Mystogan.

The guy was in full beach attire—sleeveless black shirt, shorts, sandals—but one thing was noticeably off.

"You ain't takin' off that fancy mustache of yours?" Gildarts asked, amusement clear in his tone.

Mystogan, completely unfazed, took another sip of his tea. "I like it."

Gildarts barked out a laugh. "Ain't no convincing ya, huh?"

Mystogan simply nodded, cool as ever despite the insane temperature.

Not far off, Makarov stood near the front of the ship, hands clasped behind his back, observing the vast ocean ahead.

While a certain individual lingers in the background, acting as if he was there from the very beginning.

Tenroujima - year X784

As the ship reached the shores of Tenroujima, the rowdy guild members wasted no time setting up camp. Tents were pitched, supplies were sorted, and, in true Fairy Tail fashion, a few unnecessary scuffles broke out over the best sleeping spots. Amidst the chaos, Mystogan approached Naruto in silence, offering a subtle nod before motioning for him to follow.

Naruto, already sensing this wasn't just a casual stroll, let out a small sigh but complied. The two slipped into the dense jungle, leaving behind the lively sounds of their guildmates preparing for the trials ahead.

The moment they left the shoreline, Mystogan got straight to the point. "You know you're not just here as a spectator, right?"

Naruto raised a brow. "Yeah, Master filled me in—said I'd be like a proctor and an obstacle."

"Exactly. But more specifically, you're a hidden prospect for the S-Class Promotion Trial."

Naruto blinked. "Hidden prospect?"

"You won't be an official candidate, but you'll act as both a proctor and an unexpected hurdle for the participants. The first trial is simple: Power and Luck. It's a labyrinth—'choose your path' type of challenge where contestants either brute-force their way through or take a more cautious, luck-driven approach."

As they walked, Mystogan waved his hand, and the illusion of trees ahead shimmered, revealing a sprawling view of the trial area. Naruto whistled. The labyrinth was bigger than he expected, winding through the jungle with multiple routes—some converging, others leading to dead ends.

"Power means they'll have to fight their way through, facing proctors—Gildarts, Erza, Mirajane, and myself," Mystogan continued. "Luck means choosing the right paths and avoiding unnecessary obstacles."

Naruto smirked. "And I'm guessing my job isn't just standing around looking pretty?"

"Correct. You'll be running the field, setting up your own obstacles. You're not tied to one location, so use your speed to play the role of a game master."

Cracking his knuckles, Naruto grinned. "So you want me to lay down some tricks? Traps, seals, and all that jazz?"

Mystogan nodded. "Yes. I'll be tightening the open areas with illusion traps to pressure the contestants into choosing quicker paths. Your job is to set up unique seals and magic-draining traps to test their adaptability. Unlike me, you'll be moving freely—an unpredictable threat."

Naruto chuckled. "This really takes me back. The whole setup reminds me of the Chuunin Exams back home."

Mystogan glanced at him. "Chuunin Exams?"

"A ninja trial back in my world. Written tests, survival gauntlets, one-on-one fights—basically a whole lotta stress for a bunch of kids." Naruto scratched his chin. "But that's what made it fun. If we're aiming for unpredictability, I can tweak my traps on the fly. Maybe even throw in some pranks of my own."

Mystogan nodded approvingly. "Good. Just don't play favorites." There was a rare teasing note in his otherwise stoic voice.

Naruto snorted. "I should say the same to you, Mister Mustache Man."

Mystogan didn't respond, but Naruto caught the faintest twitch of amusement at the corner of his lips.

As they worked on setting up traps along the trial's route, Naruto suddenly broke the silence.

"Hey, Mystogan, there's something I want to rig for this exam."

Mystogan paused mid-gesture, glancing at him with a raised brow. "P…pardon?"

Naruto smirked. "You heard me right. I want to lead Cana to Gildarts' spot."

Mystogan tilted his head slightly, his curiosity piqued. "Why her specifically? Didn't you train her lately? Don't tell me all that effort was just to send her straight to Gildarts."

"Yes and— no." Naruto shrugged. "Not just to fight him— to face him."

Mystogan remained silent, sensing there was more to this. He gestured for Naruto to continue.

The blonde sighed before speaking again, this time with a more serious tone. "Cana is Gildarts' daughter."

Mystogan blinked. "…What?"

Naruto nodded. "She's been keeping it a secret for years. Every single time she's taken this S-Class trial, it wasn't just to prove her strength—it was to gather the courage to tell him. But she always fell short. You and I both know how Gildarts is. He probably just sees Cana as another kid in Fairy Tail, nothing more."

Mystogan crossed his arms, taking a moment to process this. "And you think forcing them to face each other in battle will fix that?"

Naruto smirked. "Not just battle. A moment. An undeniable, inescapable moment where she has to face him head-on. No running, no backing down."

Mystogan exhaled through his nose, staring at Naruto for a long second. "You know I don't condone rigging the trials…"

Naruto said nothing, just watching Mystogan's expression shift as he mulled over the idea.

Finally, the elusive man sighed. "…But I'll let this one slide." His lips curled slightly in amusement. "We'll weave an illusion—one that subtly guides her toward him. But that's it. The rest is up to her."

Naruto grinned. "Knew you had a heart, Mustache Man."

Mystogan shook his head, already turning to set the plan into motion. "Don't celebrate it yet, as I've told you the rest is up to her."

Suddenly—Naruto felt a shift. A rush of something unnatural.

It was as if an entire space had just… disappeared. A void. A patch of existence completely devoid of life.

His senses flared. Something—no, someone—was near. And it wasn't anyone from their crew. It wasn't Fairy Tail.

Naruto's eyes narrowed, his toad-like Sage Mode irises sharpening as his mind raced through the possibilities. "H-hey—something's here. This isn't one of ours—" His voice was tight, urgent. He was always in Sage Mode, keeping his awareness stretched wide, but now—now, something had slipped through. Something that shouldn't have been able to.

Mystogan furrowed his brows at Naruto's serious expression. "This island is private property. No one without our guild's insignia should even be able to set foot here unless Master gave them permission. You sure it's a person?"

Naruto gave a firm nod, and that was all Mystogan needed. The two took off, their movements swift, barely disturbing the foliage as they sprinted toward the disturbance.

And then—they saw it.

Unconscious animals littered the ground. No… not unconscious.

"N-no, they're dead—" Naruto muttered as he crouched beside a small, lifeless creature. He reached out, barely grazing its fur before pulling back. It wasn't warm. It wasn't cold. It just—wasn't.

Every single animal in their vicinity… gone. Not just dead—erased. As if something had stripped them of their very essence in an instant.

Mystogan's throat tightened. "W-who could've—" His voice faltered as he scanned the area, his gaze darting between the lifeless bodies and the eerie stillness surrounding them. The air itself felt wrong. He could feel the absence.

Then—tracks.

Naruto tensed, his voice dropping into a whisper. "I see tracks—" His posture stiffened as he followed them, his movements silent, precise. Mystogan followed, his mind already running through possibilities—could it be a spy? A dark guild operative? Someone seeking to sabotage Fairy Tail?

But when they reached the end of the trail—

A lone figure stood before them.

A young man with raven-black hair, draped in dark robes, his presence eerie yet unassuming.

As soon as the man saw them, his eyes widened, and he stumbled back, raising his hands in surrender. "W-who are you?!" His voice wavered, laced with something that sounded like fear. "Please! I mean no harm!"

Mystogan's eyes narrowed. He didn't lower his guard for a second.

Was this the man responsible for the wave of death they had just witnessed?

"Who are you?" Mystogan's voice was firm, his tone demanding. "This is Fairy Tail's private island. You shouldn't be here. You can't be here. State your name."

The man flinched, his breath shaky. He took another step back, as if afraid to even exist in their presence. "D-don't come near me!" His voice cracked. "I-i have no idea! p-please… I'll leave… I'm so… sorry for causing you trouble…" His hands trembled as he continued to apologize, his entire body wracked with a fear that didn't seem to be directed at them—but at himself.

Naruto took a slow step forward, his eyes locked onto the man. His expression darkened as he whispered, barely audible—

"T-this sensation… yeah… it's the same one I sense from Natsu…"

Mystogan blinked. "What?"

Naruto didn't answer. His mind was already connecting the dots. This presence—this essence—it was similar to something he had felt before.

No—identical.

It was the same energy that stirred deep within Natsu. A force hidden within the pink-haired Dragon Slayer.

A power he was never meant to awaken.

His exchange with Igneel echoed in his mind.

"If Natsu fulfills his fate… if he kills his brother… will he…" His voice trailed off. He couldn't bring himself to say it.

It was Igneel who answered.

"Yes. That is why I did not want you tampering with his abilities. I do not wish for you to awaken him." The dragon's voice, deep and thunderous, carried the weight of centuries. "All of Zeref's creations—the Etherious—share a single instinct. It is innate, etched into their very being, something they cannot defy. And that instinct is to eliminate their creator."

And now—standing before them—was the source of Natsu's hidden power— his curse.

Naruto's gaze sharpened, his voice steady yet heavy with realization. "…Zeref."

The raven-haired man visibly shrank at the name, his entire body trembling. "I-if I said y-yes… w-what would you do?" His voice was barely above a whisper, laced with guilt, fear… and something deeper. Something ancient.

Mystogan's breath hitched. "Z-Zeref?!" His mind reeled, disbelief crashing over him like a tidal wave. "You're Zeref?!"

Naruto's expression remained unreadable, but his stance remained firm.

Zeref didn't react to Mystogan's shock. His terror wasn't directed at them—it was inward. He was afraid of himself.

Naruto took a step forward. "I want to have a dialogue with you." He gestured toward Mystogan, keeping his movements slow, non-threatening. "This is a guild's private property. You're on an island. And—" His eyes darkened. "—the very same guild that Natsu Dragneel is a part of."

At the mention of Natsu's name, Zeref's entire demeanor shifted.

His eyes widened. His breath hitched. Tears welled up in his eyes. "N-Natsu?" His voice cracked as his shoulders shook. "Natsu's… here?"

Mystogan could only watch the strange exchange in stunned silence. What the hell was going on?

"N-Naruto," Mystogan muttered, turning to the blonde, confusion and unease laced in his voice. "W-what is this? What the hell is happening?"

But Naruto simply raised his hand, gesturing for Mystogan to let him handle it.

Mystogan stayed silent, but his entire body remained on high alert. If what Naruto said was true, if this really was Zeref—then they weren't just facing some rogue dark wizard.

They were in the presence of something far worse.

Naruto's gaze locked onto Zeref's, unwavering.

"Yeah," he finally answered, voice low, almost careful. "Natsu's here."

A pause. A heavy silence. Then—

"But he's not ready yet."

Naruto made sure Zeref met his eyes. "I know about it, Zeref."

Naruto took a cautious step forward, but—

"N-NO! DON'T COME NEAR ME!"

Zeref's voice cracked, raw with desperation. His hands shot up to clutch his temples as if restraining something within himself, his entire form trembling under the weight of an unseen force. Then, without warning—

A suffocating wave of darkness exploded outward.

The sheer presence of it made the air heavy, thick with an aura of absolute death. It wasn't just a blast of magic—this was a curse. A fundamental rejection of life itself. The ground shriveled, vibrant green instantly turning into an ashen gray. Birds, unlucky enough to have flown too close, plummeted lifelessly from the sky. The trees surrounding them decayed, their leaves wilting in mere seconds before their bark crumbled into dust. The soil itself cracked as if drained of all vitality.

Naruto's toad-like Sage Mode eyes widened in alarm.

"Mystogan, pull back!" he barked, his voice carrying the urgency of an order.

Without hesitation, Mystogan leaped backward, distancing himself from the creeping death. Naruto did the same, watching intently as the black mist that had erupted from Zeref began to thin out, leaving only the grim aftermath of its destruction.

Mystogan's fingers twitched near his staff. He was ready—for what, he wasn't sure. But his instincts screamed danger.

"He's unstable…" Naruto muttered, his voice low but firm. "Mystogan, whatever you do, don't get too close."

The masked prince gave a sharp nod. "W-what about you?" he asked, trying to gauge Naruto's intentions.

Naruto exhaled. "I told you—I need to talk to him."

Mystogan furrowed his brows, glancing back at the raven-haired man, who was still shaking, still looking at his own hands as if they were foreign to him.

"You've been in this world for years now, right? Surely you've heard of the Dark Wizard Zeref."

Mystogan stiffened. "Of course, I know about him. Everyone does. But why? Why are you so determined to talk to him?! You saw what he just did—he's dangerous!"

Naruto didn't flinch at Mystogan's words. Instead, his gaze stayed locked onto Zeref. "Yeah, I see it. But you're looking at him the way the world does—like a villain, a harbinger of destruction. I see something else."

Mystogan narrowed his eyes. "And what exactly do you see?"

"A scholar," Naruto answered, loud enough for Zeref to hear. "Not just a dark wizard, but someone who sought knowledge."

The words froze Zeref in place. His head snapped up, his deep black eyes searching Naruto's face. "H-he… he knows?" Zeref muttered under his breath.

He wasn't sure what was more shocking—the fact that someone recognized him for more than his curse or that they were speaking to him like a human being.

Naruto took another step forward, his tone unwavering. "We mean no harm, Zeref."

Zeref's body tensed, his fingers twitching.

"I told you before—I know about your situation. And we'll help you."

Mystogan jerked his head towards Naruto, his mind unable to process what he had just heard. "W-WHAT?! H-HELP HIM?! WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?!"

Naruto didn't break eye contact with Zeref, only flashing a small, disarming grin. "You heard me, Zeref."

The dark wizard stared at the blonde like he was an anomaly, something beyond comprehension.

Mystogan, still struggling to wrap his head around it, snapped back at Naruto. "Oi, Naruto! What the hell are you planning?"

Naruto turned slightly to face him, his expression suddenly calculating. "As far as I'm aware you are stuck in this world right? You've got zero means to return…"

Mystogan hesitated, but then nodded. "Y-yeah. But how is that related to this?"

Naruto's grin widened. "Because without anima, you have no way back. You need something, a new way— something capable of connecting worlds."

Mystogan was silent for a moment, his mind processing Naruto's words before his eyes went wide. "…You can't be saying—"

Naruto nodded towards Zeref, his grin turning downright mischievous. "Yep. This guy here? He built something insane—a mechanism, a massive gate capable of ripping through time and space itself. The Eclipse Gate."

Zeref's breath hitched.

He knows.

Naruto wasn't just aware of his identity—he knew of his work, his research, his desperate attempts to fix everything. No zealot, no scholar, not even his own former allies had known the full depth of what he had tried to accomplish. Yet here was this strange blonde, grinning at him like he had just unraveled the biggest puzzle in history.

Naruto's arms crossed, his expression unreadable now. "Not just life and death, huh?" he mused. "You stepped into the domain of space and time. No wonder the gods cursed you. They must've been pissed—some mortal breaking into their cushy little playground."

Zeref sweatdropped. This man… this man knew.

Mystogan, meanwhile, stood frozen, the full weight of Naruto's words settling into his mind.

Zeref, the most feared dark wizard in history—was also the only person in existence who had the means to send him home.

"…You're insane." Mystogan finally whispered.

Naruto just grinned. "I prefer the term 'resourceful.'"

"W-Who… are you?" the dark wizard asked, his voice unsteady.

Naruto grinned, completely unfazed by the tension in the air.

"Naruto Uzumaki, pleased to meet you!"

Chapter End