(Flashback)
A night after testing Sagittarius' strength, Allen realized that he had left the results of several missions unchecked, mostly due to his mental state. Also, the rewards hadn't seemed very useful then, especially since he'd need to win the same type of magic several times before it was strong enough to become part of his main arsenal.
Allen went into his room and lay down on the bed before opening the system interface, although he would have liked to do it in front of everyone, he was also lazy.
[Emergency Mission: Prevent the deaths of Natsu, Happy, and Gray – There's an 80% chance all three will die – (Completed) Reward: +1,000,000 J + Increased respect from both + Ancient sealed magic grimoire + Vitality-boosting potion (Permanent effect) + Anti-illusion bracelet]
"Oh… there are rewards like this too?" Allen rubbed his chin when he saw the reward. A stat-boosting potion? That sounded more like a video game than something out of Harry Potter.
[Emergency Mission: The Disaster Demon, Deliora – An immoral demon is about to be unleashed, and it still retains all its vitality and strength! (Completed) Rewards: +5,000,000 J +Demon Summoning Magic +Unique bond with Ultear +Flight Magic (Expert) +Unique bond with Ur +Magic Power Restoration Elixir]
Allen smiled faintly. He had used that elixir when helping Makarov, though he hadn't paid much attention to the other rewards. The flight magic was beneficial. As for the Demon Summoning Magic, it didn't appeal to him—he probably wouldn't ever use it.
[Optional Mission: Save Ur – A brave mage gave her life to seal away evil—a harsh and tragic sacrifice. Everyone says it's impossible, but maybe you can do the impossible… (Incomplete)]
"I have a plan… I'm not giving up on Ur yet."
[Main Mission: Galuna Island Incident – No matter how it ends or who wins, resolve the incident on this island. (Completed) Rewards: + Promise Ring + 2,500,000 J + Increased trust from all Fairy Tail members + Gift for Lucy + Gift for Erza]
'System?'
[Host, since I realized you didn't like me interfering in your relationships, I've changed the reward of "Affection" into a Special Gift. These are for the specific girls involved—created based on their desires, needs, and tastes, so they'll love them. This way, you can strengthen your bonds without my direct assistance.]
"I see… maybe that's for the best."
[Main Mission: Guild War – Guild conflicts are common. No rule says they have to get along. But Jose Porla has gone too far. Take part in this war, no matter the outcome. (Completed) Rewards: +2,000,000 J + Jose Porla's Shadow Magic (Intermediate) + Gift for Juvia + Gift for Levy + Enchanting Materials]
Allen frowned. "Honestly, I don't like the idea of using a creep like him's magic… but I won't reject it."
[Side Mission: Prevent Deaths – Because of Lucifer, the story's plot armor has weakened. That means people who weren't supposed to die… might die. Luck is halved, and there's a real chance Fairy Tail could lose this war—or worse, someone could die. (Completed) Rewards: +2,520,000 J + Gift for Mirajane + Gift for Laki + Level 3 Protection Ring + Mysterious Knight's Sword]
"A sword, huh…" Allen remembered how Lucifer had shattered the Clown Crown. He didn't want to think about it, but it was the truth. Maybe he could repair it someday.
[Emergency Mission: The Danger of a Saint Wizard – Jose is extremely powerful. Aside from Makarov and you, no one can take him on one-on-one. Plus, the demon's conditions have raised the threat level. There's a 90% chance someone will die if the rest of the guild fights him alone. (Completed) Rewards: +3,500,000 J + Basic Magic Blacksmithing Skills + Basic Magical Crafting Skills + Gift for Ultear + Gift for Cana + Permanent Strength-Boosting Potion]
"…Thanks."
[Host, the rewards are random—I don't choose them.]
"Haha, that's fine. Just a lucky coincidence."
[Exactly~]
Allen went to sleep that night in a much better mood. But the next morning, he woke up with Virgo tied up in his bed—like she was waiting for something.
(End of Flashback)
....
Loke looked up at the hotel Allen had bought. It was an elegant structure that stood out in this part of Magnolia—a place Loke rarely visited since it was filled with old buildings, and he was more the type to chase women in the city center.
He couldn't believe Allen really owned this place—it must've cost hundreds of millions. Still, considering what Allen was capable of, the story that he bought it in ruins and restored it wasn't far-fetched.
Loke was nervous—not because Allen was terrifying and had beaten him up before, but because of the keys on his belt. Loke couldn't help but tense up and avoid staring at them for too long. He'd never felt spirits like those before… and they radiated immense power.
Allen entered the building through the front door. Loke squinted, feeling temporarily blinded, then looked down at his hands.
"We passed through a barrier, didn't we?"
"You noticed?" Allen asked with interest. Not many people had visited, but only Erza had picked up on that.
"Not surprising someone like you would use one. So, what now?"
Interrupting them, 2B appeared to take Allen's hoodie. It wasn't really necessary, like a coat or trench coat might be, but since it had become something of a tradition for Allen, he let her.
"Pardon me, my name is Loke," Loke said with a "charming" grin, pulling a flower out of nowhere and offering it to 2B with seductive eyes. "Beautiful lady, would you mind telling me your name?"
"…" 2B stared at him in silence, then turned to Allen, gave a respectful bow, and walked away—leaving Loke frozen in place.
"…"
"You done?" Allen asked, his voice bored.
Loke tensed, suddenly remembering where he was… and who he was in front of. He'd let his nature take over—and might have just signed his death sentence.
"Wait, it's a misunderstanding!"
Loke tried to explain, praying he wouldn't get killed. But after looking at Allen, he noticed something strange—he wasn't angry. Allen turned around and began walking away.
"Looks like you're not afraid to die…"
"Huh?"
Before Loke could process Allen's words, the flower in his hand and his sunglasses were sliced clean in half. Loke looked down and went pale. A cold shiver ran down his back, and when he looked at Allen again… he seemed to have doubled in size, though it was just in his mind.
"I'll let it slide once. Next time, I'll throw you out of my house with broken ribs."
"Y-Yes! I'm sorry!"
Loke felt miserable. He didn't even know why he had come to ask for help from someone so dangerous.
....
The two reached a staircase and descended into the basement. Once there, Loke was stunned to find well-lit hallways with polished stone walls and floors.
"When I bought this place, the basement was the best part of the house—a private zone. It's got a boiler room. A generator room I plan to remodel. A general storage room I turned into my 'magic lab.' A wine cellar and a maintenance workshop I converted into my alchemy and enchantment workshop. An old archive room I turned into a personal library. And a sealed room that had a dangerous creature inside. But for now, we're heading to my workshop…"
"Wait—you said dangerous creature?!" Loke blurted out.
Knowing Allen could take on a Saint Wizard, Loke didn't even want to imagine what he'd label as dangerous. But Allen didn't answer the question. They kept walking until they reached a wooden door. When Allen opened it, Loke was hit with the strong scent of herbs and plants.
He was stunned to find two alchemy workshops. One was traditional, complete with a cauldron, shelves filled with bags of various plants, powders, and unknown liquids. The other was different—it had a small furnace instead of a cauldron.
"Interested?" Allen asked, noticing Loke eyeing the furnace. "I'm not that good at it, but that one's a pill furnace. Since magic in this world is a manifestation of the soul, I thought I could use it like spiritual energy… Didn't go well at first."
Loke had no idea what Allen was talking about. He knew Allen was from far away, but the more he spoke, the harder it was to guess where exactly. Allen, noticing Loke's confused look, cleared his throat and led him to another area—this one filled with repair materials, a smelting furnace, and an anvil.
"You know blacksmithing? Wait—are you trying to forge magic weapons?" Loke gasped.
"No, not really—I only know the basics. I just figured… since Erza spends terrifying amounts of money on armor, I might as well try making it myself. But it's not that simple…"
Allen kept walking until they reached the back, where there was a shelf full of magical grimoires, a desk, and tons of research notes. Just a glance told Loke that Allen was studying several types of magic.
"You're not even exaggerating—you already know so many kinds of magic. At this rate, your brain's going to fry," Loke said, shrugging. But deep down, he knew part of what made Allen terrifying… was that he seemed to master multiple kinds of magic.
Allen shook his head. "Know your enemy. It's not about learning all magic—just enough to fight against it effectively."
"…You scare me," Loke said seriously.
"Then I'm doing something right… Alright, let's get to it." Allen pointed to a corner with a table and a couple of chairs. They both sat down. Loke didn't waste any more of Allen's time.
"I heard you were the one who saved Master Makarov with a potion that restores magical power..."
"Yeah. Does that have something to do with you saying you're going to die?"
Loke sighed. "I'm Leo—the leader of the twelve Celestial Spirits..."
"..."
Loke—no, Leo—shook his head when he saw that Allen didn't look even slightly surprised. Then he continued speaking, though he left some things out. He had made a grave mistake, one that had led to his previous master's death. Because of that, he was expelled from the Celestial World. But that was practically a death sentence. Just as humans can't live in the Celestial World, spirits can't remain long in the human world.
Allen frowned. He knew that a Celestial Spirit could come into the human world on their own will, but doing so meant consuming their own magic—and in this world, magic is tied to life itself. So if they remained here long enough without returning… they would vanish. In other words—they would die.
"That sounds like an extremely harsh punishment. If I understood correctly, you didn't kill her directly—your actions led to her death…"
"I deserve it! No matter the circumstances, I indeed ended up causing Karen's death!" Loke choked up as he realized he had said more than he should've. He sighed. "Karen Lilica was a Celestial Spirit Mage from Blue Pegasus. She had a contract with Aries, but she was cruel. She used Aries for her own amusement, mistreated her… even forced her to stay in the human world for seven days straight, which could've killed her. So I stepped in..."
As Karen's spirit, Leo decided to threaten her—saying he wouldn't return to the Celestial World unless she broke her contracts. Since Karen could only summon one spirit at a time, she became practically useless. A month passed, and she returned, pretending to apologize. But Leo didn't buy it. He knew that if he left, she'd take her anger out on Aries and treat her even worse. In the end, three months went by. Then news came that Karen had gone on a mission in that state. She tried to summon a second spirit… and died from the strain.
After hearing the whole story, Allen stayed silent for a while.
"My opinion won't change. Maybe the Celestial World's laws forced you to follow certain rules… but if you'd let Aries die, you would've lost something far more important than a position."
"…!"
"Hold your head high, Leo. You didn't make a mistake!"
Allen's sharp gaze stunned Leo, whose eyes widened, realizing he didn't understand Allen at all. Then Leo smiled and shook his head.
"This time, I admit it, Allen. You defeated me completely..."
Allen shrugged. "Didn't even know we were competing"
After that, Allen stood up and headed toward the exit. He was going to get some materials from storage and told Leo to wait there. But just as he stepped out, he smiled at Lucy and Juvia, who were trying—very poorly—to hide. They'd tripped and fallen.
"Ah!" Lucy cried as she fell right on top of Juvia.
"Get off me, blonde cow..."
"Who are you calling a cow?! You're no different!"
"Eavesdropping is wrong, you know…" Allen laughed while the two girls immediately tried to blame the other.
"It wasn't Juvia's fault, Allen-sama!" Juvia said with teary eyes, hugging Allen's knees. "Lucy said she saw you going into the basement with Loke, so she followed you. Juvia only followed her to stop her from doing something stupid!"
"You liar! You traitor!" Lucy stood up and clung to Allen's arm. "We were in the lounge when Juvia said she sensed your presence—which is weird, since your magical power can't be felt!"
"It's the power of love!" Juvia declared… and immediately blushed in embarrassment.
"Like I was saying, I followed her, and I saw you both going down to the basement. I got curious, so I followed too. But when I saw you were helping Loke, I decided to leave—she insisted on staying!"
"What?!" Juvia stood up, angry. Lucy did the same, and the two girls clashed foreheads, ready to fight—until Erza appeared in her pajamas and lifted them both by the neck.
"Quiet! Don't you know how to behave?!"
Allen put a hand to his forehead, but after thinking for a second, he let out a laugh. Then he looked at Lucy, who grew nervous—but seeing that Allen wasn't mad, she just looked confused.
"Lucy… what do you think about all this?"
Erza and Juvia exchanged glances. The blonde girl had overheard the entire conversation between Loke and Allen—so she should understand the situation.
Lucy clenched her fists. "It's not fair. It's completely unfair. I don't know what that so-called Spirit King is thinking."
Juvia relaxed. "Juvia agrees too. Juvia doesn't care about any man except Allen-sama, but… that punishment is way too harsh."
"She's right. It's almost like saying it would've been better if Aries had died." Allen glanced toward the workshop—Loke should be able to hear them from there. With a faint smile, he continued, "There are two options. First, I could restore Loke's power—doing so would let him stay in this world for another three years. Or… I could speak directly to the Celestial Spirit King."
"Huh?! Are you serious?!" Erza grabbed Allen's arm. "The Celestial World isn't meant for humans—it's dangerous!"
"She's right, Allen-sama! It's not worth the risk!" Juvia clung to Allen's legs again.
"I'm against it too!" Lucy tightened her grip on Allen's arm. "I feel bad for Loke, but I won't let you risk yourself!"
"Wait!" Loke stepped out of the workshop, looking furious. "I only asked you to help restore my power—that's it. I accepted this punishment!"
"You're underestimating me too much. I have a way to do it without risking anything."
Allen had to calm the three girls before they'd let go of him. Afterward, he explained that he'd been studying the Celestial World through his connection with Virgo.
"Virgo."
"You called, Master? said Virgo before breaking through the floor and getting out of there.
"You…" Allen slapped his forehead. The worst part was that he expected her to do that. He'd told her not to use her powers like that—it ruined the floors every time.
As if she already anticipated the scolding, Virgo handed Allen a whip, then turned around and prepared herself for "punishment"—until she noticed Leo.
"Oh, if it isn't our leader. Leo-sama, I thought you were already dead…"
Loke nearly collapsed at Virgo's words. He knew what her personality was like… but he'd tried hard to be a good leader. Was this level of cruelty really necessary?
"Hey, Virgo…" Allen's voice turned cold.
"I'm sorry, Master." Virgo bowed, as if she understood her master was getting impatient to punish her. But Lucy interrupted her, grabbing her arm.
"Hold it right there, Ero-Maid!"
Leo held his head. "Looks like you found a suitable master. But could you… Maybe control that personality of yours?"
"…" Virgo looked at Leo, and then… smiled? "That's right. Both Master and Hime are truly wonderful people. I'm happy to serve them."
Lucy froze, then let go of Virgo and coughed in embarrassment. Allen smiled. Virgo may be a perverted masochist, but in the end, it was impossible to hate her.
Once the atmosphere had lightened up, Allen got serious again.
"Virgo, I need you to take me to the Celestial World."
"Master?" Virgo couldn't hide her disbelief at the request. "That's danger—please desist and punish me in the bath instead…"
"Virgo..." Allen's expression didn't change. Virgo pressed her lips together, then bowed, accepting the command. The others tried to talk him out of it, but Allen wouldn't change his mind. They also asked to go with him—but Allen refused. He didn't know if things would end in a fight, and going alone was safer. Of course, he didn't tell them that.
"I'm just going to try negotiating. If it doesn't work, we'll figure something else out…"
Allen was a good liar when he wanted to be—so even with doubts, the girls didn't protest further. Though Leo continued to object until the very end.
Virgo opened the portal to the Celestial World, and Allen placed a hand on her shoulder. He smiled as he said goodbye… but that smile vanished the moment he arrived.
As expected, the sky was lit by massive constellations, and the air was saturated with overwhelming spiritual magic.
Allen could feel many eyes watching him—but he ignored them and walked toward a giant door. Behind it stood a massive spirit with the appearance of an old man. The power and pressure he gave off were far beyond anything else in this world.
Allen stood tall, unfazed by the intimidation.
"I didn't come to fight, old man. But if you insist… I'll throw down."
[Allen, be careful.]
Allen looked up, shocked. Two particles of Lucifer were floating above the Spirit King's head.
"Shit!" Allen quickly clapped his hands together. "Compound Magic!"
A simple visit… had just become a deadly threat.
===
A/N: I don't blame Loke for being the way he is, but he should be careful or he won't live long if he chooses to flirt with Allen's harem lol
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