A/n: I apologize for the late chapter. I hae had several ideas and wanted to see how they work and have had other tihngs on my mind.
here is the new chaper.
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Albion's POV
The next few hours passed in a blur of preparation and emotional conversations. Word of my impending departure had spread through the guild like wildfire, and by midday, even members who rarely showed up during normal hours had arrived to see me off.
I found myself in the unusual position of trying to comfort others while wrestling with my own conflicted feelings. Levy had thrown herself into helping me organize supplies and magical equipment, her analytical nature providing a welcome distraction from the emotional weight of the situation. Erza had appointed herself as my strategic advisor, grilling me on contingency plans and safety protocols with military precision.
"You'll need these." she said, pressing a small collection of communication lacrima into my hands. "They won't work across dimensional barriers, but they might function for short-range contact within whatever world you're going to."
"Thank you," I said, genuinely touched by her thoughtfulness. "I'll be careful with them."
"You'd better be," she replied, her voice softer than usual. "and you'd better come back in one piece, or I'll find a way to follow you just to beat some sense into you."
Despite everything, I found myself smiling. "I wouldn't expect anything less."
Natsu had been conspicuously absent for most of the preparation, and I could sense his conflicted emotions through the magical connection we shared as Dragon Slayers. When he finally approached me, it was with uncharacteristic hesitation.
"I still think this is stupid." he said without preamble.
"I know."
"And I still think you're abandoning us."
"I know that too."
He was quiet for a moment, staring at the floor. "But... I also know you wouldn't do this if you didn't think it was important. So I guess... just don't die, okay?"
"I'll do my best." I promised, placing a hand on his shoulder. "And when I come back, I'll show you some of the techniques I learned. Deal?"
That finally earned me a small smile. "Deal. But they better be awesome techniques, or I'm gonna be really pissed."
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As the afternoon wore on, I made my way to the guild's expanded basement area where I'd been storing some of my more sensitive magical items. The Haven Bag was waiting for me, along with several other artifacts I'd collected over the years.
Opening the dimensional storage space, I was greeted by familiar presences that had been waiting patiently for this moment.
"Athena." I called out, and the alchemical doll materialized beside me with her usual grace. Her violet hair caught the light as she turned to face me, her enchanted eyes showing a depth of understanding that sometimes surprised me.
"Master Albion," she said with a formal bow. "I sense we are preparing for another journey."
"A long one this time." I confirmed. "Are you ready?"
"I am always ready to serve." she replied, though I caught a hint of curiosity in her voice. "May I ask about our destination?"
"A world called Tortus. It's... different from here. The magic systems are more ancient, more dangerous. We'll be facing trials that could change us fundamentally."
Athena nodded thoughtfully. "Then I shall prepare accordingly. Shall I begin organizing our supplies?"
"Please. And Athena?" I hesitated, then continued. "This journey... it might be the most dangerous thing we've ever attempted. If you'd rather stay here where it's safe—"
"Master," she interrupted gently, "my purpose is to stand beside you in whatever trials you face. That has not changed, regardless of the danger involved."
Her loyalty never ceased to amaze me. "Thank you."
As Athena began efficiently sorting through the Haven Bag's contents, I turned my attention to another presence that had been stirring with increasing agitation.
"Wraith." I said aloud, feeling the spirit dragon slayer's essence respond to my call. "I know you can hear me."
The temperature in the room dropped several degrees as Wraith's spiritual form began to manifest. His translucent figure was more solid than usual, a sign of his growing power and desperation.
'You're leaving.' his voice echoed in my mind, carrying undertones of both anger and fear. 'Taking me away from this world where I might finally find a way to return to life.'
"I'm taking you to a world where that's actually possible." I corrected. "Tortus has ancient magics that could give you what you've been seeking—a real body, not just a spiritual existence."
Wraith's form solidified further, his ghostly features showing skepticism. 'And if these magics fail? If this journey ends with my essence scattered across dimensions?'
"Then at least we'll have tried." I said quietly. "But Wraith, I've seen glimpses of what's possible there. Metamorphosis magic, evolution magic, spiritual techniques that go beyond anything available on Earthland. This might be your best chance."
The spirit was silent for a long moment, his form flickering with internal conflict. Finally, he spoke again.
'Very well. But if this fails, if I am destroyed in pursuit of your power…'
"Then I'll carry that responsibility for the rest of my life." I finished. "I understand the stakes, Wraith. For all of us."
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That evening, the guild held an impromptu farewell celebration. It wasn't the boisterous party that usually accompanied such events—there was an underlying current of sadness and worry that couldn't be entirely masked by forced cheer. But it was genuine, filled with the kind of quiet support that meant more than any grand gesture.
Master Makarov pulled me aside as the evening wound down, his ancient eyes reflecting decades of experience with difficult decisions.
"You remind me of myself at your age," he said quietly. "always carrying the weight of the world, always believing that if you just pushed yourself hard enough, you could protect everyone."
"Is that a bad thing?" I asked.
"Not bad, no. But it is dangerous. The need to be strong enough, to be prepared for everything... it can consume you if you're not careful." He studied my face intently. "Just remember, my boy—power without connection to others is just another form of isolation."
His words hit deeper than I'd expected. "I won't forget."
"See that you don't. And remember—you always have a home here, no matter how much you change or how far you travel."
As the last guild members filtered out, I found myself alone with Kuroka in the main hall. She'd been quieter than usual throughout the evening, and I could sense her nervousness about the journey ahead.
"Second thoughts?" I asked gently.
"About a hundred of them." she admitted with a shaky laugh. "But that's not going to stop me. You're stuck with me, whether you like it or not."
"I'm glad," I said honestly. "I don't think I could do this alone."
"You won't have to." she said firmly. "We're partners, remember? Through whatever comes next."
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Third POV
In the depths of night, when the guild hall stood empty and silent, Selene's presence manifested in the physical world with unusual directness. The Moon Dragon God appeared in the main hall, her silver form casting ethereal light across the familiar space.
Albion emerged from the dormitory area, fully dressed and carrying the Haven Bag. Kuroka walked beside him, her own supplies minimal but her determination clear. Behind them, the temperature dropped as Wraith's spiritual form became visible, while Athena materialized from the dimensional storage with efficient precision.
"Are you ready, my son?" Selene asked, her voice carrying both affection and gravity.
"As ready as I can be." Albion replied. "The dimensional window is still open?"
"For now, but it narrows with each passing moment. We must proceed immediately."
Selene raised her hands, and the air around them began to shimmer with dimensional energy. Reality itself seemed to bend and warp, creating a swirling portal that showed glimpses of an alien landscape beyond.
"Remember," Selene said as the portal stabilized, "time flows differently between worlds. What feels like a year to you may be more or less here. Trust in your companions, trust in your training, and most importantly—trust in yourself."
Albion nodded, taking one last look around the guild hall that had become his home. His gaze lingered on the familiar sights—the request board where he'd spent so many mornings, the bar where Master Makarov held court, the tables where his guild family gathered each day.
"I'll be back." he said quietly, though whether he was speaking to Selene or to the guild itself wasn't clear.
"Yes," Selene said with certainty. "You will. But you will return changed, as all true journeys change us."
Kuroka stepped forward first, her natural courage overriding her nervousness. "Well, let's get this over with. Standing here talking about it isn't making it any easier."
Athena followed without hesitation, her loyalty absolute. Wraith's spiritual form flickered once before flowing toward the portal, his desperation for a new existence overcoming his fears.
Albion took a deep breath, feeling the weight of destiny settling around him once again. Then, without looking back, he stepped through the dimensional gateway.
The portal collapsed behind them with a sound like reality itself sighing, leaving only empty air and the faint scent of ozone. The guild hall returned to its peaceful silence, though it somehow felt different now—as if something essential had been temporarily removed from its foundation.
In her dimensional realm, Selene watched through her viewing pools as the four figures materialized in the hostile landscape of Tortus, just as the Hero Summoning reached its climax in a distant kingdom. The timing was perfect, the dimensional alignments precisely as she had calculated.
"And so begins the next phase." she murmured to herself. "May you find what you seek, my son. And may you be strong enough to survive the finding of it."
The viewing pools shimmered and went dark, leaving her to wait and watch as events beyond even her considerable power began to unfold across multiple worlds.
On Earthland, dawn broke over a Fairy Tail guild that was one member lighter, but no less determined to face whatever challenges lay ahead. And on distant Tortus, four travelers began a journey that would reshape not only their own destinies, but the fate of worlds yet unknown.
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-Tortus-
Albion's POV
The transition through dimensional space was unlike anything I'd experienced before. Where the Eclipse Gate had felt like stepping through time itself, this was like being pulled through the fabric of reality. For a moment that felt like eternity, I existed in a space between worlds—aware of infinite possibilities, infinite realities, all pressing against my consciousness at once.
Then suddenly, we were falling.
The first thing I noticed wasn't the ground rushing up to meet us, but the massive magical signature directly below—a summoning circle of incredible complexity and power, easily a hundred times more intricate than anything I'd seen on Earthland. The air itself crackled with dimensional energy as reality was being forcibly torn open to drag something through.
"Everyone brace!" I shouted, using my [Sky Dragon Slayer magic] to slow our descent as much as possible. Around me, my companions were similarly trying to adjust their landing—Athena reconfiguring her body's weight distribution, Kuroka using her enhanced agility and [aera magic] to reorient mid-fall, and Wraith's spiritual form becoming more diffuse to reduce impact.
We landed hard on ancient stone, the impact sending shockwaves through what appeared to be a massive ceremonial chamber. But our arrival was completely overshadowed by what was happening directly in front of us.
A class of Japanese high school students were materializing in the center of an enormous magical circle, their confused voices echoing off the vaulted ceiling as they appeared in flashes of light. They looked exactly as I expected—teenagers in school uniforms, suddenly yanked from their normal lives into a world of magic and danger.
Around the summoning circle stood figures in elaborate religious robes, their faces masks of zealous triumph. At their head was a man whose very presence made my skin crawl—Archbishop Ishtar, though I wouldn't learn his name until later. The fanatical gleam in his eyes as he watched the students appear was enough to make my stomach turn.
"The heroes have arrived!" one of the robed figures proclaimed, his voice echoing with magical enhancement. "Summoned by the divine will of Ehit to save our world from the demons!"
I quickly gestured for my companions to remain low and quiet. We had landed on a raised platform behind massive pillars, hidden from the main ceremony by shadows and architectural features. This was perfect—we could observe without immediately revealing ourselves.
Among the students, I could easily identify Hajime Nagumo. He looked exactly as I remembered from my knowledge of this world—average height, unremarkable appearance, the kind of person who faded into the background. But I could see something in his eyes, a quiet intelligence that most people overlooked. He was scared, like all of them, but he was also analyzing, trying to understand what was happening.
"Status Open." one of the priests commanded, and translucent panels appeared in front of each student, displaying their abilities in this world's system.
I watched as the students reacted to their various classes and stats. Some, like Kouki Amanogawa, received impressive designations—"Hero" with high combat statistics. Others were clearly support classes. And then there was Hajime, whose "Synergist" class was met with barely concealed disappointment from the priests.
"Interesting." Athena whispered beside me, her enhanced vision allowing her to read the status windows from our hiding spot. "This world appears to use a systematic approach to quantifying magical abilities. Crude, but functional."
'The spiritual resonance of that boy is unusual,' Wraith's mental voice added, 'and I could tell he was focusing on Hajime. There's potential there that their system isn't measuring. Hidden depths.'
I had to agree. Even from this distance, I could sense something about Hajime that the priests were missing. His magical signature was different—not weaker, just... untapped. Like a sealed wellspring waiting for the right catalyst.
The ceremony continued as the priests explained the situation—demons threatening humanity, heroes summoned to save the world, the usual propaganda. I noticed how they carefully framed everything, making the students feel both special and obligated. Classic manipulation tactics.
"We need to stay hidden for now." I murmured to my companions. "Let this play out naturally. We can't afford to disrupt the timeline too drastically, at least not yet."
But even as I said it, I was already planning. I knew what would happen to these students—the training, the betrayal, Hajime's fall into the Orcus Labyrinth. The question was how much I could help without completely derailing the events that would forge him into the person he needed to become.
As the ceremony wound down and the students were led away to their quarters, we remained hidden. The chamber slowly emptied, leaving only a few guards and maintenance priests to clean up the magical residue from the summoning.
"Now what?" Kuroka asked quietly.
"Now we establish ourselves," I replied. "but carefully. We need identities, resources, and information before we make any major moves."
"And the students?" Athena inquired.
I watched through the archway as the last of the summoned heroes disappeared down a corridor, their voices still echoing with confusion and fear. Among them, Hajime walked quietly, already being overlooked and underestimated.
"We'll keep watch from a distance." I said finally. "When the time comes—when Hajime needs it most—we'll be ready to help. But for now, we observe and prepare."
'A wise strategy.' Wraith agreed. 'This world will test us all. Better to understand its rules before we attempt to break them.'
As the great summoning chamber fell silent, I felt the weight of destiny settling around us once again. We had arrived at the perfect moment, witnessing the beginning of events that would reshape this world. Now came the hard part—navigating the complexities of Tortus politics and magic while staying true to our ultimate goals.
The real adventure was just beginning.