POP-!
Shun arrived in a random hidden corner in the Yorknew city.
"Ah-! The air smells good." Shun was already feeling good in his favorite world. If Rudeus saw him like this he'd be quite shocked as Shun hates almost everyone and every country there.
Since he had no clue where to find Paku or even what to do here. Shun went back to the hotel where the auction happened.
"I'll wait for an hour here, if she doesn't come to find me herself. Then I'll go to greed island alone."
After arriving Shun just sat in the reception hall, taking a nap.
——
"Hey, wake up." Within half an hour… someone really came for Shun.
Shun opened his eyes with a bit of excitement but…
What met his eyes wasn't a pair of breasts but pair of guns that were pointing at his head.
"…"
'The hell kind of situation is this? The danger level was so low that I didn't even notice them.'
"You're alone today? You were quite cocky last time." A bald man pointing a pistol with his subordinates smirked
"Who are you again?" But Shun couldn't remember him at all
"!"
Unable to bear the humiliation of being disrespected in front of his subordinates and even strangers in the hotel lobby.
Bang-!
The bald man Zenji, who got trashtalked by Shun in an assassin's gathering previously shot furiously.
Squelch-!
A disgusting sound of a bullet entering a human flesh echoed in the hotel's lobby.
"Hahaha!" Zenji laughed like a madman until… he found out that the man he shot was one of his subordinates
"Where are you aiming? Did you guys have a grudge against that guy?" Shun asked with a concern
"!"
"W-What?"
"Boss, why did you shoot Bob?!" One of the four subordinates that Zenji had brought asked in confusion and rage as Bob was his friend.
"Ha?! I shot that bastard, you guys saw it too." Zenji explained desperately but…
"No. I saw it, he shot that guy in the last second. He might be a spy from other family, bald and ugly guys are the easiest to disguise as." Shun gave his opinion to the remaining three
"…"
Paku and Machi who had already arrived were speechless by the charade. The two of them had been waiting for Shun to come out of his greed island game, since he disappeared without a trace. They assumed that he went into the game so they waited, around the hotel.
With the gunshot, they rushed over and as expected… they found him.
"He's got a point." One of the remaining three subordinates pointed his gun to Zenji
"Oi! You bastard! When did you get this brave?!" Zenji asked in rage as he pointed his gun to one of his own men
Meanwhile Shun was making noises in the background.
"He really pointed a gun towards you guys!"
"You damn imposter!" The other two shouted in anger and pointed their guns toward Zenji
"!"
By now, Zenji understood…
That his subordinates were damned imbeciles.
"Hey, imposter. If you are really Zenji-san, When is my birthday?" One of the three that pointed a gun at Zenji asked
"Ha?!" Zenji was even more enraged now.
'This white haired bastard was just a random that doesn't even have a deep grudge with me. If it comes to this, I'll kill those three bastards with me!' Zenji had already taken Shun off the list of his grudges
"How am I supposed to know that, you damn idiot?!" Zenji shouted back in anger as he fired his gun like a madman
Bang-! Bang-! Bang-!
The hotel lobby had completely turned into a battlefield as five idiots were fighting each other.
With Shun briefly interfering their bullets with telekinesis… all four of them have died to each other's bullets. to the eyes of others it looked like the mafias were fighting among each other.
Police came and asked but… with many witnesses. Shun wasn't even dragged to the police station.
Once done with the charade, Shun just decided to get a room in the hotel and play greed island.
'Hunter site will probably upload my information and they will come to find me.'
"You're back?" When he was done getting a room and his key. Paku and Machi approached.
"Yes. Let's go." Shun said and started heading to the room followed by the speechless two. With his senses it wasn't possible that the two of them peeking would go unnoticed.
The three were led to the vip suite that was reserved for the mafia bosses. The price was really steep but… With Shun's money that he earned by rigging fights in the heaven's arena, It wasn't much.
Once inside the room, the three found sofas to sit and catch up.
Machi stared at Shun's face as she was still unable to believe what Paku had informed them after staying a night with Shun. She had already used her ability and seen through Shun's memories. At least what Shun wanted her to read.
——
Flashback to when Paku returned to the phantom troupe's hideout.
"…Did you see his secrets?" In a room inside the abandoned building, Paku, Machi and Chrollo had gathered to discuss the new information.
"…Yes." Paku nodded, if she touches only for short amount of time. She can only read the parts her target is currently thinking but if she spends a long time like the one she did with Shun. She could delve into deeper parts of Shun's memories.
"He isn't from here."
"!"
Just from the first sentence, Paku's words caught them off guard.
"Like us, He was abandoned in an uninhabited island as a child and survived there alone. From young age he was able to use nen and become the boss of that island hunting wild beasts."
It was a ridiculous story but… they believed every word. As there was no chance of Paku ever lying to them.
"…The powers he displayed aren't his main ability, they are just a temporary toys."
"!"
"…What's his main ability?" Chrollo asked what intrigued him the most
"It's an ability to turn into a dragon that is immune to… Nen. Anything with nen won't affect him, the dragon ability passively strengthens his physical ability too. Normal attacks won't work as well, that explains his behavior that isn't scared of anything."
"…"
Once Paku finished explaining, the three turned silent.
"…We shouldn't become his enemies no matter what." Paku muttered while slightly trembling.
After a long silence, Chrollo muttered.
"A dragon huh?"
"…"
"Actually The prophecy the Nostrade family's girl did for me… has told me that… I will meet a twin headed dragon."
"!"
"In short it said… One of the head is an evil that would destroy the spider but if I played the cards right, the other head would help us prosper."
"…"
"…Don't tell others about his connection to the chain user bastard. I don't need to explain why right?" Chrollo said as he concluded their small secret meeting
——
"So what have you guys been up to?"
"…"
"Nothing much, we were just staying here until the next mission." Paku said as she touched Shun's hand to see what he has been up to.
"Same." Shun said as his hand started touching further, from her hand to wrist to plus ultra.
"!"
'Same?!' Paku's body started trembling as she saw what Shun was up to last few days.
"Are you okay?" Shun smirked as he hugged her to calm her down
"Y-Yeah…"
"So you guys wanna play this?" Shun asked as he pulled out a greed island console somehow from his inner chest pocket but the two weren't even fazed.
"I don't mind but… you haven't cooked for me yet." Suddenly Machi brought up a bet that Shun had almost forgotten
"Hmm? Are you hungry?" Shun asked then called for the room service.
"…"
"What do you want to eat?"
"Steak, rare." Machi replied bluntly
A vip guests asking for food ingredients instead of a food came out as a bit of a surprise for the receptionist but… it was soon delivered to their room.
"Tsk, they charge ten times the usual price just because we are using this room."
"…"
Despite having no issue with money, it left a bad taste as if he just got scammed.
'With all that strength and money, he is still complaining about the price…' Paku was now relatively calm as they watched Shun cook
Within less than an hour, Shun was done with the food. For the two he decorated a steak but for himself was just one big chunk of meat in a big bowl.
"Here you go."
"Thanks." X2
The three ate silently as if they were a dysfunctional family. Until…
"What's your end goal?" Machi asked as she put a meat in her mouth
"Huh? Goal?"
"A dream or whatever. What do you want to do?" Machi clarified as she blushed from the sensation of a meat melting in her mouth
"A dream huh? I guess I'm planning to become the hunter association president and explore the dark continent." Shun explained casually as if his goal was to buy a piece of gum
"!!"
"Hunter association president?" Paku asked in surprise, as Shun thought about it just now she didn't know from his memories.
"I don't really care about the position as long as I'm going to the dark continent."
"…"
"Why?" Machi asked for the obvious reasons. The dark continent wasn't a top level secret but it wasn't a public knowledge as well. Those who know about it also know the danger it contains.
"I don't know, it might be fun." Shun just shrugged his shoulders.
'But… two women eating meat while blushing… are they inviting me?' Shun thought but shook his head, such things could wait for later. For now he had much more important business.
"Why are you dressed like that?" Machi asked as Shun always had just a short, t shirt and slippers on but… today he was in his fleet admiral uniform with a white hat that resembled sengoku's
"Huh? Did I not tell you guys that I'm a marine?"
"…"
"Why did you—" before Machi could ask another question Shun stopped her.
"Am I being interrogated? If u have finished eating, come to the living room. We have an unfinished business." Shun said with a face that was even more intense than when he was fighting Acnologia and Imu.
"…"
"If I can't beat you today, I'm fine with losing everything."
"!!"
Shun's determination was the same as Gon's when he faced Pitou.
"Heh, interesting. The bet will be the same as before, the winner will get one wish over the loser." Machi smiled as she stood up
"…"
'Those two addicts…' Paku just sighed as she continued eating
'…Yum.'
——
Ten minutes later… in the hotel room reserved for only mafia bosses…
A single man's Nen aura roared up into the sky, shaking the heavens and earth.
"!!"
Paku and Machi gulped hard as they watched the madman celebrating his first ever victory against Machi in gungi.
Machi was initially frustrated but the surprise overwhelmed her anger, as the guy before her was kept getting stronger.
'…Why is his nen getting stronger just because he won a board game?!'
Swoosh-!
Shun calmed his nen down as he summoned his stand, Spiteful fool.
"!"
"What are you doing?!" Machi asked as it was a bit too sudden change of pace
"I… just remembered that there was a tiny guy that picked a fight with me few days ago."
"W-Wait! He won't do such foolish things anymore!" Pakunoda came to stop Shun.
Despite the spiders being a cold blooded organization. The founding members are somewhat cares about each other.
"Calm down, this guy's ability can do more than just killing."
"Huh?"
Next second Shun turned to his stand and said with a deep grudge.
"…Make that bastard's hair fall off, every hair from his body without a chance of recovery."
"Six. Months."
"…"
The room turned silent as the small revenge was done.
Shun silently went to prepare the three consoles of greed island while the two member of phantom troupe…
"Pfft—!" Machi couldn't back from stopping herself after imagining the result of that curse.
"…"
While Paku just stood silently.
'Despite all that strength… how petty can he be?'
——
"Heh, you guys must be new players?" A man with dreads and a weird book in front of him confronted the three newbie as soon as they entered the game.
"Huh?"
When the three looked back at the tonfa's upgraded version, the rookie hunter of greed island…
"!"
The guy suddenly started sweating as he seemed to have some clue about the difference in strength.
"M-Magnetic force on! Masadora!" The man chanted as he pulled out a card. Next moment his body started floating at a speed untraceable to normal human's eyes.
"…"
But…
Shun wasn't planning on letting him go. Under the eyes of his two partners and the other veterans of the game spying on them.
Shun… jumped.
"Oh? So I can catch them if i try. Well the card abilities are just a nen ability of someone else." Shun muttered as he landed with the rookie hunter in his arm.
"Choose. All of your cards or all of your limbs. Which one would you like to keep?"
"…"
The two women who are supposedly the thieves were speechless by Shun's actions.
Just like that the three newbie gained quite a lot of cards.
"Accompany on. Masadora."
'Speaking of stealing… I forgot to explore Mariejois and see the loots the world government has left me. I'll take everything once I get back.'
The same card magic that Shun stopped now transported them to a city that sells magic cards.
"What are we doing here? Will we collect the cards?" Machi asked, if she had to be honest she didn't care about winning the game at all.
'Probably Paku doesn't too.'
"We will search for some kids."
"…"
As soon as Shun finished speaking his en enveloped the entire city.
"!!"
"W-What is that?!"
"A monster has appeared in the greed island!!"
Masadora was the most popular city in the entire game due to being the card trading city in the game of collecting cards. The poor players that gathered here to sell a card almost had a heart attack seeing someone using a massive en.
'Usually even an expert hunters only get about fifty meters of en but… this guy's is nearly hundred times that.'
"They're not in this city…" Shun muttered before seeing a familiar face.
"Hey, you. Open your binder and search for a name."
"!"
The one who Shun found was a guy that came to buy every accompany cards in the city. Aka the serial killer with a nickname, the Bomber.
"Huh? Me?" The bomber aka Genthru pointed at himself awkwardly as he was still keeping his real identity a secret.
"Search the names in your binder and find me a name."
"A-Ah, okay." Genthru nodded but inside he was fuming with anger.
"Are you guys new players?" Genthru offered a small talk as he touched Shun's shoulder.
"Be careful of the bomber out there." He said worriedly. However he was completely ignored.
"Oh, that's him. Send us to the player named Gon."
Paku and Machi just watched silently as Shun was behaving like a middle school bully.
'This fucker!!'
"Okay."
While Genthru prepared accompany card; Shun wore a simple fox mask.
"Accompany on, Gon." Genthru chanted as he decided to take a revenge on Shun silently.
Swoosh-!
——
'This teleportation is quite useful, if I didn't already have one. I'd have chased the one who is in charge of teleportation spells.'
While thinking as such, Shun's group arrived here with the bomber.
"!!"
Where they appeared was in a middle of a forest.
In front of them four children stood, while one of them sat down reading a magazine. The other three seemed to be training their nen.
"Well, then I'll return." Genthru said but no one paid attention to him.
'Those fuckers…'
The group's sudden arrival immediately alarmed the four children. However… even the one teaching the other three couldn't react as an aura so overwhelming that it erased all doubts and anger from the children and Genthru surged in the entire forest.
Swoosh-!
Within a blink of an eye, the intruder appeared between the white and green haired kids.
"Brats, hand over your cards or I'll snap their necks." Shun said with his changed voice as he grabbed the back of their necks.
"!!"
'W-When did this bastard get here? Is this his nen ability? But… a skin contact, I can use that!' Killua decisively used his electricity.
ZAP-!
Swoosh-!
As soon as Shun got stunned, Gon and Killua jumped back to the behind of Bisky as if they instinctively realized it was the safest place they could afford.
'Previous Killua would never act like this… this kid after the needle removed sure is different. But… if I was someone else they would've died.' Shun sighed as he started to sympathize with the Zoldyck family in putting the needle in Killua's brain.
"We'll give the cards. But… we don't even have much." Suddenly Gon said with a serious face.
"If you don't have enough cards, then I'll spare you guys with just taking one limb from each."
"!!"
'The height and strength resembles that brat but… would he go this far for a prank?' Bisky sighed as she couldn't be too sure so she started to transform into her macho form.
'I was about to remove the mask and stop the prank but… why would this crazy woman reveal her secret now? Did I go too far?'
"I'll fight him. You guys get out of here."
"No. We'll fight him together."
"Yeah, we can't just leave you alone."
"…"
'Is my little prank escalating so much that it's creating a parallel of the Kite and Pitou drama?'
Only Aisha was silently watching from behind as she could… smell Shun apart.
BAM-!
Slap-!
Next moment, Shun was fighting two children and one muscular woman. He parried each of their attacks by slapping their hands away.
Meanwhile Genthru who had ended up watching their fight was having a headache.
'…I have already planted the bomb on him. To cancel it the target has to touch me and say 'I've caught the bomber.' There is no other way to cancel… What should I do?!'
"Accompany on, Bara."
The guy disappeared without anyone paying him an attention.
Meanwhile Bisky had already figured out who she was fighting with. Because…
'There is only one crazy bastard in this world that fights like this…'
Shun was tanking most of their attacks without dodging.
"…Isn't it about time you end your stupid prank?" Bisky sighed as she turned back to her child form.
"Eh?" Gon and Killua who were the only ones having a near death battle was caught off guard by Bisky's actions.
"You guys still don't realize it?"
"…It's been a long time." Shun removed the mask rather awkwardly
"…"
A deep silence settled between them. As always it was Shun's duty to break the silence.
"But… have you guys really been training?"
"!"
"From what I seen it seemed you guys been slacking off."
"…"
'It hasn't even been a month since we separated. How are we supposed to catch up?!' Killua refuted in his mind only as he could tell from experience to never start arguing with Shun.
"…What's with that clothes?" So he forcefully changed the subject
"This? There was a war back in my home country, I had to join it too." Shun explained with pained expression as if he went through a difficult time
"What? A war? Was everything okay?!" Gon the screw loose asked with a worry
"Yeah, I was fine but the king got killed by the rebels."
"!!"
Hearing this even Machi and Bisky who didn't pay much attention to his story was surprised.
"Was the enemy that strong?" Bisky asked as from the small skirmish she had earlier… she honestly couldn't imagine Shun losing.
'Unless…' Bisky had already imagined a terrifying scenario.
"Yes. They were as strong as me."
"!"
"…The world is really big huh?" Killua muttered as in his mind the strongest people were his grandpa, Netero and Shun at the top three.
Shun's story was an eye opener for them until…
"Because… I was the rebel."
"!!"
"Ha?"
"…I was the one that led the rebels and took the throne." Shun smirked as he finally dropped the bomb
Paku, who had already seen everything just shook her head helplessly.
——
A few minutes later, The unusual group then proceeded to go to a nearby city named Love City for a meal as they still had more to catch up.
The group surrounded a big round table in a restaurant.
"You guys should quit with the training now."
"Eh?" Gon asked with his mouth full of food
"Let's speed run this game."
"…"
"I think that's actually a good idea." Bisky seemed to agree as there wasn't much else left to teach them.
Due to Shun's presence, she started teaching them way earlier than the original timeline.
"What you kids need now is an experience. In fact the small fight earlier was a helpful one."
"That's exactly why I attacked you guys in the first place. It must've given you quite an experience but it won't work again." Shun shrugged his shoulders but even Gon wasn't buying his words this time however…
"…That's true, we have gotten a valuable experience." Killua couldn't help but feel this way as he could still remember the fear he had earlier, however he was also a bit proud of himself for not running and actually fighting back.
Bonk-!
"Ouch!"
What interrupted his thoughts was a cruel bonk on the head by Shun.
"That was a moment where you should've run. If I was actually an enemy you would've died."
"I thought your family was psychopaths for what they did but… now I'm starting to feel like putting a needle in you myself."
"…"
Killua and Gon turned silent as they were still kids when an adult starts nagging, their self defense method was to just be quiet.
"Enough about that, won't you introduce them already?" Biska came in to save her little pupils
When Biska said that, the two girls that were eating without a care turned their heads towards her.
"You already know Machi. She is Paku."
"Hello." Paku greeted in a cool voice
"They're with me because I blackmailed to curse their friends." Shun smoothly introduced them but… as always he had a tough crowd.
The group completely turned silent. Until…
"What? You really think I would do that?" Shun suddenly asked in an offended tone
' Weren't you the one bring that up in the first place?' Killua couldn't help but refute in his mind
"I only blackmail women when necessary."
"…"
To change the subject, Shun dropped another bomb.
"My wife got pregnant."
"Pfft—!! Cough cough." Killua choked on his drinks at this sudden news
"P-Pregnant? You had a wife?!" Killua asked what everyone wanted to ask
"Didn't I tell you guys before? I have about fifty wives and thirty children."
"!!!"
Even Aisha was hearing it for the first time. Aisha, Killua and Gon didn't realize at this moment that they were included in the thirty children.
"But it's the first one where a blood related child of mine will be born."
"Phew-!" For reasons unknown, Killua sighed a relief hearing that his children were adopted.
'He suddenly feels like an existence beyond our comprehension.' Killua sighed as he asked back
"Is it okay to be playing around leaving your pregnant wife?"
"It's fine, I learned a valuable lesson in parenting." Shun said as he looked at Gon
"Eh?"
Bisky and Killua could already imagine the nonsense Shun was about to speak.
"I'll just tell my child to become a hunter and find me in ten years if they want to meet me."
"…"
——
For the rest of the day, Shun and the group actually focused on the greed island and collected a total of five important cards that would help them in winning the game.
Three days later…
"All right! Today too, let's collect cards!" Gon the screw loose was as energetic as always but…
Fate had other plans for them as suddenly a literal bomb appeared on Shun's shoulder.
"!!"
'Shit, I completely forgot about this thing as it's too weak. But he really dared to explode it on me huh?'
Swoosh-!
Shun concentrated nen on his feet and jumped hundreds of meters into the air to separate from the others.
BOOOOOM-!
Next second a huge explosion echoed in the area but perhaps it was aimed to kill only the target and not others around the area. The area of effect was small.
"Shun!" Only Gon bothered to worry as even Aisha was unfazed as Shun just came out of the explosion with a bit of dirt on him.
"You must have met the bomber…" Killua began to explain the dangers of the bomber but… Shun had a real emergency this time.
"…Sorry but you guys continue the game without me for the time being."
"Eh? Did something happen?!" Gon asked with worry but…
"So you just going to ignore the bomber?" Killua asked with a bit of surprise as it was different from what he know of Shun
"I have no time to spare for a small fry. Just give me a call if there is problem." Shun said and pulled out a card that would send him back to 'real' world
"Will phones work?" Killua asked a realistic question
"Yes. The one Leorio suggested will work as it has good network signals around almost the whole world."
"!"
Killua the overthinker had already collected the clues from Shun's words.
"Could it be?!"
"Yes. It's a real world, not a game."
Shun spoiled the whole game and cruelly left, leaving the phantom troupe with the main cast in awkward silence.
——
POP-!
The fairy tail world, Magnolia.
A suspicious figure was lurking around the fairy tail guild in a dark hood that hid their whole body and face.
The figure was searching for a certain someone, however the figure themselves was being observed.
"Lucy. What are you doing in a suspicious clothes like that?"
"!"
The hooded figure's heart nearly stopped as she didn't notice the man's presence at all. But she calmed down quickly then… she jumped in to hug Shun.
Drip-!
'Why is she crying?' Shun had no clue about the current situation at all. The reason he hurried back here was because… his instinct had worked again. What's the most intriguing was… this time the one in danger was not one of his allies but… Shun himself.
"…I don't know what's happening but let's go home."
Lucy didn't reply as Shun lifted her with the telekinesis to the Tenroujima island.
"You are back… with a guest?" Mavis welcomed them into the house, lately she almost never left the tenroujima island.
"Yeah, it's someone you already know." Shun said and tore off the baggy hood Lucy was wearing
"!!"
"W-What are you doing?!" Lucy immediately turned red and hid her body that was a bit thinner than usual
Swoosh-!
In front of Lucy appeared a green haired wizard from the alvarez empire. Perhaps she thought lucy was in danger… she swung a fist at Shun.
"Woah-!" Shun dodged the fist and raised his hands as he clarified
"My bad, I assumed you must be hiding a wound or something with that baggy clothes."
"…"
"Are you okay? Lucy…?" Brandish, who had become best friends with Lucy before Shun even noticed asked a bit unsure. Because… in the other part of the room was sitting another Lucy.
"Why am I there?" Lucy the bit more healthy and plumpy one asked in confusion
"What the hell is happening here?" This time Brandish muttered as she watched Shun fixed Lucy's torn clothes with arc of time
"…I'll explain everything." The skinnier Lucy said as she pulled out a smart phone.
——
A few minutes later, somehow a large group had gathered in the living room surrounding a rectangle shaped table.
The members were most of the younger generations of the fairy tail except the training Natsu, Gildarts and workaholic Laxus and his group.
The other members were the Alvarez four, Saber tooth trio and Shun.
"Why are so many people gathered here?" Shun asked as it was just a random day in the afternoon but… there were too many people here.
"Well… It's our movie time soon." Gray answered while rubbing the back of his head awkwardly.
'…So even the guys have gathered to watch a show about high school girls drinking tea?' Shun was at a loss for words seeing Gray, Elfman and even August's attendance.
"More importantly, why is there two Lucy?" Gray tried to change the subject forcefully but no one decided to mention it as they were curious too
"Before I explain… what's today's date?" The skinny Lucy asked Shun but…
Shun turned to Mavis as he wasn't sure as well.
"It's the year X785, January 15th." Mavis explained without questioning as she knew what Shun does when he goes outside
"…Then we still have about a year before the incident." The skinny Lucy muttered a mysterious sentence
"Did you use the Eclipse gate?" Shun now had almost figured out what was happening
"Yes…"
"Did dragons attack in the future?" Shun asked but it was unlikely, with him having Acnologia's power no dragons would be a match for him even if 10000 dragons attacked like in the original.
"What?"
"Eclipse gate? Future?" The rest of the group were clearly confused about the conversation.
"Yes. I came from the future using the eclipse gate." Lucy admitted in front of everyone
"I see. What year are you from?" Shun's casual tone was unintentionally suppressing the shock of the crowd.
"Year X792 and no there wasn't any invasions from dragons but…" Lucy's face turned bitter as if she remembered a bad memory
"Lucy…" Lucy of the past patted the back of the future Lucy to comfort her.
"…"
"About a year from now… the strongest wizard in the world…" Lucy's voice trembled making the suspension increase twofold
"Hmm?" Shun patiently waited for her to finish
"…The fourth guild master of the fairy tail guild, will die in action against an enemy."
"!!!"
"Huh?"
The room turned completely silent.
The future Lucy didn't expect most of them to not believe her words but… the shock on their faces spoke of their beliefs.
——
After a long silence, Shun took the responsibility to break the ice.
"So… who killed me?" Shun asked without any hint of fear or nervousness
"…"
"…It was a gigantic monster. You saved a different world on the brink of destruction and sent some people to this world. They brought your will to us." Lucy finally revealed everything with a relatively calm tone, perhaps influenced by Shun's response.
"I see. So why did you come to the past?"
"!"
"Ha? Are you okay in your head?" For reasons unknown to Shun, it was Brandish who asked the question with veins popping up on her forehead.
'This girl has really become close with Lucy… I don't know how Lucy does it but she did it this time as well.' Shun sighed as he just shrugged in response.
"She obviously came to warn you!" Brandish shouted.
"…Lucy, you must know by now that I absolutely don't like the idea of going to the past to fix my mistakes." Shun said in an unusually cold tone making the future lucy timid as she looked down like a child being scolded.
"If I'm going to die, I'll die. That's all there is to it."
"…"
"T-This crazy bastard!" Brandish was at a loss for words. Though she hasn't talked much with Shun, she thought they were comrades already from the amount of time she got fed by Shun.
Slap-!
Brandish wanted to knock some sense into Shun but… someone else had acted before her.
"…"
Gulp-!
The younger generation of fairy tail guild and saber tooth watched in shock as Shun just got slapped by… Mavis.
Shun had to lower his defenses and turn off his corrosive skin, a passive ability created from the poison dragon slayer magic that turns his skin poisonous, otherwise the pregnant Mavis could get hurt.
"H-How can you say something like that?!" Mavis asked as tears threatened to drip down her cheeks
"Uhm, I think I worded it poorly…" Shun sighed awkwardly before continuing
"I meant, if there is a monster that can kill me. There is nothing much that can be done anyway."
"…"
"So what you're saying is… there is no one in the world that can help you to fight an enemy that has the strength to kill you?" Irene smoothly explained Shun's words.
It was an extremely arrogant remark, but… the group couldn't argue against it either.
Another awkward silence settled in the room as Shun started comforting the crying Mavis.
A few moments later…
"What did my… 'will' say?" Shun asked the future lucy
"…Is it okay to show it in front of everyone?" Lucy asked for an approval from Shun as she pulled out the mysterious smart phone she had
"It's fine. I trust them." Shun's curt words came as a bit of a surprise to them but it wasn't a negative feeling.
ing with her the whole time.
"Actually, this device can play a movie."
"!"
"In this case, Shun recorded his will on this device."
'I don't know how she even got her hands on a smartphone, but… it's too small.'
"Lucy, lend it to me."
"Eh? Okay…" Lucy didn't think much of it and handed it to Shun, as it was his device in the first place.
'More, more… ten… no, fifteen times.'
"Here you go." Shun handed the phone back after making it visible to everyone.
Since this happened on a daily basis, no one was surprised by Shun's absurd magic. Enlarging items was even considered a medium-level spell in Shun's arsenal by now.
"Thanks. Now I'll play the video," Lucy said, hinting at the advanced technology of the future world.
——
[Rudeus, when I give you the sign, start recording.] A man with spiky white hair and eyes that seemed devoid of human emotion, dressed in a white Marine Fleet Admiral uniform, commanded what seemed to be his worker.
[Uhm, I'm already recording.] The man named Rudeus responded awkwardly.
[Huh? Then stop that and start from the beginning, Tsk, never mind, just keep going. We don't have much time.]
"…"
Everyone watched silently as the 'will' of the strongest wizard turned out to be rather unserious, with some even finding it funny. But… no one could make a sound because of the thing they could see in the distance behind Shun in the video…
It was a monster so large that calling it a giant would be an understatement.
What stood thousands of kilometers away from the two, Shun and Rudeus, was a colossal monster that mixed the features of a human, an octopus with a face full of tentacles, and a dragon with scaly skin, claws, and narrow wings.
Due to its enormous size, they could see it from thousands of kilometers away.
[Hmm, hmm. That's Cthulhu, the conqueror of worlds.] Suddenly, a third party's voice echoed.
When the confused cameraman turned the camera toward the third party, it revealed a child dressed in revealing clothes. For a reason unknown to them, the brat's eyes rolled around like a slot machine.
[Y-Your majesty?!] the cameraman shouted in surprise.
[Who is this lost brat? Did you get separated from your parents?] This time, the spiky white-haired man commented as he pointed toward the sky, where an entire country was floating away from them.
[Ah, that country is the Asura Kingdom, which Shun-san is sending away, as this place will become the battlefield.]
[Rudeus, stop talking about useless stuff and send this dumb brat away. We don't have much time.]
[B-Brat?! I'm the great Demon Empress Kishirika Kishirisu!] The child introduced herself dramatically. Both she and Shun were totally acting out of place despite the end of the world being near.
[So?]
[…]
[What do you mean by so? I came here to inform you so you may have a chance of victory!] The Demon Empress said and turned her head away as if she were offended.
[Well, let's hear her out. She is surprisingly useful despite how she looks.]
[I guess it's worth giving her a chance.]
[Hmm, hmm! It's a summoned monster! It must be used with a sacrifice of a trillion strong souls or just one soul of a god!]
"!"
The spectators watching were shocked by this insane number.
[So? What are its abilities?]
[I don't know anything more than that—!] before she could finish her sentence, her existence was erased from the video.
POP-!
[Tsk, useless brat. Wasting our time at a moment like this.]
[…]
After cursing the brat, Shun sat down in an empty place, but… a moment later, a tall golden throne was created out of nowhere.
[Hello~ If you guys are watching this video, I'm probably dead or unable to come back to you guys.] The future Shun sighed as they finally began what they had intended to do.
[This time, apparently there is a rat that summoned a monster to destroy this world. There was a rat in the past that proclaimed that if he died, the world would be destroyed or whatever, however, I still ended up killing him because he harmed my allies. But… that's not important.]
'Isn't that the most important part of the story?' Everyone watching the video, even future Lucy, who had watched it thousands of times, was at a loss for words.
'…Probably, Hitogami's words about the world getting destroyed if he gets killed is a half-lie but half-truth, huh? That bastard will just sacrifice his soul if he is going to die anyway and summon a disaster onto the world.' The current Shun sighed in defeat, as he had largely underestimated the enemy called Hitogami.
'Sigh~ It did feel weird that the bastard died so anticlimactically.'
[Anyways, there are some idiots that came with the monsters too. Since my instinct has warned me that there has been a risk of death for me for a long time, I've decided to record this.
Hmm, my wealth and treasures… I don't care who gets them, just share them among yourselves.]
"…"
[Well, if I end up dying… just forget about me.]
"!"
The jolly mood in the world nearing its end abruptly ended with a single sentence.
[…All I ever wanted in life was to have everything within my grasp, but… it seems to be difficult, as it has already been proven that I'm not the only chosen one. But I'm not complaining. If I had a chance, or rather, I still have the choice to just ignore this world, but a true king never runs from a fight!]
'When did you become a king?' Even Shun was speechless at this nonsense.
[But… you guys are not kings, so just stay at home and forget about me. Bye~] The future Shun waved at the camera with a smile.
"…"
"Huh?" However, the video was nowhere near the end.
[Did you turn off the camera?]
[Y-Yes.] The cameraman seemed to have lied to its lead actor.
Usually, Shun wouldn't miss a simple trick like this. However… his mind was occupied by the five people slowly making their way in his direction.
[The biggest threat is obviously that disgusting tentacle monster, but those guys are pretty good too.]
"!!"
The future Shun in the video smirked eerily at the sight of the approaching enemies.
The spectators, who had been emotional just a moment ago, once again experienced an abrupt change in emotions.
From sadness to hope.
'The future version of him looks like a much more mellowed-down version of the current one, but… that unhinged smile…' Irene shook her head as she felt a chill run through her from watching the screen.
[Rudeus, go back with the others and use the bubble to run into my world if you judge that I'm about to lose.] The future Shun gave his final command to his cameraman as he faced the enemies, while still sitting on his throne.
[…Yes.]
Rudeus floated back toward the flying kingdom in the far distance. However… the camera still recorded the scene. It was even moving, following Shun's movements and pointing toward the sky, where a peculiar group of enemies floated.
'Ho? Rudeus learned some kind of telekinesis-related ability? Also, an invisibility magic… I completely forgot that Rudeus is more talented than Aisha in magic.'
Three young men and two women were looking down at Shun curiously.
[…Is this the target this time? Does he really require all of us to come for him?] One of the three boys spoke arrogantly. He had golden colored lion's mane-like hair and a beast-like appearance.
[Be quiet, don't question the council's decisions.] Another man, who looked like a cliché protagonist from a reincarnation-as-a-hero story, with black spiky hair, scolded the boy.
What interrupted their discussion was the content of their mission.
[You brats look quite skinny and fragile. Are you eating properly?] The future Shun asked with visible worry on his face.
"…"
[His way of talking… As expected, he is one of us.] A woman wearing a white priestess dress and carrying a magic staff, as if declaring herself the healer of the party, spoke this time.
[It doesn't matter what he is or where he is from. He is a cancer to the universe. What we will do is the same as always.] A man with a scar resembling lightning and dressed in black gym clothes spoke in a cold tone.
[Indeed. Do our utmost best and eliminate the evil before it causes even more chaos.] The final one, a woman with sharp eyes that foretold her strict personality, spoke. She was dressed in a green, elf-like dress that revealed part of her bosom and her entire bare back. From the bow and arrows she carried, it was obvious that she was an archer.
[Tsk. When delusions get to this level, it's hard to look at.] The future Shun commented from his throne.
[Scum, choose your words carefully. It might be your last ones.] The black-haired, protagonist-looking man in the middle commented as he drew his sword.
'Those scrawny brats… no matter how you look at it, they look like high schoolers.'
[You brats seem to be under a grave misunderstanding.]
[Ha? Begging for your life at this point won't change anything.]
[Tadashi is right, don't be more unsightly than you already are.]
"…"
The spectators already felt bad for the kids, as they were walking right into Shun's pace. The number one rule they had to keep in mind around Shun was… 'never ever try to argue with Shun.' Not because they were afraid of his strength, but… the guy was the strongest trash-talker in the world.
[You said a misleading word earlier… that I'm 'one of you'.]
[Huh?]
[That's where you are mistaken. I'm not like the rest of you. I'm stronger, I'm smarter, I'm better-looking than all of you underdeveloped monkeys.]
[…]
[I'm better!] Shun's voice echoed across the desolate land toward his floating enemies.
[So—!] Before Shun could say more…
ZAP-!
One of the attackers dived down toward Shun furiously.
[Butterfly! Don't fall for the obvious provocation. Don't break our formation!] The archer woman shouted, but it was too late.
The man named Butterfly struck the location where Shun was standing like lightning, no, he was literally lightning.
ZAP-! ZAP-! ZAP-!
'This brat is really fast…' Even Shun was surprised as he was punched more than fifty times in less than a second.
[Kah-!] Shun finally caught his breath as the raging attack finally stopped after the hundredth punch.
[Haa-!] Shun let out a deep breath while lying on the dirty ground on his back, as his golden throne had been brutally destroyed and he had been mercilessly beaten.
The battlefield turned silent as their rage died down, with the provocateur now lying on the floor.
[…Haa-! So your name is Butterfly?] Shun spoke after taking a deep breath.
Meanwhile, in the Tenroujima house, the current Shun asked the awkward future Lucy,
"Are you sure this clown is me? He seems quite weak?"
"…"
[It's too long of a name. Can I just call you 'Butt'? A great abbreviation, right? Pfft—!!] The future Shun couldn't help but burst into loud laughter at his own joke.
[!!!]
"Pfft—!! That was a good one. He really is me."
The current Shun also started laughing uncontrollably in the silent room.
However, his enemies didn't seem to find his joke funny… The man who had the ability to use lightning as he pleased and could even turn into lightning himself once again blitzed toward Shun.
ZAP-!
[!]
They expected another beating, but… to their shock, this time Shun reacted in time. No… it wasn't Shun who reacted, but… his hat, which looked just like a regular Marine cap, started changing shape.
[SCREECH-!] An eerie scream echoed as the cap transformed into purple lightning and clashed with the blue lightning that was the enemy named Butterfly.
[Butt, be careful. My body is shielded by a thin layer of poison. I call it Corrosive Skin, a passive ability of mine that has kept getting stronger each time I eat a new type of poison.] To the two clashing bolts of lightning, Shun gave a kind warning, however… it was too late.
[Kah-!] Butterfly didn't lose the lightning clash, but… as the two bolts of lightning moved apart once their clash ended, he fell to his knees as his eyes, ears, mouth, and nose began bleeding. He was bleeding from every hole in his body, even the one that was too disgusting to talk about.
'Ho? So I would increase my poison to that level?' Shun was a bit annoyed that he had been spoiled about his own path of strength. His Poison Dragon Slayer Magic had been strengthened, but not to this extent. He had eaten all of Magellan and Shinobu's poisons and was quite confident in his Corrosive Skin, but it seemed like an even stronger poison would appear in the future.
'…Perhaps it's the Poor Man's Rose.'
Back to the video…
[Tsk tsk, high schooler brats that haven't had their brains fully developed. Attacking adults suddenly and dying on their own. Laughable.] The future Shun said, but he wasn't even smiling, quite a contrast to the man who had been laughing uncontrollably at his own joke.
[Butt!! Cough cough, I mean Butterfly!] The healer came down screaming in worry.
[Hey, be careful. That poison is contagious.] The kind-hearted Shun warned, but…
[Lion's Heart! High Angel's Forgiveness! Purification!] The priestess chanted several spells and… to Shun's shock, she completely healed Butterfly and even purified the poison.
'…Those brats are actually decent. Even God-level magic shouldn't be able to purify my poison. Perhaps each of them is an expert in their respective fields.'
[Butterfly! Stop falling for his provocations! He is strong, we will do our usual formation!] The man with the sword, Tadashi, shouted at his teammate.
[…Sorry.] Butt said as he looked down in shame.
The group of five proceeded to get into formation. The healer and archer stayed behind, while the warrior, Tadashi, stood in the front. The beast-like guy was on Tadashi's right, and the lightning man, Butterfly, was on Tadashi's left.
Meanwhile…
[Haha, he got scolded.] Shun just pointed at Butt and covered his mouth as he laughed.
[!]
Immediately, a crease of veins appeared on Butterfly's forehead as he almost dived down again, but…
[Butter!!] The warrior, Tadashi, shouted loudly in warning.
[Tch-!] Butterfly gave his teammate a dirty look as he ceased his attack.
"…This bastard really fights in the dirtiest way." Irene sighed loudly.
"Eh? What do you mean?" Erza asked curiously from the side.
"He already put a crack in their teamwork."
"…"
"Those children are quite young, a young man and women in the same team. Obviously, the young men would try to show off in front of the females. They're teammates, but at the same time, they're rivals. Him making one of them look incredibly pathetic and then proceeding to get scolded by his own teammate would, without a doubt, mess up their synchronization. Though it wouldn't be much, perhaps they would perform at about 90% of what they are capable of usually, but… in a battle against a strong opponent, that 10% is a matter of life and death." Irene explained, leaving the spectators shocked, as they hadn't even realized Shun's intention behind his words. They had thought Shun just loved to trash-talk.
Meanwhile, Shun, who was hearing Irene's analysis, was shocked for a different reason.
'…Did my future self really aim for that?'
Meanwhile, back in the video…
[All right, Space Powe Rangers. Bring it on~]
A/N: Next chapter is the last one.