After a few days since the stream, Shun's fame had skyrocketed. There weren't many forms of entertainment in this world, so it was easy to grab attention from people all over.
However, there was still no response from Shiki's side.
"You think Shiki is an idiot who'd show up after you openly explained your ability to plunder? That was an obvious provocation for anyone with half a brain," Sengoku said. He was currently in his office, and in the guest chair sat his so-called grandson.
"Because it was such a simple provocation, it's actually effective," Shun replied.
"What do you mean?" Sengoku asked.
"Think about it. If Shiki stays hidden like he always has, it only proves my words are true. And if he shows up to retaliate against me or Rayleigh, his whereabouts will be known to me."
"…" Sengoku fell silent because it was starting to make sense.
After a moment of quiet, Sengoku spoke again.
"…How did you convince Rayleigh to lie?"
Sengoku asked as he was the one who fought Shiki in the past and put him in prison. He's the last person who would believe in Shun and Rayleigh's accusation of Shiki.
"Oh? That wasn't actually Rayleigh. It was someone else disguised as him. The background was Sabaody Archipelago too, which is where Rayleigh stays often, so it was a pretty well-thought-out plan, right?" Shun smiled as he revealed everything.
"…"
Sengoku couldn't find the words to reply.
'Not only did he accuse Shiki of being a fraud, he even used Rayleigh's name…' Sengoku thought. He already thought he had seen the full extent of how crazy Shun could be, but…
'This brat always goes beyond his previous level of craziness…'
When the room fell silent again, a familiar sound rang out.
Bere Bere Bere Bere.
It was Sengoku's Den Den Mushi.
Gotcha.
"Sengoku!" As soon as Sengoku picked up, a shout burst from the other side.
In the past, Sengoku would have gotten nervous about what might have happened or braced himself for a long scolding. But now…
"What?" Sengoku answered, calm as a monk.
"…" The other side suddenly went quiet. The Five Elders, who had been expecting Sengoku's usual subservient attitude, were at a complete loss.
After a pause, a different voice spoke.
"It's your grandson again. We watched his live interview. Don't allow that kind of nonsense ever again! If it happens one more time, you can say goodbye to your position as Fleet Admiral!"
"…"
Sengoku stayed silent, not because he was afraid of losing his position. Then he turned to Shun.
"They said that. What are you going to do? Will you stop?" Sengoku didn't even try to persuade him anymore.
"Huh?" Five confused noises came from the other side of the call.
Shun stood up and took the Den Den Mushi.
"Hello, it's a me," Shun greeted them respectfully.
"You brat… Don't do those live interviews or whatever again. Or else…" An old voice tried to sound menacing, however…
"Or what? What are you going to do?" Shun asked back in the same tone.
"…" Suddenly the room became dead silent.
Sengoku wanted to grab some rice crackers and just watch the show. The two groups that always gave him headaches were arguing?
'Most annoying bastards in history versus the most annoying bastard of today. This is hilarious!' Sengoku thought, barely hiding his smile.
Meanwhile, when asked like that, the Five Elders realized they had nothing to control this guy with…
"You… what are you planning?" Warcury, the bald old man, asked.
"Plan? I'm just trying to catch a pirate who's hiding so well," Shun said with a shrug, then added,
"I'll keep doing it until he's caught. Maybe once or twice a week."
"…"
Seeing the Five Elders speechless, Sengoku was having the time of his life.
'It's like the old saying… Only a bigger evil can defeat evil.' Sengoku thought and even considered that making Shun the next Fleet Admiral might actually be a good idea.
That is… until Shun opened his mouth again.
"Ah, I'll say it just in case you're thinking about threatening me with the old man's life. He's almost a hundred years old. He's seen enough of what life has to offer."
"Pfft-! Cough cough." Sengoku set a new personal record for changing his mind in under ten seconds.
After some time, an answer came…
"Do it once a month! That's the lowest we'll go from our side!" Saturn the Elder said.
"Hmm, actually lately I've been getting offers from some big names to join them," Shun suddenly said, confusing everyone.
"What?!" Sengoku was the one shocked the most.
"The biggest ones would be Kaido, Big Mom, and… Dragon!"Shun lied as naturally as he breathed.
"!!"
"So, lower your tone when talking to me." Shun said arrogantly
Gotcha.
After saying what he wanted, Shun cut the call.
"…"
Meanwhile, Sengoku, who suddenly remembered this brat wasn't his real grandson, was at a loss for words.
'If he turns into a pirate or a Revolutionary, it would be a disaster.'
"How did things go with Hina? Like you asked before, I put her in your team," Sengoku decided to play his card.
"Huh… Hina? I was too focused on serving justice. I didn't talk to her at all," Shun said, confusing Sengoku.
Seeing the furrowed brows on Sengoku's face, Shun spoke again.
"I've grown up, I guess? I decided not to make unnecessary connections anymore, the kind created by my lies, manipulation, or force." Shun shrugged and sipped his tea.
"…"
Hearing this uncharacteristically mature insight, Sengoku felt troubled but also a bit relieved.
'Maybe he has a chance to fix that crap personality too…' was Sengoku's thought.
"Oh? I almost forgot what I came here for," Shun suddenly changed the topic.
"Hmm?" Sengoku asked curiously.
"When my bait works and I bring Shiki's head… make the preparations to make me the Fleet Admiral," Shun said calmly, as if he was asking for pocket money.
——
Meanwhile in the Holy Land, Mary Geoise.
The Five Elders were having a meeting in their usual room by the window.
Gotcha.
"…" ×5
"This brat just ended the call without permission!" Saint Shepherd Ju Peter said angrily.
"Cursed brat…"
Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro muttered with barely concealed rage.
"How should we deal with this madman?" Saint Marcus Mars asked while holding a bunch of papers.
"What's there to think? Kill him," Saint Jaygarcia Saturn replied decisively.
"According to our research, he isn't blood-related to Sengoku. But he's also not a member of the D family, and considering the strength he claims to have from plundering Whitebeard's Devil Fruit, killing him won't be easy," Topman Warcury said, relatively calm compared to the others but still frustrated.
"So… like the madman said, he doesn't have any connections within the Marines. Should we send an assassin?" one Elder suggested.
"Don't rush! We still don't know how many abilities he has."
"…"
"If we don't know, make him reveal his abilities! Call the God's Knights and arrange an official duel with him in front of the Marines," Saint Mars said.
"Hmm, an official duel. So the bastard can't go too far and…"
"Steal their abilities, huh…"
"He can't be allowed to grow any stronger. Make him reveal all his abilities and kill him when the time is right!"
"Seconded." ×4
——
Meanwhile, Shun, who didn't know and didn't care about their plots, had returned to the Fairy Tail world and was spending relaxed time with Mavis and the others.
——
Time passed swiftly. It was now the year X784 in the Fairy Tail world.
In the sky above Magnolia, a tall young man in his twenties was standing and observing the battle below, followed by a blonde-haired girl who resembled a fairy. The two were hidden by Shun's invisibility magic, created by simply repelling light around them.
The young man had a striking, imposing appearance with a sharp, somewhat cold and intense expression. (Shun's Picture)
He had short, messy, spiky white hair that stood up in tousled, jagged spikes, giving him a wild yet stylish look. The color was pure white with no visible dark roots.
He had pale skin, sharp facial features, narrow eyes with a piercing, serious, and intimidating gaze, thin eyebrows, and a straight, stern mouth that conveyed aloofness or quiet confidence. His overall vibe was cool, detached, and slightly menacing.
He was dressed in a highly detailed, military-inspired outfit with a regal, ornate flair: a long, ankle-length overcoat in deep purple with a structured, military-style design. It featured prominent gold-colored epaulettes on the shoulders, gold buttons, and thick gold ornamental chains draped across the front from the shoulders and chest area. The coat had a high collar, long sleeves with cuffs, and a dramatic flowing length that reached near the ankles.
Under the coat, he wore a plain black turtleneck shirt that fit closely.
Matching deep purple trousers that were straight-legged and slightly loose but tailored, tucked into boots. They had a formal, uniform-like cut with visible seams and a belt.
A simple brown leather belt with a buckle cinched the waist.
Black leather gloves covered his hands, adding a tactical, militaristic touch.
Tall, dark brown combat-style boots that reached mid-calf, with a sturdy, rugged appearance.
The blonde girl had a beautiful, ethereal, and somewhat mystical appearance with a mix of elegant gothic and fantasy elements, evoking a fairy vibe. (Mavis Picture)
Extremely long, flowing blonde hair in a pale golden or almost platinum tone that reached well past her waist, cascading in large, voluminous, wavy, curly locks. The hair was thick and shiny, with soft bangs framing her face and a small ahoge at the top.
Fair, pale skin, delicate and youthful facial features with a calm, composed, or slightly neutral expression. She had large, striking green eyes that gave her an innocent yet enchanting gaze, thin eyebrows, a small nose, and a subtle, soft mouth.
She wore a long, elegant gothic-style dress in a striking black and deep purple color scheme, featuring a fitted corset bodice with red crisscross lacing accents across the front. A large burgundy bow adorned with a gold medallion sat prominently at the high collar or chest area. The skirt was multi-layered and asymmetrical, shorter in the front to mid-thigh with frilled purple ruffles, while dramatically longer in the back, flowing into a sweeping train-like hem. Long, black off-shoulder sleeves extended to wide, ruffled cuffs at the wrists, adding a delicate yet dramatic touch. Overall, the outfit combined Victorian gothic lolita elements with a seductive, fantasy-inspired flair.
"Hmm, somehow those weaklings are having the upper hand, huh?" Shun muttered as he looked below. The guild was destroyed by a bunch of iron pipes.
"Shouldn't we help?" Mavis asked with a worried face.
"No, let them fight on their own. It'll help them grow. I can't spoil them too much and make them useless," Shun replied ruthlessly as he looked at Mavis, who was dressed in the clothes he had created for her with Arc of Embodiment and his imagination.
'As expected of me, it looks great on her. It's been some time since Mavis' curse was lifted. She started to grow slowly but steadily. She now looks like a fairy princess in her early twenties.'
"Ughh," Mavis made some noises but didn't try to persuade Shun otherwise. She had complete trust in him after spending all those years with him.
Seeing her furrowed brows, Shun smiled and replied,
"Don't worry, there won't be any casualties. And with my healing abilities, there won't be any long-lasting injuries." Shun grabbed her hand and interlaced their fingers.
Noticing Shun doing something like that out of nowhere in a moment like this made Mavis' face turn red as a tomato.
"Why are they attacking us?" After some time, Mavis forcefully decided to change the topic.
"Master Jose of Phantom Lord seems to hold a grudge against our guild itself, not just the old fart Makarov. I don't know the reason."
'More like I don't remember…' Shun thought, then continued,
"But that guild master Jose is a bit crazy…" Shun muttered.
"Huh?" Mavis asked curiously.
"Well, he waited for years until Gildarts and I were away on a mission. Then he created a mission himself and hired most of the capable members of our guild to send them far away to different locations. Like Laxus, Mystogan, the Strauss siblings, Ur, and even the Oración Seis guys." Hearing Shun's words, Mavis understood why the strong members of the guild weren't there so conveniently.
"Haha, Master Jose is a man of focus, commitment, and sheer will." Hearing Shun laughing at a situation like this made Mavis frustrated.
"Enough about that! Go do something already!" Mavis dragged Shun's arm.
"Alright, alright. I'm going," Shun said and decided to help Gray, who was about to face a terrifying magician.
Shun lowered his magic presence to the lowest he could and walked toward Gray's location, leaving Mavis behind.
"Hey, Gray!" Shun greeted.
"Huh?!" Gray, who had a determined expression, turned back to the owner of the voice. Immediately all the tension left his body.
"Shun! You're back? When?" Gray asked all kinds of questions, but now wasn't the time for this.
"Gray, Erza needs your help. Go to her location. Your magic is useful there," Shun said, shutting down Gray's outburst of questions.
"Huh? Alright, I'll leave this place to you then," Gray said and ran toward Erza.
"…"
Shun was left alone. And soon enough…
"Drip drip, drop." A beautiful woman with blue hair and clothes mostly in blue, holding an umbrella, showed up just as Shun had planned.
'Hmm, I said I've changed, but this time it's different. Because I actually like Juvia, unlike Hina, whom I only liked for her appearance. I like Juvia's personality too.' Shun justified himself and faced the threat.
"Huh, who are you?" Shun asked innocently.
"Hello, I'm Juvia. And I'm the Rain Woman of the Element Four. Drip drip drop," Juvia introduced herself politely.
"You're Juvia? I see. I'm just an ordinary member of Fairy Tail," Shun decided not to tell his name yet in case she got scared.
"I'm impressed that your guild managed to defeat two of the Element Four. But it's better for you not to underestimate the remaining two," Juvia said.
"Just because you're strong and beautiful, don't think I'll go easy on you," Shun said with a determined face.
'Damn, I was just going to use what Gray said in the original, but I didn't expect it to be this embarrassing.' Shun cursed inwardly but kept his poker face. Soon enough his efforts paid off.
"…"
Juvia, who was staring back at Shun, suddenly blushed and said,
"Well then, I give up. You win. Goodbye!" After saying this, Juvia turned back and walked away.
"…"
Juvia, after walking some distance, held her chest and muttered something, then…
"Water Lock!"
Shun was put in a sphere of water prison!
"Aghh!!!" Shun put on an Oscar-level performance.
"Oh no, I should release him!" Meanwhile, Juvia panicked, but Shun broke free from the water prison himself with a bit of fire and vaporized the water.
Seeing Shun break away himself, Juvia was thrown into another one of her imaginations.
"…"
'When I can't see what she's imagining, it's kind of awkward, huh…' Shun thought and just waited.
Shun threw some small rocks at her that he found on the ground.
However, they phased through Juvia's body.
"My body is made entirely of water. Drip drip drop," Juvia said, then blushed again.
"My love is an enemy… it seems to be farewell, my prince. Water Slicer!" Juvia attacked.
Shun dodged, barely surviving with his limbs intact.
Shun 'panted' and asked,
"You seem to be not in the mood to fight anyway. Why don't we just stop?"
"Huh?" Juvia asked with her brows furrowed.
'Well, I guess that's enough playing around,' Shun thought and said,
"While the rain is nice and all, nothing beats a nice clear sunny day." Shun said and took off his glove, revealing his pink paws.
"Paws?! Is that your magic? It's cute!" Meanwhile, Juvia was having another imagination.
Shun raised his hand toward the heavens, his eyes narrowing in concentration as he compressed the air around him into a shimmering, translucent bubble. With a low grunt, he thrust his palm upward, launching a paw-shaped projectile that rocketed into the turbulent sky like a guided missile, leaving a trail of distorted air in its wake.
High above, the paw bubble reached its apex and detonated in a silent, brilliant explosion of repelling force, sending out invisible shockwaves that rippled outward like a stone dropped in water. The blast's energy phased harmlessly through trees, buildings, and the drenched earth below, repelling not just the raindrops but the very moisture and clouds themselves, pushing them away as if they were unwanted memories. As the ethereal wave expanded across the horizon, the downpour thinned, the clouds parted like curtains drawn by an invisible hand, and warm sunlight pierced through, bathing the landscape in golden rays and transforming the dreary day into a vibrant, clear afternoon where birds began to sing and steam rose gently from the drying ground.
——
Meanwhile on the battleground, which was Magnolia city.
"!!"
"The weather changed?!"
"What is this? It didn't look natural. It was as if someone forcefully changed the weather?!" The Phantom Lord members were panicking.
Only the Fairy Tail members knew.
"This ridiculous use of magic…" Gray muttered with a wide smile.
"Can't be anyone else other than him," Erza, who had just reunited with Gray, said with a small smile.
"It's him!" While Natsu was laughing out loud.
"Who is 'him' that you mention?" Master Jose asked, as he was currently fighting the three of them at the same time and still had the upper hand.
"Heh, you're finished," Natsu said, still laughing.
"Aye!" Happy, who was nearby, agreed with a smile.
——
Back to the intense fight between Juvia and Shun.
"Juvia. After this war, I'll be the guild master of Fairy Tail. Join me!" Shun said and started walking slowly toward the still-mesmerized Juvia.
"The clear sky free of rainy clouds…" Juvia muttered and asked,
"Can I really join after what we have done to Fairy Tail?" Juvia asked weakly.
"Of course, with me guaranteeing you. There won't be any problem," Shun said and held Juvia's hand.
"By the way, my name is Shun. Thanks to you guys beating up that old man Makarov, I have an excuse to take over his position," Shun said with an evil smile.
But as expected of Juvia, she conveniently ignored the last part of Shun's words and started crying on Shun's chest with happiness.
"…"
'My bad, guys. Seems like you have to take some more beatings until she finishes crying.' Shun apologized to them inwardly and had no intention to stop her.
——
"It's been ten minutes! Where is he?" Gray asked with frustration. Just moments ago the three of them had been celebrating.
"Yeah, where is that bastard?!" Natsu, who was equally getting beaten up, was angry.
"Don't blame him. If he isn't coming here, he must be facing an even more terrifying enemy than Jose!" Erza defended Shun and trusted his judgment!
——
After ten minutes, Juvia finally calmed down.
"Ah, sorry for suddenly crying… I was happy…" Juvia said with a small voice, not able to make eye contact due to nervousness.
"Haha, don't worry," Shun said and decided to go to Jose's location.
'I gotta hurry before the old fart Makarov comes and steals my show.'
"You stay here and rest. I'll go and beat the evil Jose!" Shun said with a righteous expression and left Juvia in her imagination, then started walking toward Jose.
When Shun saw their sight, Natsu and Gray were on the floor, completely beaten up.
While Erza was caught by Jose's magic.
"Just how much stronger will your guild get?!" Jose shouted with anger and attacked Erza.
"Heh, panicking about such small things is laughable. But your information gathering is also pitiable. Our guilds have never been equal. You guys are just weaklings," Erza, who was caught in Jose's purple rope-like magic, said in mockery.
"You brat…" Jose lost his cool for a moment but smiled and attacked toward Erza.
Jose sent a purple skull-like magic toward Erza, and it seemed to be sucking Erza's soul away.
Just when Erza was about to lose consciousness, the purple magic that held Erza shattered into pieces.
"!"
"Huh? Who?!" Jose, whose eyes had turned black with his own magic, turned toward the guy who was approaching.
In his eyes was a man from his memories years ago, who defeated God Serena a few years back.
"Shun! You're supposed to be away on a mission!" Jose shouted with barely concealed fear.
After all, after the battle with God Serena, because the Alvarez Empire was trying to invade the Ishgar continent, the Magic Council elders immediately released information about Shun to keep morale high and keep enemies away. The content of the released information was…
'Strongest magician in the world exists in the guild of Fairy Tail.'
"Strongest magician in the world…" Jose muttered with a crazed smile.
"You're just a brat who won against Serena out of luck. Don't get cocky!"
"Hmm, that title is indeed an exaggeration. There are many people in the world that can move in stopped time after all," Shun shrugged and walked toward Erza and hugged her from the back.
"!"
"W-What are you doing?" Erza asked in a weak voice as she was the one who had taken the most damage in this war.
"Relax, I'm healing you," Shun said and healed her with Arc of Time.
"My injuries… thank you," Erza said, her voice strong again.
"…"
"Can you release me now?" Erza asked after she was healed.
"Ah, of course," Shun released her and faced Jose.
"Aghh!"
"Help…"
However, the outside was noisy, with Jose's phantom-like things attacking the regular members of Fairy Tail.
Seeing this, Erza said,
"Shun, I'll go help them. I'll leave him to you."
"Mm," Shun nodded.
Seeing Erza leave, Jose was visibly relieved but still decided to provoke.
"Is it okay for you to let her go? She was your only advantage against me," Jose said as he was still in his delusion.
"Yes. After all, there won't be much of a fight."
While trying to provoke, Jose was instead provoked. In a fit of rage, Jose shouted,
"Death Wave!" An intense amount of purple magic that reeked of death rushed toward Shun like a tsunami wave.
"I'm surprised you're not a dark mage…" Shun muttered and said,
"Fairy Law… Activate!" Shun had spent years with Mavis, so obviously he had taken everything of value from her!
Instantly the dark wave of tsunami was eliminated entirely. Even the phantoms created by Jose that were attacking Fairy Tail were erased without a trace.
The whole of Magnolia was soaked in a bright light.
"Ughh, that brat returned, huh?" Makarov muttered in the distance from Magnolia. He had rushed here immediately after regaining a bit of his strength, but he was still late.
'As long as the guild is safe…' Makarov thought and rushed toward Magnolia.
When the bright light was gone, Jose's figure was revealed standing there, hiding his face in fear, trembling.
Seeing the old man who seemed like he would fly away in a bit of wind, Shun didn't feel any pity. Instead, he decided to send him away to the Magic Council building.
"Well, thanks for your pointless effort," Shun said, then with a POP-!
"…"
Jose was gone.
'I repelled most of his remaining life force. He would at most survive a few more weeks. Well… who cares?' Shun thought and walked out to meet the guild.