Five Days Later - Fairy Tail Guild Hall
Yume pushed through the guild hall doors to find the usual chaos—Natsu and Gray arguing over something pointless, Cana nursing a drink, Elfman declaring things manly.
Normal.
He made his way to the bar where Mirajane was processing paperwork. She looked up, her expression shifting to relief.
"Yume, welcome back. How was the mission?"
"It went well enough. Objective complete." He handed over his documentation.
She scanned it quickly, her eyes widening slightly before her professional mask settled back into place. "I see. Master Makarov asked to see you when you returned. Second floor, his office."
Yume nodded and headed for the stairs, aware of a few curious glances following him. Being six-foot-three tended to draw attention even when he didn't want it.
The second floor was quieter. More serious. He noticed an S-Class mission board and—
"Watch where you're going."
Yume stopped. A young man with blonde hair and a fur-collared coat stood near the board, looking down at him with barely concealed contempt. Lightning crackled faintly around his form.
Laxus Dreyar. Makarov's grandson.
"I wasn't moving," Yume observed.
"Then stay out of my way regardless." Laxus's eyes swept over him dismissively. "Don't recognize you. You must be one of the weaklings cluttering up the lower floor."
Yume met his gaze evenly, saying nothing.
The silence seemed to irritate Laxus more than any retort would have. "What, cat got your tongue? Or are you just that pathetic?"
"I have an appointment with the Master." Yume kept his tone neutral, not worth the energy to engage.
Laxus's jaw tightened, lightning crackling louder. For a moment, it seemed like he might start something. Then he sneered. "Whatever. Waste of my time."
He brushed past Yume toward the stairs.
Yume watched him go, filing away the interaction. Powerful, arrogant, looking for validation. Not worth engaging. Yet.
He continued to Makarov's office and knocked.
"Come in."
The office was organized chaos—papers everywhere, a bottle of sake on the desk. Makarov sat in his chair, looking far more serious than usual.
"Sit."
Yume sat.
Makarov pulled out the mission report and read it silently. The seconds stretched.
Finally, the guild master looked up. "Ten dead. Thirteen captured. Two hostile mages subdued. Mission completed in under fifteen minutes with zero civilian casualties." He set the report down. "The Council sent an inquiry. I told them it was justified combat. They accepted it, barely."
"I understand." Yume shifted slightly. "Should I expect issues with future missions?"
"No. But that's not why you're here." Makarov leaned forward. "Yume, I'm not going to lecture you about killing. You're not the first member of this guild to take lives. My grandson has killed when necessary. Even Erza has blood on her hands when situations demanded it."
Yume remained silent, listening.
"But there's a difference between killing when necessary and killing because it's convenient. This guild doesn't do assassination jobs. We fight to protect, to defend—and sometimes that means lethal force." Makarov's eyes hardened. "What I need to know is this: can you tell the difference between a threat that needs to be eliminated and an innocent who deserves mercy?"
"Yes, sir." Yume's voice was steady. "The bandits attacked with lethal intent. They'd already killed travelers. The poison mage was willing to kill her own allies. They were genuine threats." He paused. "If they'd been desperate people with no other options, my response would have been different."
Makarov studied him for a long moment, then nodded slowly. "Good. That's what I needed to hear. You remind me of Laxus, actually—that same pragmatic approach. Just remember: we're not dark mages. Power without restraint makes you no better than the enemies we fight."
"I'll remember that."
"Now get out of here. And Yume? Try talking to your guildmates occasionally. You're part of Fairy Tail now."
Yume stood. "I'll... try." The words came out more awkward than he intended.
***
Downstairs, Mirajane was waiting with his payment. "Three hundred thousand jewels, as promised." She counted it out carefully. "Are you planning to take another mission immediately?"
"Not immediately. I was thinking maybe three days to recover first."
"Good! That's actually responsible." She smiled warmly. "Oh, and the library received some new acquisitions from the eastern continent yesterday. Ancient texts on summoning techniques and beast taming. Levy mentioned they might interest you, given your magic type."
"Oh. Thanks for letting me know." Yume felt heat creep up his neck slightly. He wasn't used to people keeping track of what might interest him. "I appreciate it."
"Of course! That's what guildmates do."
Yume collected his payment and left before the conversation could get more complicated.
***
Two Days Later - Forest Clearing
Yume stood in the center of his training ground, breathing steadily, MP at full capacity.
This was it. His riskiest gambit yet.
"Come forth—Nue. Orochi."
The shadows erupted.
Two forms materialized simultaneously. Fighting one shikigami was dangerous. Two at once could be fatal.
But he needed to push his limits.
Nue burst from the darkness first—a massive corvid resembling Corviknight enlarged to monstrous proportions. Midnight-black plumage absorbed light, armor-like feathers edged with electric blue, yellow eyes gleaming with predatory intelligence. Its wings spread five meters across, crackling with electricity.
Orochi emerged beside it—ten meters of serpentine death. Purple-black scales like Seviper magnified to nightmarish size, each one edged with toxic yellow. Its blade-like head dripped venom that hissed against the earth, tail ending in a wicked blade.
Both shikigami fixed their gazes on Yume.
Both attacked.
Nue launched skyward, electricity building. Orochi struck low, fangs aimed at Yume's throat.
"Sky, Sea, Gama—defense!"
His three subdued shikigami materialized. Sky intercepted Orochi's strike, jaws catching the serpent's neck. Sea went for the tail. Gama positioned between Yume and the aerial threat.
Lightning lanced down from above.
"Shadow Shield!"
Darkness solidified into a dome. The lightning bolt struck with the force of a battering ram. The shield screamed, cracks spider-webbing across its surface. The impact drove Yume to one knee, jarring his bones.
[HP: 94%]
Orochi twisted with liquid grace, toxic scales burning through Sky's grip. Its tail-blade whipped around, catching the white wolf across the flank. Sky yelped, limping back, blood matting white fur.
"Sky, return!"
The wolf dissolved before the poison could spread.
Orochi struck at Yume directly, impossibly fast. He Shadow Shifted—
The serpent anticipated. Its tail caught him mid-materialization, the blade slicing across his shoulder. Pain exploded, sharp and burning. He hit the ground hard, rolled, came up gasping.
The wound wasn't deep but it *burned*. Venom was already seeping into his bloodstream.
[HP: 87%]
[Status Effect: Poison (Minor) - 1% HP drain per 30 seconds]
"Swift, aerial tracking!"
The falcon manifested, climbing to match Nue's altitude. Through Swift's perspective, Yume saw the corvid circling, building another massive charge.
His shoulder throbbed. Every heartbeat pushed more venom through his system.
[HP: 86%]
"Gama, sonic burst on Nue!"
The toad's throat sac swelled, releasing a concentrated wave. Nue shrieked, its flight pattern disrupting as the sonic attack clipped a wing.
It descended—not falling, but diving with controlled aggression.
Straight at Yume.
Orochi was already coiling from the opposite side.
Pincer attack. Coordinated.
They're working together.
Yume called four Pandora Orbs, shadows flowing into them. "Umbral Arsenal!"
Two orbs became gunswords. The other two transformed into massive chains.
He fired upward at Nue while chains lashed at Orochi. The serpent dodged with contemptuous ease. The corvid's form split—fragmenting into five smaller bodies that scattered around his bullets.
[HP: 84%]
The poison was working faster now. His vision blurred at the edges.
The five Nue-forms circled like aerial predators. Orochi coiled, venom dripping.
"Night's Embrace."
Darkness exploded outward, consuming everything in absolute black.
Inside his zone, Yume could see perfectly. Through Swift's eyes, he tracked both threats.
"Sea, intercept Orochi—coordinates alpha. Gama, sonic devastation on Nue fragments—beta through delta."
His shikigami moved. Sea's jaws found Orochi in the darkness. Gama's sonic blast caught three Nue-forms.
The remaining two fragments converged, reforming—
Yume Shadow Shifted to the reformation point. Both gunswords pressed against the materializing skull.
Every movement sent fire through his poisoned shoulder.
[HP: 81%]
"First submission. Yield or die."
Nue's yellow eyes met his. Calculation. Evaluation.
The electricity faded. The corvid's head lowered.
[Shikigami Subdued: Nue]
One down.
Orochi broke free from Sea, toxic scales burning through the black wolf's grip. Sea retreated, poisoned and bleeding.
"Sea, return!"
The serpent hissed in triumph, coiling for a killing strike—
"Nue, lightning strike—point blank."
The newly subdued corvid obeyed instantly. Electricity channeled, condensed.
Orochi twisted mid-strike, but Yume was already moving despite the pain screaming through his body.
"Shadow Paralysis!"
His shadow extended, piercing Orochi's shadow and pinning it.
[HP: 79%]
Nue's lightning struck true.
The serpent convulsed, scales smoking. Its scream was pure agony.
Yume walked forward, each step an effort. His poisoned shoulder felt like it was on fire. Both gunswords trained on Orochi's head.
"Second submission. Now."
Orochi's golden eyes met his—rage, pain, and finally... acceptance.
The serpent went limp.
[Shikigami Subdued: Orochi]
Yume released both techniques. Light returned. Both shikigami shrank before dissolving into his shadow.
The moment they bonded, the poison began neutralizing—Orochi recognizing him as master rather than prey. The burning faded to a dull ache.
[MP: 39%]
[HP: 76%]
[Status Effect: Poison (Moderate) - Neutralizing]
Yume sat heavily on a log, breathing hard. Every muscle trembled from exertion and fading adrenaline.
Two conquests simultaneously. Reckless. But it had worked.
Five shikigami total. Five more to go.
He pulled out medical supplies, hands shaking slightly as he treated the worst cuts. The wound on his shoulder would scar.
[Assessment: High-risk strategy successful. Warning: MP and HP suboptimal. Recommend 24-hour recovery.]
"Yeah. Noted."
Five weeks until Lucy arrived and canon began.
Time to see how much stronger he could become.
***
That Evening - Guild Hall
Yume sat at a corner table, the borrowed book open beside his meal. His shoulder and ribs were properly bandaged beneath his shirt now, the guild's medical mage having patched him up with minimal questions.
The hall was quieter tonight—Natsu on a mission, Erza having left yesterday for monster subjugation work in the north.
"Heavy reading again?"
He looked up. Levy approached, carrying her own book, Jet and Droy flanking her as usual.
"Mind if we sit?" She looked hopeful.
Yume gestured to the empty chairs, feeling slightly awkward about the attention.
Levy sat across from him, immediately glancing at his book. Her eyes lit up. "Oh! You got to the section on sympathetic resonance! Did you find it helpful? The original translation is pretty rough—it's in Old Joyan—but the concept is fascinating." She pulled out paper, starting to sketch. "Basically, it's about creating temporary magical circuits between summoner and summon..."
As she explained, leaning forward in her enthusiasm, Yume found himself actually engaged. Her passion for the subject was... infectious wasn't quite the right word, but it made the complex theory easier to follow.
"See, if you channel magic through this pattern, it reinforces the summon's natural abilities without overtaxing either party." She looked up, realizing how close she'd leaned. A faint flush colored her cheeks. "Sorry, I get excited about this stuff."
"No, it's... helpful. The way you explain it makes more sense than the text." Yume felt his own face warm slightly. "I appreciate it."
Levy's smile brightened. "Really? I'm glad! Most people find magical theory boring."
"Most people in this guild find reading boring," Jet muttered.
"That's not fair," Levy protested, but she was still smiling. She tucked hair behind her ear, seeming pleased. "You know, you're different from most guild members. More focused. It's... refreshing, actually."
Yume wasn't sure how to respond to that, so he just nodded, feeling increasingly aware of the conversation.
"Levy, we should probably head out," Droy said, checking the time. "Early mission tomorrow, remember?"
"Oh! Right." She stood, gathering her book. Her fingers brushed Yume's hand briefly as she reached for her notes, and she pulled back quickly. "But if you want to discuss more of this—I'm usually in the library most afternoons. If you're interested. In the books, I mean. The magical theory."
"I'll... keep that in mind. Thanks." Yume managed, feeling oddly flustered.
Her smile lingered a moment longer before the trio left, Jet and Droy exchanging knowing looks.
Yume returned to his meal, trying to ignore the fact that his face still felt warm.
Five shikigami conquered. Five weeks remaining.
The shadows stirred contentedly, patient and hungry for the next battle.
[End of Chapter 4]