Three Weeks Later - Strawberry Street Apartment Building
Yume stood at his window, coffee in hand, watching the pre-dawn light paint Magnolia in shades of grey and gold.
His apartment was simple—one bedroom, a small kitchen, basic furniture. But it was his, purchased with mission earnings rather than guild charity. The independence mattered more than the space.
More importantly, it was in this building.
Lucy's apartment building, he thought, taking a sip of coffee. In every timeline, this building survives every disaster in Magnolia and all of Fiore. No matter what happens—dragons, dark guilds, even Acnologia—these walls stay standing. If there's anywhere in this world that's truly safe, it's here.
Strategic thinking courtesy of Batman's tactical training, combined with knowledge from a story he'd once considered fiction.
He finished his coffee, grabbed his coat, and headed out.
***
The streets of Magnolia were quiet this early—shopkeepers just beginning to open, bakers already at work filling the air with the scent of fresh bread. The few people out nodded politely as Yume passed, though several did double-takes.
At six-foot-three with a lean, powerful build and dark hair that seemed to blend with shadows even in daylight, he attracted attention whether he wanted it or not.
"Morning, young man," an elderly woman called from her flower shop. "Off to the guild already?"
"Yes, ma'am. Early mission prep."
"You're that Fairy Tail mage, aren't you? The polite one who doesn't blow things up?"
Yume felt heat creep up his neck. "I try not to, at least."
She laughed warmly. "Well, keep up the good work! It's nice to see responsibility in the younger generation."
He continued on, aware of more eyes following him. The whispers had evolved over the past three weeks—from curiosity to recognition to something approaching reputation.
"That's him, the Shadow of Fairy Tail."
"I heard he took down an entire dark mage cell without destroying a single building."
"My cousin said he's cold as ice, all business. Doesn't even smile."
"Really? The baker's daughter said he was perfectly nice when he bought bread last week. Even said 'thank you' three times."
"Still, have you seen him fight? Absolutely ruthless."
Yume tried to ignore the attention, keeping his pace steady. He didn't blame people for the mixed views—he'd cultivated that separation intentionally. Normal and approachable in town. Cold and efficient on missions.
Batman's methodology: maintain the mask when necessary, but remember the person underneath.
Still, some of the rumors were ridiculous.
Hunt for sport? Where had that even come from?
The guild hall appeared ahead, its familiar facade almost comforting in its solidity.
***
The main hall was empty except for Mirajane, who was opening shutters and tidying from whatever chaos had occurred the night before. A few overturned chairs and scorch marks on one table suggested Natsu and Gray had been at it again.
"Good morning, Yume!" Mirajane's smile was bright despite the early hour. "You're here even earlier than usual."
"Wanted to check the mission board before it gets crowded." He made his way to the request wall, scanning the postings with practiced efficiency.
His eyes caught on one flyer in particular.
Mission: Vulcan Subjugation
Location: Mount Hakobe
Rank: A
Reward: 500,000 Jewels
Objective: Travel to the blizzard-prone Mt. Hakobe to subdue 20 Vulcans. Ensure the safety of local residents and travelers frequently harassed by these ape-like monsters.
Warning: Previous attempts have failed. Pack demonstrates coordinated tactics and high intelligence.
Twenty Vulcans. A-rank difficulty. Intelligent pack hunters in hostile terrain.
Perfect.
He pulled the flyer from the board and brought it to Mirajane.
Her expression shifted from welcoming to concerned. "Mount Hakobe? That's... that's a significant step up from your recent work."
"I've completed three C-rank and four B-rank missions over the past three weeks." Yume set the flyer down. "It's time to test myself against A-rank."
"I know your record is impressive, but—" Mirajane hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "Twenty Vulcans working together is different from taking down scattered dark mages or bandits. They're intelligent, they coordinate, and Mount Hakobe itself is dangerous even without hostile creatures."
"Which is exactly why I need to take it." Yume met her eyes steadily. "I can handle this."
Mirajane studied him for a long moment, then sighed. "You know, when you first started taking missions, I worried you were being reckless. But you've proven yourself careful and capable." She pulled out the processing forms. "Just... promise me you'll retreat if things go badly? No mission is worth dying over."
"I promise."
She processed the paperwork quickly, her efficiency speaking to how many times she'd done this recently. "Master Makarov will want to know you're taking an A-rank. He's been keeping an eye on your progress."
"Should I wait to speak with him?"
"No, he trusts your judgment at this point. Just file a report when you return." She handed him the completed documentation and advance payment. "The mountain is about four to six hours by carriage from Magnolia. Will you need provisions?"
"I have what I need." Yume collected everything, then paused. "Thank you, Mira. For... trusting me with this."
Her smile softened. "You've earned that trust. Now go show those Vulcans why people are starting to call you the Shadow of Fairy Tail."
Yume felt his face warm slightly at the nickname. "That's... dramatic."
" Perfectly dramatic for a guild that thrives on reputation?" Mirajane's eyes sparkled with amusement. "I think it suits you, even if you get embarrassed every time someone mentions it."
"I'm not—" He stopped, seeing her expression. "I'm leaving now."
Her laugh followed him out the door.
***
Outside Magnolia - Dawn
Yume stood in an empty field just beyond the town limits, the mission documentation secured in his inventory. The sun was cresting the horizon, painting the sky in brilliant oranges and purples.
Time to travel in style.
"Come forth, Mi."
The shadows rippled differently this time—less violent eruption, more seamless manifestation. What emerged made Yume smile despite himself.
The shikigami resembled Miraidon—sleek and metallic violet, with plasma rings glowing softly along its body. Jet-like engines hummed at its legs and tail, and its form seemed to shift subtly, adaptive. It was beautiful in a way that was almost technological, like something built rather than born.
Mi had been his most recent creation. And unlike his combat-focused shikigami, Mi had been designed with a singular purpose: travel.
The creation itself had been straightforward—he'd shaped the concept clearly in his mind, channeled his magic, and Mi had taken form. But subduing it...
That had been the most annoying fight of his life.
Mi wasn't strong. In direct combat, it was actually quite weak compared to his other shikigami. But it was fast. Incredibly, frustratingly fast. It could shift between land, water, and air forms seamlessly, and its electric attacks—while not particularly powerful—could be deployed while moving at speeds that made tracking it nearly impossible.
The battle had lasted three hours of Yume chasing a violet blur across the forest, getting shocked every time he got close, before he'd finally managed to use Shadow Paralysis combined with Orochi's venom to slow it down enough for capture.
But now? Mi was worth every second of that frustration.
The shikigami lowered itself, plasma engines purring. Yume climbed onto its back, and Mi's form adjusted to accommodate him—almost like a living vehicle.
"Mount Hakobe. Normal speed."
Mi's engines flared, plasma rings spinning up, and then they moved.
The world became a blur. Wind whipped past, but Mi's form created a barrier that kept Yume stable. Trees, fields, roads—everything streaked by in violet-tinted motion.
Four to six hours by carriage.
They made it in less than thirty minutes.
***
Mount Hakobe
Mi slowed as they approached the mountain's base, its engines cooling from violet-white back to soft purple. Yume dismounted, immediately feeling the temperature drop.
The mountain loomed above them—massive, snow-covered, wind howling through the peaks like a living thing. Somewhere up there, twenty Vulcans were waiting.
"Return, Mi. I'll call you if I need extraction."
The shikigami dissolved into shadows, and Yume began his preparations.
Over the past three weeks, he'd conquered two more of the original ten shikigami, plus created Mi. Each conquest had taught him something.
Rabbit had been the easiest, ironically. The shikigami resembled Cinderace—humanoid, athletic, with powerful legs built for incredible jumps and devastating kicks. Its ability to multiply made it potentially nightmarish, but Yume had used Mi's speed to catch and isolate it before it could duplicate. One-on-one, Rabbit's combat style was straightforward enough to counter.
Now nicknamed jack , it served as excellent mobile support.
Max Elephant had been an entirely different story.
The shikigami was massive—resembling Great Tusk, easily the size of a house, with prehistoric tusks and armor-like hide. It had a savage nature, attacking with overwhelming physical force, and it was tough. Bullets bounced off. Shadow Hands were crushed. It shrugged off everything he threw at it while charging at 30-32 kilometers per hour.
Yume had nearly died.
It took Gama's sonic attacks to disorient it, Orochi digging a venom-laced pitfall, and Yume himself using six Pandora Orbs transformed into a massive triple-barrel rocket launcher to finally bring it down.
The explosion had been... excessive.
But effective.
Now nicknamed Tusk, it was his ultimate heavy assault option. It cost more magic to summon than any other shikigami, but the raw power was worth it.
Six shikigami conquered. Four remaining from the original ten. Two created. Plus Rika.
His arsenal was becoming formidable.
Yume checked his equipment one final time, then started up the mountain path. Snow crunched under his boots. The wind cut through even his cold-weather gear.
"Swift, reconnaissance."
The falcon manifested and climbed, disappearing into the grey-white sky.
Through Swift's eyes, Yume began mapping the terrain. Caves, crevices, potential ambush points. And heat signatures—lots of them, clustered in what looked like a main den about halfway up the mountain.
Twenty Vulcans. In their home terrain.
This would be his hardest test yet.
Yume continued climbing, shadows gathering around him like a living cloak.
"Sky, Sea, Storm, Manda, Jack, Gama, Tusk—come forth."
Seven of his primary combat shikigami materialized. Sky and Sea, his loyal twin hounds, took their places at his flanks,
Storm—formerly Nue—unfurled its wings, Manda (once Orochi) coiled beside him protectively, Jack's athletic stance ready for explosive movement, Gama's massive toad form settling into the snow, and finally Tusk, the mammoth-sized elephant whose very presence made the ground tremble.
They spread into formation automatically, weeks of coordinated combat making their movements instinctive.
"We're going loud and fast," Yume said quietly, his breath misting in the cold air. "Storm provides aerial support and lightning strikes. Manda handles crowd control. Jack disrupts their formation with hit-and-run tactics. Gama sonic attacks to disorient. Tusk is our battering ram if they fortify. Sky, Sea—you're with me. Watch our six."
He drew two Pandora Orbs, transforming them into his black-steeled gunswords. He felt Rika's presence looming in his shadow, a silent, instinctive force, but he mentally signaled her to hold back. He needed to check his own growth.
"I'll handle the alpha. Understood?"
Five sets of eyes gleamed in acknowledgment.
"Then let's hunt."
They moved as one—a coordinated strike force that had been refined through weeks of constant combat.
The cave entrance loomed ahead, dark and foreboding.
Inside, Yume could hear movement, guttural sounds that were almost language.
The Vulcans knew something was coming.
This won't be easy. Good.
More fun.
Yume stepped into the darkness, shadows flowing around him like a cloak, his shikigami spreading into formation.
Time to see if he was truly ready for A-rank.
[End of Chapter 5]
Shikigami count :-
Original Ten shadows: Twin Dogs (Sky/Sea),
toad/Gama, Nue/Storm, Orochi/Manda, Rabbit/Jack, Max Elephant/Tusk = 6 conquered
Remaining from original : 4
Created: Swift, Mi = 2 created
Special: Rika
Total active: 9 shikigami