Shun and Ultear traveled to an empty plain north of Magnolia, encased in a translucent, paw-shaped bubble of repelled air. Shun was far too excited to waste time walking.
Once they arrived, only Shun stepped out. "Wait here," he said with a soft smile. Ultear simply nodded, a faint blush coloring her cheeks.
The moment his feet touched the ground, he began to gather his magic. As he focused, he could feel it—a new, profound depth of power that had been previously inaccessible. The world around him began to warp. Stones, blades of grass, even the very air shimmered and morphed, turning into shimmering, translucent paw-pads of varying sizes, from tennis balls to massive orbs.
'There's no doubt now. My fruit has awakened.'
A new understanding flooded his mind. He could feel the potential to repel not just physical matter, but concepts—memories, age, pain, gravity, sound. The most terrifying possibility was the ability to repel emotions themselves. He could drain a person's courage, leaving them a coward, or twist love into hatred. The power was truly fearsome.
He also sensed a new capability: self-healing.
'Let's test it.'
He drew a small knife from his storage ring and made a clean slash across his forearm. As Ultear watched with wide eyes, he placed his paw-pad over the wound. It sealed shut almost instantly, and a crimson, paw-shaped bubble of what looked like concentrated injury floated out. With a thought, he crushed it into harmless motes of light.
'I don't need a vessel to contain the damage anymore. I can simply destroy it or… send it to an enemy.' A predatory grin spread across his face. 'That's a completely broken way to fight.'
Next, he turned his attention inward. 'Let's try repelling a concept—my motion sickness.' He placed a paw over his chest, focusing. A tennis-ball-sized, red bubble emerged, containing the very "weakness" of his Dragon Slayer magic. He crushed it effortlessly. A wave of clarity washed over him; the innate aversion to vehicles was gone.
'It's fascinating! I feel like I can do anything now! It's as if I've become a go—'
A sudden, sharp pain lanced through his skull, cutting the thought short.
'A god… I feel like I'm forgetting something important.' He winced, clutching his head.
'Repelling that single weakness used nearly 20% of my total magic power. The cost is immense, but fitting for the effect.'
'I was hoping I might even be able to repel the barriers between worlds… to travel to that pirate world where this fruit originated. But that seems impossible for now. I still need more power.'
As he concluded his thoughts, Ultear approached, her expression worried. "Are you okay? You can take your time; I can wait a bit longer," she said, having seen him clutch his head after the intense display.
"I'm fine. I just got a bit too excited," Shun admitted with a sigh. "Let's rest. How about we get some lunch?"
Ultear agreed with a nod.
---
They found a cozy restaurant with a warm atmosphere and a menu full of promising dishes. Seated by the window, they placed their orders, and Shun decided to broach a difficult subject.
"What will you do after Ur returns? Will you stay with Grimoire Heart?"
Now that he was certain of his power, he was confident he could free Ur.
"I don't know," Ultear replied with a deep sigh. "I no longer have a reason to be there. But once you join a dark guild… there's no going back. Even if I could live in the light with my mother, Master Hades would never let me go."
"If you have nowhere else to go, join Fairy Tail," Shun said without a hint of shame. "In a few years, I'll be the Guild Master. You and your mother can join then. I'll protect you both."
To anyone else, such a boast would be laughable. But after witnessing his magic, Ultear had no doubt about his potential.
"Thank you," she said, a genuine smile gracing her features. "But not now. You should train more. Master Hades is… very strong."
Shun was confident he could win, especially knowing Hades's weaknesses, but he saw no need to argue. His ultimate goal was to become the strongest in this world. Awakening his Devil Fruit was just the beginning.
They moved on to lighter topics—hobbies, free time. When Ultear learned that Shun's hobby was cooking, she insisted on trying his food someday.
'I wonder if her reaction will be as exaggerated as the characters from Food Wars,' he mused. After all, regardless of his magical prowess, his single highest-tier ability was, unquestionably, his cooking.
---
After lunch, Shun returned home to begin studying the Arc of Embodiment, prioritizing it over the Fire God Slayer Magic. After two hours of intense focus, he felt he had grasped about 2% of the book's principles. It seemed a small number, but it was an incredible rate of progress. At this pace, he could master the Lost Magic in just 100 hours.
Ultear returned to her hotel to report to Hades, fabricating the details of her "deal" with Shun. She would rejoin him once her task was complete.
He calculated that with dedicated study, he could reach 50% comprehension in a little over four days. That would be the time to free Ur.
---
The next three days passed in a peaceful routine: morning magic training on the plain, lunch with Ultear, an afternoon of studying the Arc of Embodiment, dinner together, and a final study session before bed.
"Fairy Tail will be returning soon," Shun mentioned over dinner on the third day. "Once they're back, I'll meet with them, and then we can leave for your hometown."
"Un," Ultear nodded, her smile brighter than it had been in a long time.
---
The port of Magnolia was bustling with its usual energy. Merchants hawked their wares, the scent of street food filled the air, and fishermen sold the day's catch. There was even a small magic shop advertising flying carpets.
As Shun and Ultear strolled through the crowds, they were bombarded with offers. With time to kill before the guild ship arrived, they sampled various street foods.
"It's good, but… after tasting your cooking, everything else seems to be lacking something," Ultear murmured softly.
"You think so? I suppose I'll have to cook for you more often, then," Shun replied, his tone calm, though the slight upward curve of his lips betrayed his pleasure.
"Fufufu," Ultear chuckled.
"What?" Shun asked.
"Nothing," she said, refusing to explain. Internally, she was amused. 'You act so mature and mysterious, but when you're happy, it shows on your face.'
Their trip to welcome the guild had unwittingly turned into something resembling a date.
Time flew by, and as the sun began to set, the Fairy Tail ship finally docked. The moment the gangplank was down, Sorano broke from the group and hurried toward a nearby café.
"Huh? Where's she going?" Gray asked.
Erik (Cobra) shrugged. "She said she sensed 'danger' in that direction."
"Danger? An enemy attack?"
"For her? Probably…"
---
Inside the café, Shun and Ultear were seated by the window, enjoying a quiet cup of tea.
"Starflower Herbal Tisane… It's good, but a bit pricey," Shun muttered. The tea cost 2,000 Jewels. 'Drinking this thirty times would cost a month's rent. Once I help Ultear, I really need to open that restaurant.' The irony wasn't lost on him. 'I transmigrate, gain cheat-like powers, and I'm still worried about money. Heh. Not funny.'
His thoughts were interrupted.
"Shun!"
He looked up to see Sorano standing there with a bright, albeit slightly strained, smile. Her fists were clenched at her sides.
"Sorano, you're back. Welcome," Shun said, feigning ignorance of the brewing storm.
Her smile tightened. "Who is this… vixen?"
"Excuse me?" Ultear sputtered, shocked.
"Did you seduce Shun?" Sorano demanded, pointing a finger.
"Sorano, calm down…" Shun began, trying to defuse the situation, but the damage was done.
"No way, is he two-timing?" "I heard he's a mage from Fairy Tail…" whispers erupted from the other patrons.
The café door chimed again as Makarov and the rest of the guild filed in, drawn by the commotion.
"Oi, Shun. You brat sure is popular. Two-timing right after becoming an S-Class mage, huh?" Makarov joined in the teasing with a grin.
"…"
"S-Class mages sure are different," Wakaba added, before veering into a gloomier topic. "Meanwhile, I'm always being scolded by my wife… The other day she said she'd divorce me if I flirted around again…"
Shun could only massage his temples as the scene descended into chaos.
'They're all having way too much fun with this.'