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[FT: O King of the Fairies] Chapter 56
🕑 Added 2025-03-31 13:12:20 +0000 UTCThere were few things in life I truly cherished.
Alma.
Peace and quiet.
Alma.
A nice, simple day without some idiot trying to pick a fight.
Oh, and did I mention Alma?
So naturally, when a mission request showed up, ruining my plans for a stress-free day, I wasn’t exactly thrilled. But I accepted it anyway.
Not because I particularly cared about the job. No, the real reason was walking beside me, looking ridiculously good in her combat gear.
Alma had always been my partner in crime—handling the guild’s affairs, calling me out on my nonsense, and generally keeping me in check. But ever since she awakened her magic, she had been insisting on coming with me on missions. Before, she had to stay back, ensuring the guild didn’t burn down. Now? She wanted to stand beside me, fight alongside me.
I won’t lie—I had mixed feelings about it.
On one hand, I was proud of her. She worked ridiculously hard, training her Archive and Rune Magic to a level that actually impressed me. On the other hand… I knew how dangerous the world could be. And while Alma could handle herself, together with the amount of protection I gave to her, nothing in this world could harm nor kill her.
Still, the idea of anything happening to her?
Let’s just say the universe wouldn’t survive my wrath.
She caught me staring and raised an eyebrow. “You keep looking at me like that, and I’ll start charging a fee.”
I smirked. “That’s a dangerous game. What’s the rate?”
She scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Focus, Leonhart. We’ve got work to do.”
Right. The mission.
The job was deceptively simple.
A nearby town, Harrow’s Edge, had been dealing with a group of rogue mages stirring up trouble. Bandits, essentially—except these ones actually had magic to back up their bad life choices.
Usually, a few mid-tier Fairy Tail members would handle something like this, but for some reason, these guys had wrecked multiple teams that tried to stop them.
Which meant they were either more powerful than they looked… or just really annoying.
Either way, the town sent a request straight to me.
Normally, Master Makarov wouldn’t have given me a mission like this, considering I usually took on the more extreme jobs. But with multiple Fairy Tail members missing and no word from them, he had no choice but to send someone who could guarantee results. And, well, that meant me.
Alma glanced at the job request, skimming over the details. “If they’ve already taken down a few guild members, shouldn’t we bring backup?”
I stretched, cracking my neck. “Nah. Just means we get all the reward money.”
She sighed. “Greedy and reckless. Great combination.”
I shrugged. “You love it.”
She didn’t deny it.
We set out early the next morning, the roar of the motorcycle cutting through the silence of the forest.
Alma adjusted her gloves, arms wrapped around my waist as she leaned in slightly. “So, why aren’t we just teleporting straight to the town?”
I kept my eyes on the road, smirking. “Because I like to make an entrance.”
She snorted. “Right. And here I thought it was because you actually had a strategy.”
I shrugged. “I mean, yeah, we’ll scope things out first, see what’s up—but let’s be real, no matter what’s waiting for us, it’s not like I’m worried.”
She sighed. “Of course you’re not.”
“Why would I be? We both know there’s no one out here who can actually give me trouble.” I revved the engine, speeding up a little. “Besides, this is more about figuring out what kind of idiots we’re dealing with before I send them flying.”
She hummed in amusement. “And here I thought you were finally taking things seriously.”
“Oh, I am. Seriously looking forward to stretching my legs.”
She just shook her head, but I caught the small smile on her lips.
Harrow’s Edge was too quiet.
Alma and I exchanged glances as we rolled into town. Normally, when Fairy Tail mages showed up, people rushed out to greet us, relieved that help had arrived. Here? Nothing. Just wary eyes peeking from windows.
“Alright, this is weird,” Alma muttered. Her Archive Magic flickered to life, scanning the area. “There’s barely any movement. No signs of battle damage either.”
I dismounted, rolling my shoulders. “Either they don’t trust us, or they think we can’t help.”
“Or they know something we don’t.”
We headed toward the local tavern, the closest thing to a hub of information in towns like this. Inside, the few people present tensed at our arrival. A grizzled-looking man behind the bar gave us a once-over before sighing. “You’re from Fairy Tail, huh?”
I took a seat, leaning forward. “Got a request. Figured we’d deal with your bandit problem.”
The bartender hesitated. “You should leave.”
Alma frowned. “Excuse me?”
Another patron spoke up, voice hushed. “Fairy Tail already sent people before. They never came back.”
That got my attention. I turned to Alma, and she was already pulling up the mission logs. “They’re right,” she said. “The teams sent before? No reports. No letters back to the guild. Just… nothing.”
I exhaled slowly. “So either they got wiped out… or something worse happened.”
Before we could dig further, a voice rang out behind us. “Well, well. Look who finally showed up.”
A group of mages stood in the doorway, grinning like they had already won. I took one look at them and sighed. “Please tell me you guys are stronger than you look.”
One of them smirked. “We’re not the problem. We’re just here to keep you busy.”
Alma’s Archive Magic flickered. “Aiden, I’m picking up a massive energy signature approaching from underground—”
The floor exploded beneath us.
A cloaked figure emerged from the dust, dark magic coiling around them like smoke. “Finally,” they said, eyes gleaming. “I was hoping they’d send someone worth breaking.”
I grinned, cracking my knuckles. “Oh, you have no idea how bad you just messed up.”
The tavern erupted into chaos. Dust and debris filled the air, clouding my vision for a split second before I activated my Celestial Inventory. Instantly, countless weapons flickered into existence around me—floating, shimmering, ready to strike.
Alma had already moved, leaping back with a burst of Archive Magic that formed a protective barrier around her. The cloaked figure emerged from the crater, their dark magic pulsing like a heartbeat.
“So, the infamous Oberon, King of the Fairies, finally graces us with his presence,” they said, their voice distorted, unnatural. Despite the bravado in their tone, I caught the slight tremor in their stance, the hesitation in their fingers. Fear. Good.
I smirked, casually brushing dust off my coat as more golden portals shimmered into view behind me. Blades, spears, and relics from across dimensions hovered like sentinels, awaiting my command. “Wow, full title and everything? You trying to butter me up?”
One of the bandits whispered harshly. “Shit—he’s real? I thought the stories were exaggerated. Didn’t he wipe out the Fallen?”
Another muttered, “Not just them. Half the dark guilds in Fiore have vanished because of him. They say he rained weapons from the sky like an angry god…”
The cloaked mage tilted their head, amused but clearly unsettled. “Let’s see if you live up to the legend.”
Before I could retort, the ground rumbled. Another surge of magic erupted from beneath us, but I was already moving. With a flick of my wrist, half a dozen lances shot forward, impaling the incoming tendrils of darkness before they could even reach me.
I turned to Alma. “Scan that. Something’s off.”
She barely had time to react before another warning flashed across her Archive interface. “Aiden, this magic—it’s disrupting my scans. Whatever they’re using, it’s messing with information flow.”
“Great. So they’re annoying on multiple levels.” I turned my attention back to the figure. “Alright, buddy, last chance—surrender now, and I won’t have to carpet-bomb you with artifacts older than your bloodline.”
One of the bandits flinched. “Damn it, we shouldn’t be doing this! He’s a monster! He destroyed an entire army during the war—”
“Shut up!” the cloaked mage snapped, before turning back to me. “Bold words, Oberon. Let’s see if you can back them up.”
They moved fast—faster than expected. But I didn’t need to move. The moment they lunged, ten swords materialized mid-air and fired forward like bullets. The mage barely managed to dodge, rolling to the side, only to be met with a storm of halberds and chain-daggers striking from every direction.
A tendril of darkness tried to wrap around me. I didn’t bother dodging. A warhammer the size of a house crashed down from a portal above, obliterating the attack and sending shockwaves through the ground.
The cloaked mage staggered back, panting. “What the hell is this…?”
I gave them a lazy grin. “Oh, you thought I fight fair?”
The bartender groaned, watching yet another section of the wall crumble. “Damn it! That’s the third time this month!”
I shrugged. “Put it on Fairy Tail’s tab.”
Alma sighed behind me. “You really don’t care about collateral damage, do you?”
“Hey, it builds character.”
Outside, the bandit mages were regrouping. They weren’t running—that was interesting. Either they were too dumb to realize they were outmatched, or they had something else up their sleeves.
Alma’s fingers glowed as she pulled up another Archive window. “Aiden, I think I know why those missing Fairy Tail members never came back.”
“Oh?” I caught a glimpse of her screen. It was a map—one that showed massive distortions in magical energy right beneath us. “This town isn’t just under attack. It’s a trap.”
“Exactly. These guys aren’t the real threat. The underground energy signatures—there’s something big beneath us. I don’t know what, but it’s growing.”
One of the bandits turned pale. “He’s figuring it out—we need to move now!”
I exhaled sharply, rolling my shoulders. More golden portals flickered into existence, surrounding me like a celestial armory. “Well, guess we’ll have to speed things up.”
The cloaked mage gritted their teeth. “You think you can scare us with cheap tricks?”
“Cheap?” I tilted my head, amused. “I don’t use cheap tricks.”
With a snap of my fingers, every single weapon fired at once.
The battlefield erupted into chaos.
The night air exploded with golden light as my weapons rained down upon the enemy. Swords, spears, axes—each one a legendary artifact, cutting through the air like shooting stars. The bandits scrambled, some throwing up barriers, others diving for cover.
It didn’t matter. They weren’t fast enough.
A halberd sliced through a mage’s defensive spell like wet paper, sending them flying into a nearby building. A barrage of daggers pinned another to the ground before they could even scream.
The cloaked leader barely managed to deflect a sword aimed at their chest, but their breathing had turned ragged. “What… what is this magic?”
I cracked my neck, rolling my shoulders. “Magic? Oh, no. This is just inventory management.”
I flicked my wrist, and more portals shimmered into existence, each humming with power.
A bandit at the edge of the battlefield panicked, scrambling back. “Screw this! I didn’t sign up to fight him! Do you idiots not get it? He’s the one who—”
A golden spear shot forward, embedding itself in the ground inches from his face. He froze.
I tilted my head, smirking. “Go on. Finish that sentence.”
The man made a strangled noise in his throat, then turned and bolted. Smart choice.
The remaining mages, however, weren’t as bright.
“Enough of this!” The cloaked leader slammed their hands together, and the air itself seemed to darken. Shadows twisted, forming a massive sphere of black energy above their head.
Alma’s Archive screens flared with warning. “Aiden! That’s—”
I was already moving.
I raised my hand, and in an instant, every floating weapon around me turned, aiming directly at the mage. “You want a grand finish?” My smirk widened. “Let me show you how that’s actually done.”
With a single thought, my arsenal fired.
A thousand streaks of light cut through the darkness, colliding with the growing sphere of energy. The explosion that followed swallowed the street in a storm of light and shadow, the shockwave leveling nearby structures.
The bandits screamed as they were thrown back, their magical defenses shattered on impact. The cloaked mage took the full force of the blast, slamming into the far wall with a sickening crunch.
Then… silence.
Dust settled. The only sound was the faint crackle of lingering magic.
Alma lowered her barrier, frowning. “That was way overkill.”
I shrugged. “They were making a big deal out of it. Figured I’d match the energy.”
She sighed. “At this rate, Fairy Tail’s tab is going to bankrupt the town.”
I waved a hand dismissively. “Eh, we’ll do a charity job later.”
From the wreckage, a groan escaped. The cloaked mage twitched, struggling to push themselves up. Their hood had fallen back, revealing a scarred face contorted in rage and pain.
“This… isn’t over,” they rasped. “You don’t know what’s coming.”
I strode forward, conjuring a gleaming longsword into my grip. I pressed the tip against their throat. “Enlighten me.”
They gave a shaky grin, blood dripping from their lips. “You think you’ve won? You haven’t even seen what lies beneath this town…”
As if on cue, the ground trembled. Alma’s Archive flared with red alerts.
Her eyes widened. “Aiden, something’s awakening underground.”
I narrowed my eyes, glancing down. Through the cracks in the street, faint pulses of eerie blue light flickered to life.
“Well,” I muttered. “That’s probably not good.”
Then, the earth beneath us shattered.
The ground split open like the jaws of a massive beast, swallowing the battlefield whole. Alma barely had time to activate a defensive rune before we were yanked downward in a cascade of debris and glowing blue light.
I reacted instantly, slipping a hand behind me and willing a chain into existence. It shot from thin air, latching onto a crumbling pillar. Alma grabbed my arm as we dangled over the abyss. Below us, something massive stirred, ancient magic pulsing like a heartbeat.
Alma’s Archive windows flickered erratically. “Whatever’s down there, it’s throwing off every magical reading I have. This isn’t normal.”
“Yeah, I gathered that much,” I muttered, tightening my grip. I flicked my fingers, sending a dozen floating blades downward, each one glowing with lethal intent. The second they passed a certain threshold—
CRACK.
They disintegrated.
I frowned. That wasn’t magic nullification. That was something worse.
The cloaked mage, still battered and bleeding, let out a weak chuckle from the edge of the pit. “Told you… you have no idea what you’re dealing with…”
I shot a glare at them, then turned to Alma. “How much of our magic is being disrupted?”
She scrolled through a rapid influx of error messages, grimacing. “Rune magic’s unstable, Archive’s fluctuating. The Grimoire’s wards are holding, but even they’re acting weird.” She gestured to the chasm. “Whatever this place is, it’s affecting everything.”
I exhaled. “Perfect.”
Alma groaned. “And let me guess. We’re going down there.”
“Obviously.”
With a flick of my wrist, I conjured another set of chains, anchoring them to the crumbling walls. “Hold on tight.”
We plummeted into the abyss, wind roaring past us as the glow of whatever lay below grew brighter. The pressure increased, an ancient force trying to crush us mid-air. Alma winced, gripping my coat tighter.
Then, we saw it.
A vast, underground ruin stretched before us, pulsing with blue veins of ancient magic. Towering monoliths lined the cavern, inscribed with glowing symbols that shifted as if alive. And at the center of it all…
A sealed door. Massive. Ominous. And pulsing with something hungry.
Alma exhaled sharply. “Yeah. That’s bad.”
I landed smoothly on the fractured platform, setting Alma down beside me. Behind me, weapons hovered in perfect formation, their golden glow cutting through the cavern’s dimness, ready to strike at the slightest provocation.
The air shifted.
Then, a voice—deep, ancient, and knowing—rumbled through the darkness.
“At last… the Master of the Celestial Inventory arrives.”
I froze.
Alma stiffened. “Please tell me that was your stomach.”
I smiled, but my mind was already racing. Master of the Celestial Inventory? No one in this world should know about my ability—let alone call it by name.
“Sorry, I already ate,” I said, keeping my tone light, but my muscles coiled, ready for anything.
The cavern trembled. Dust rained down from unseen heights. The doors didn’t just pulse—they reacted, as if acknowledging my presence. Symbols I didn’t recognize ignited across their surface, twisting and shifting as if searching for the right language. Then, with a deep, grinding groan, they began to open.
I summoned more weapons—blades gleaming, chains rattling, cannons humming with restrained power. My pulse quickened, though I kept my breathing steady.
Someone—or something—knew exactly who I was.
And I was about to find out why.
“Alright then,” I muttered, watching the shifting shadows beyond. “Let’s meet the locals.”
