Bonus Chapters every 100 Power Stones
"Normal Dialogue"
'Inner thoughts'
[Year X789]
~ With Shisui ~
After their discussion of Jellal's escape settled into contemplative silence, Warrod leaned back in his chair and fixed Shisui with a more serious expression. The casual atmosphere that had characterized their conversation thus far had shifted, replaced by the weight of official Magic Council business.
"Now then, let's discuss the real reason for your visit. The long-term S-rank mission you've requested." Warrod said
Shisui straightened slightly, recognizing the change in tone. This was no longer a friendly chat between friends, but a formal briefing between a Wizard Saint and an operative about to undertake dangerous work.
"The mission relates directly to your very first assignnt for ," Warrod continued, "The investigation you conducted in the mountain zones that led to your encounter with that demon fragnt."
The ntion of Nihilora sent a slight chill through Shisui, mories of that twisted entity and its unsettling presence surfacing.
"The Magic Council has finally decided to act on the information you provided in your reports, which is your findings about the unstable nature of the ambient Ethernano within that mountain zone. It's taken them this long to reach a decision because they wanted to thoroughly evaluate the ssenger before committing resources to such a dangerous undertaking."
Warrod's gaze intensified as he continued. "Your character needed to be assessed. Your capabilities required verification. The Council doesn't hand out missions of this magnitude lightly, especially not to relatively unknown operatives."
"And what was their conclusion?" Shisui asked, though sothing in Warrod's expression suggested he already knew the answer.
"That you've exceeded every expectation," Warrod replied with satisfaction. "Your positive influence on Fairy Tail has been remarkable. An entire year without a single collateral damage incident during missions. That's unprecedented in their history, and it speaks to your ability to guide others toward better judgnt."
The Wizard Saint rose from his chair and moved to the window, gazing out at his garden.
"Your own achievents have been equally impressive. Consistent mission success rates and the discretion to handle sensitive situations without creating political complications. The Council considers you a reliable asset, even though you've never formally joined their ranks."
Shisui felt apprehension at the praise. Recognition from the Magic Council carried significant weight, but it also suggested that his movents had been and would continue to be watched carefully by those in constitutional power.
"However," Warrod said, and his tone carried a warning that made Shisui pay closer attention, "this mission will push you into uncharted territory in every sense of the phrase. The areas you'll be investigating have remained unexplored for centuries, not because of lack of interest, but because of the inherent dangers involved."
He turned back to face Shisui directly, his expression grave. "The ambient Ethernano in those regions is highly volatile and unpredictable. It can interfere with magical transportation, disrupt communication systems, and even affect the stability of magic itself. You may find your abilities functioning differently than expected, or failing entirely at critical monts."
The implications of that warning weren't lost on Shisui. However, his abilities did not operate on Ethernano, so he was not too worried about it just yet. Moreover, aside from Ultear and redy, he would much prefer to keep his non-usage of Ethernano as secretive as possible, so Shisui was not about to correct Warrod's concern.
"And lest we forget, you'll be completely on your own out there. The Council cannot provide backup or extraction support if things go wrong. The sa environntal factors that make the mission necessary also make it impossible to maintain contact with the outside world. Once you enter those territories, you'll be cut off until you choose to return."
Warrod moved closer, his ancient face showing genuine concern. "The mission tiline is open-ended because we simply don't know how long it will take to complete a thorough investigation. It could be weeks. It could be months. The volatile nature of the environnt ans that progress will be slow and dangerous, requiring extre caution at every step."
He paused, allowing his warnings to settle before delivering the final concern. "There's also the very real possibility that the mission could be fatal. The demon fragnt you encountered previously was just a small piece of whatever larger threat exists in those mountains. We have no way of knowing what you might face deeper in the unexplored regions, or if the seal has co undone in the years since."
The silence that followed stretched for several monts as Shisui processed everything he'd been told. If sothing happened to him during the investigation, Fairy Tail would lose their only S-class mber just as they were rebuilding their strength.
Yet despite all the warnings and dangers Warrod had outlined, Shisui found himself smiling.
"You know," he said thoughtfully, "despite all the risks you've ntioned, this actually sounds like an ideal training environnt."
Warrod blinked, clearly not expecting that response to his barrage of warnings.
"Volatile magical conditions that will force to adapt my techniques. Dangerous terrain that will test my survival skills. Unknown threats that will push my combat abilities to their limits. And months of uninterrupted focus on improvent without the distractions of regular guild life." Shisui continued, his enthusiasm growing as he considered the possibilities.
He leaned forward slightly, his eyes bright with anticipation. "Plus, there's sothing appealing about exploring lands that haven't been seen by human eyes for centuries. The chance to re-discover sothing lost to ti."
Warrod stared at him for several seconds, processing this unexpected reaction. Then, without warning, he threw back his head and burst into maniacal laughter that echoed through his ho and startled Shisui.
"Oh, dear Mavis!" Warrod gasped between fits of laughter. "Here I am, delivering one of the most serious and dire mission briefing of my lifeti, warning you about potentially fatal dangers and complete isolation, and you're sitting there getting excited about the training opportunities!"
His laughter continued for nearly a minute, tears streaming down his weathered cheeks as he struggled to compose himself.
"You truly do have the spirit of Fairy Tail living within you," he said, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. "Only soone with that guild's particular brand of optimistic insanity would hear about a potentially suicidal mission and imdiately start planning how to use it for personal improvent."
Shisui scratched the back of his head, slightly embarrassed by the older mage's reaction but not backing down from his position. "I suppose it does sound a bit odd when you put it that way."
"Odd?" Warrod repeated, setting off another round of chuckles.
"My dear boy, it's absolutely perfect. If you're going to survive whatever's waiting in those mountains, you'll need exactly that kind of attitude. The mont you start thinking of it as a death sentence rather than an adventure, you'll be dood."
~ End of Chapter 57 ~
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