Next morning, in the big space of the third floor, Shun and Cana were on the bed created by Shun's Arc of Embodiment, resting peacefully.
Shun woke up earlier and was looking at Cana's sleeping face.
'Blame it on the liquor, huh… with my Poison Dragon Slayer's resistance towards poison, I can't be drunk unless I wish to.'
Shun was facing up and was busy in his thoughts.
'It's already time for the original plot timeline to start in the Fairy Tail world, also it's almost time for the post-time skip in the world of One Piece. As for the world of Jobless Reincarnation, there were no traces of either Orsted or the Human God. I'll just have to wait for Rudeus to arrive at the Shirone Kingdom. Well, that can wait for a later time.
I didn't try to explore new worlds, not until I deal with the big three antagonists of the current worlds I'm in.'
While thinking such things, Shun tried to get up. But the small movement woke the daughter of the strongest magician up.
"Good morning, thanks for your hard work last night," Shun said with a bright smile, at least according to him.
"Huh?" It took a few seconds for Cana to wake up to her senses.
"You—" Cana wanted to start cursing, but she learned her lesson yesterday. She hurriedly covered herself with the blanket.
After a moment of silence, Cana decided to ask what she was curious about.
"Why did you choose me… Sorano or even Lucy is an easier target for a bastard like you. I know it can't be because I said some words," Cana said with her eyes furrowed seriously.
"…"
"Mmm, you're not wrong about that. I wondered about that too. Then I came to a conclusion."
Shun went silent for the dramatic reveal.
"What?" Cana asked again.
"I don't want to sound like a pervert, but… apparently, I like women when they have a bit of hostility against me," Shun said with a serious face.
"…"
"You…"
Cana was at a loss for words.
'The reason I was targeted was really because I said some words that attracted his perverted taste?!'
"Even if it was like that… you should lie and make up some sweet words! Also, how were my words even considered hostility, you petty bastard!" After holding back for a bit, Cana suddenly exploded, even ignoring the blanket that was covering her, and grabbed Shun by his collars.
"…"
As shameless as he was, Shun couldn't act his usual self this time.
"Uh, sorry. First, let's calm down. I'll go make breakfast," Shun made an excuse and ran out.
"…"
After Shun left, the room became silent again, until it was broken by Cana's laughter.
"Heh, so this guy can make such an expression… he always acts like the one in control," Cana muttered and started wearing her clothes with a smile before going for a shower.
—
After an hour of showering and finishing breakfast, all done on Shun's floor as the guild master,
"You went all out for your office, huh?" Cana said as they were going to the lower floor.
"Hm, I created it with both of us in mind."
"Ah, I totally believe you," Cana just shrugged with a smile.
When they arrived at the main floor, which is the first floor of the new building, it was still empty.
"No one arrived yet, huh? Then let's go back home," Shun said, as his home was kind of a second home for most of the young generation, including Cana.
"Yeah," Cana nodded.
—
When Shun and Cana returned and entered the house, they went their separate ways to their own rooms.
"Well, then bye," Cana waved a bit awkwardly. Now that she returned to this house, she felt like she committed a crime against the girls living here…
When Cana abruptly said that and tried to leave, Shun sighed and activated his signature magic.
'Arc of Time: The World. Incomplete Version!' Shun chanted inwardly and stopped time in a kilometer radius around him. The magic power consumption would increase depending on the duration and radius of the time-stop ability.
The incomplete version was the one Shun used previously against God Serena, the version where the people in the stopped time kept their perception only. They could see and think, but they wouldn't be able to gather magic or do any other activities.
'I already learned the complete version, but this one is more fun!' was the reason Shun kept it.
'Though the time stop seems invincible, people with time-related abilities seem to be immune to it, like Dimaria from the Alvarez Empire, Ultear, and me with the Arc of Time,' Shun thought, then started moving towards Cana.
'Well, enough of that. For now, there is more important business.'
When Shun arrived in front of Cana, Cana was speechless. Well, not like she could talk even if she had words.
'What is this bastard doing?!' was all Cana could think.
As she was thinking, Shun's face started closing in towards her.
"…"
"You forgot to give me a goodbye kiss."
—
After a minute of stopped time, the time finally returned for the poor residents in Shun's house.
Cana returned to her room without a word, with her face completely red.
'Hmm, this was the first time I used time stop for a thing like this… but it's fun!'
After sending Cana off to her room, Shun went to his own… when Shun entered quietly. As expected, there was a blonde fairy on his bed as always.
'She is still asleep…' Shun thought and tried to sneakily slip into the bed. However…
"Shun." A serene and clear voice called his name.
"Mavis, sorry, did I wake you up?" Shun asked innocently.
However, Mavis was in no mood to answer his question.
"You stopped time just now… what did you do?" Mavis' instinct was sharp.
"Oh, I was just training to create the complete version, where no one notices that the time had been stopped," Shun lied as naturally as he breathed.
"Did you succeed?" Mavis asked as she got up and sat on the bed.
However, in the next second she felt both of her cheeks turning a bit wet and a soft sensation on them.
"!"
Mavis realized soon what must have happened.
Then she came to a realization, her face turned red.
"Shun! That magic is absolutely banned from using it like that again! Or else…"
Mavis started making threats, as she realized the potential danger of this magic of his.
"Okay, okay, calm down. You know I'm not that type of guy, right?" Shun said and reminded her of how righteous a guy he was.
—
In the afternoon, when the residents from Shun's house entered the guild, most of the old members were already there.
Makarov was already gulping down some beer.
Creak.
"Oh, you brat arrived, huh?" Makarov greeted Shun in his own way, but Shun wasn't gonna let rude words like those happen to him, not after his promotion!
"Makarov," Shun said suddenly, silencing the noisy guild in one word.
"Huh? What's happening?"
"A fight?"
"I don't know, but the atmosphere is tense between them." The murmurs and rumors began to intensify.
Even the old man in question, Makarov, was confused.
"What?" Makarov asked back.
"Such a rude greeting towards the guild master isn't allowed, be careful next time. Also, the guild master is thirsty from all the walk from his home to the guild. Go make him a coffee, like a good 'regular' guild member," Shun said with a smirk.
"…"
With Shun's blatant reminder of his status, Makarov suddenly remembered he wasn't the guild master anymore!
'This bastard! Repeating the 'guild master' over and over again. Also, it's not like he made me a coffee when I was the guild master…' Makarov thought and was about to lash out. Looking at Shun's evil smile, he couldn't hold back anymore.
When Makarov was about to explode, Erza rushed in to solve the situation.
"I'll make a coffee for you, Master!" The ever-so-serious Erza went to make a coffee, while her intention was good. She was hopeless in the kitchen, so other members ended up taking over her job.
"Thanks, Erza," Shun thanked Erza and took a seat nearby.
"You brat, do you hold some grudge towards me?" Makarov asked. The other members were also curious.
"Hmm. Seems like you forgot," Shun said.
"Huh?" Now Makarov felt genuinely curious.
"When I was young, you hit me on the head exactly three times on three different occasions. I didn't forget…"
"…"
When the truth was revealed…
"Huh? It's just that?"
"I thought something really happened…"
"Let's go back to our table." The crowd dispersed.
"Well, enough joking around… you guys should stop drinking from the morning and start going on missions," Shun said as he looked at the older members like Makarov, Macao, and Wakaba drinking beer.
"…"
Shun, not even an hour into his role as guild master, already made Makarov regret his decision.
Before they could find an excuse, a random member from the guild rushed inside and barked,
"The Magic Council members are here! They're asking for an audience with the guild master!"
"What? They're here already?" Makarov was distressed out of habit.
"Well, it would happen sooner or later, after all a clash between two light guilds isn't common and it's not allowed," Shun said.
Noticing Makarov's nervous expression, Shun continued,
"Don't worry, I will do my job as the guild master and take responsibility."
Hearing Shun's reliable words, the guild members, including Makarov, were moved.
"But they will probably want to make an example for the others and try to give some kind of punishment, like imprisonment for a few days," Shun said his realistic guess.
"…"
Seeing the guild become silent, Shun placed his hand on Makarov's shoulder.
"If that happens, you're the sacrifice I'm willing to make," Shun said with his usual heroic smile.
(The smile in question)
"…"
Seeing his evil-looking smile, the guild became speechless as they didn't know if Shun was joking or not.
"The bastard's at it again," Cana whispered to Lucy.
"Eh?"
"That smile is when he is planning something petty," Cana spoke from her experience.
"You seem to know about him much more than us?" Erza asked. She was an airhead for a topic like this, but sometimes she was sharp as her swords.
"!"
"It's obvious if you just observe his expressions!" Cana made up an excuse in an instant.
"Let them in."
With Shun's final words, the one who notified them about the news went back and led them into the guild.
'Hmm, Lahar, Ultear, and a bunch of unnamed people,' Shun thought as he observed their members.
"Hello, Magic Council members," Shun greeted them politely.
"!"
"Hello…"
"What have you come here for?" Shun asked, confusing the Magic Council. They expected Makarov to talk to them.
Ultear took the lead and replied with a knowing smile.
"We have come here to ask a few questions about the quarrel with Phantom Lord from Master Makarov."
"If you want to talk to the guild master, you're talking to him," Shun said, confusing the newcomers.
"I became the guild master yesterday, because everyone insisted that I was the better choice," Shun shrugged.
Makarov just kept his poker face without complaining. Provocation of this level no longer had an impact on him.
"…"
"I see… congratulations on your promotion," Ultear and the Magic Council said a few words out of formality.
"Thanks… I'll go talk with someone. You guys wait here. Lucy, treat them to a meal," Shun immediately took on his role as the guild master and started ordering around.
"Yes…" Lucy, who was suddenly received a mission, responded.
Shun nodded and went to the second floor and made a quick call with Crawford, who was the current chairman ahead of the original timeline, thanks to his idea of using Shun's name to deter outside forces such as the Alvarez Empire from invading Ishgar.
'Well, I don't mind him using my name as long as he is useful to me.'
Shun pulled a lacrima that was used for communications in this world. It resembled a crystal ball.
Soon… an old man with a round face showed up on the lacrima.
—
After five minutes, Shun came back to the main hall.
"You guys can go back when you're done. I just talked to Crawford and explained everything," Shun said to the Magic Council members who were now dining.
"Huh? Bragging your connections in front of the Magic Council?" Ultear retorted with a small smirk.
"Miss Ultear, don't say that—" some council members tried to stop her from causing trouble, after all Shun was famous for holding petty grudges. He had banned people from eating in SHFC for just disagreeing with him over the years.
SHFC was now a continent-wide fast food place with branches in most of the countries.
However…
"Yes," Shun just agreed.
"…"
"Miss! We got a call from the chairman!" One Magic Council member suddenly called out to Ultear.
"Yes." As soon as Ultear answered, a nervous voice sounded from the other side.
"You guys… your mission is complete. Our investigation found that Jose was the one behind this mess."
The new bald chairman, Crawford, was very frustrated today.
'I just wanted to make Makarov write an apology and settle things. After all, it was something they often did with the Fairy Tail guild when they cause trouble or end up destroying cities and buildings. But this time… their guild master changed…'
Crawford just wanted to scream and call those idiots back, but…
'The one leading them this time… Ultear had a close relationship with Shun…'
Crawford just sighed and called them back.
"Understood," Ultear replied shortly, as no one here expected anything serious this time. It was just for a show that Fairy Tail wasn't special.
When Ultear was about to cancel, Crawford suddenly said,
"Wait, I have something to say to the new guild master of Fairy Tail."
"Oh? I can hear you, what is it?" Shun answered in Ultear's place.
"It's a request from me and the others in the Magic Council…" Crawford said. This was the biggest reason they couldn't mess with this petty man. They had a request, a serious one.
"Go on."
"It's a classified mission, can you go to a secluded room…"
"Alright," Shun said, then activated his long-forgotten main ability.
Swooosh.
With a wave of his hands, the utensils and cups and other small items in the guild turned into small paws and…
POP-! POP-! POP-!
With the familiar sound of a bubble breaking, the crowded guild floor was slowly getting emptier with each sound.
Every Magic Council member except Ultear was gone, even Lahar. But things didn't stop there. One by one the older members and unknown members to Shun also disappeared.
"!"
Soon, only Ultear, Shun, Lucy, Erza, Natsu, Happy, Gray, Makarov, Mavis, Cana, and Shun remained in the guild.
"W-Wha—"
"W-What did you do?"
"As always… an exaggerated use of magic…"
"Aye…"
"He is just showing off!"
"But making them disappear like that without a warning?!" Makarov asked in a fury but…
"Makarov! I'm the guild master!" Shun shut him down
"Shun! You will regret this!" Makarov said, as much as he wanted to slam the door and storm off. He was curious about the request from the magic council.
Once they both turned silent…
"Why did you let us stay?" Erza asked, her brows furrowed seriously.
"Hm? Isn't that obvious? Because I trust everyone here," Shun just smiled at her and gave them a thumbs up.
"…"
"Shun…" Lucy muttered, feeling warm as she heard those simple words.
While everyone felt a bit shocked about the sudden emptiness in the main hall, they felt inevitably warm for the trust.
While the reactions varied, Shun didn't mind and just continued the earlier conversation.
"It's fine now. Tell me, what's the request?"
"Mm, about that… we just found out God Serena has betrayed us! He joined the Alvarez Empire!" Crawford dropped the bomb!
"God Serena?! Did he really desert?" Makarov was surprised, after all the man in question was stronger than him.
"Yes… we haven't heard from him for a year. But our spy in the Alvarez Empire confirmed this news a few days ago," Crawford explained
"So? Get to the point, what's the request?" But Shun wasn't interested in a fraud that gets one-shotted every time he appears.
"Yes… we would like to ask you to hunt him down and kill him if you can't apprehend him."
"!"
"Hunt the previous strongest magician?!" Gray doubted his ears.
"Ohh! I'm fired up!" Natsu shouted as he had no idea who even the Serena guy was.
"Aye!"
"Brat… what will you do?" Makarov asked.
"Crawford, if it's something like that…" Shun paused a bit, earning everyone's attention at this moment. After all, it wasn't a small request.
"Send a proper mission request through the guild. If the rewards are satisfactory, I'll do it."
"…"
Shun's answer was surprisingly civil and even professional.
"Huh? Really?!" Crawford was happily shocked. Now once again his reputation in the Magic Council will rise!
The bald chairman had no doubt about Serena's fate, after all he was one of the witnesses between the fight of the two.
"Like I said, only if the rewards are decent," Shun replied.
"Of course!" Crawford smiled widely as he rubbed his hands together.
Then the call was cut.
"…"
Now that the big hall had only less than ten people in total, it became silent.
"By the way, when will everyone come back?" Ultear asked. She didn't have any hint of worry in her voice.
"They'll drop from the sky in about half an hour in front of the guild," Shun explained.
"Are you really the brat? Being this obedient isn't like him, are you an imposter?!" Makarov started talking nonsense.
"Well… it'll set my reputation higher as the new guild master. However, I won't accept another mission for at least a few years," Shun answered with a shrug.
"Now that's more like you, hahaha."
'I was planning to hunt him for his powers anyway…' Shun thought as he looked at Makarov's dumb laughing face.
'Immunity to eight different elements, including light and darkness… that's a good deal. Being able to eat darkness means I won't have a problem against the Darkness Devil Fruit in the future. When I fought briefly against Blackbeard in the past, his darkness fruit completely nullified my every devil fruit-related ability. It's definetly the king fruit of the devil fruits.
Not that I'm worried about losing to Blackbeard…
Hmm… though I feel bad for Gray. With this chance, I'm gonna hunt and plunder his father's Devil Slayer abilities. After all, that infamous Imu seemed to be a devil or something related. Once I prepare those and, most importantly, Acnologia's power, I'll be ready to start conquering the three worlds I'm in.'