Bonus Chapters at 300 Power Stones!
"Normal Dialogue"
'Inner thoughts'
[Year X787]
~ Later that night ~
Night had fallen over the mountain zone. Sat around a small campfire was Shisui, Sting, Rogue, and their Exceed companions Lector and Frosch.
Shisui poked at the fire with a stick, sending sparks up into the night sky. Just hours earlier, the Dragon Slayers had tried to take him down, mistaking him for the demon they had been investigating. His mind drifted back to the conversation that had led them here, after the initial confrontation had been resolved.
~ Flashback ~
"So we're agreed?" Rogue had asked, his red eyes narrowed slightly as he studied Shisui. "We'll work together to investigate this demon?"
Shisui nodded, seeing the practical benefits of having two Dragon Slayers accompany him. Their enhanced senses might prove useful, and if things went badly, additional combat power was never unwelcome.
"Yes," he had said simply. "We'll cover more ground together."
That was when Lector, wings fluttering excitedly, had sealed their fate with a careless comment.
"This is perfect!" The red Exceed excitedly exclaimed, practically bouncing in place. "Now we're safe from guild punishment! We can just say we were helping a mage backed by a Wizard Saint, and Master Jiemma won't be able to punish us for taking an S-class job!"
The words had hung in the air for a long, painful moment. Sting's eyes had widened in horror, his hand shooting out as if to physically stop the words that had already escaped. Rogue had closed his eyes and let out a long, resigned sigh, while Frosch had simply mirrored his partner's reaction with a tiny sigh of his own.
"Lector," Sting had said through clenched teeth, "you weren't supposed to mention that part."
Shisui had looked between them with growing amusement as understanding dawned. "You took this mission without authorization," he stated rather than asked.
Sting had scratched the back of his head, suddenly finding the ground fascinating. "Well, technically..."
"Our guild master only allows S-class mages to take S-class missions," Rogue had explained, his voice level despite the awkward situation. "We're... not quite there yet."
"But we're strong enough!" Lector had interjected defensively. "Sting and Rogue are two of the strongest mages in Sabertooth, even if they don't have the official rank yet!"
Shisui had considered this information. In his world, mission assignments had been rigid and precise—the Hokage determined who was qualified for what tasks, and disobedience carried severe consequences. But this wasn't his world, and these weren't his soldiers.
"Oh? And what makes you think that I would endorse such reckless behavior?" Shisui had finally said, his tone casual but firm. "I will say this now but I will not cover for you if you choose to continue this mission. You reap what you sow, every action has consequences."
The relief on their faces had been visible. They had feared something worse than simple non-interference, but their moods had noticeably dampened at the knowledge that guild punishment still awaited them upon return.
~ End of Flashback ~
Now, hours later around the campfire, that initial tension had faded somewhat. Shisui had been telling them stories of his old world, ensuring to make it seem as though they were only stories of distant lands in Earthland. He described battle tactics used by shinobi while presenting them as obscure fighting styles from far-off regions of Earthland.
"—and that's how the village defended itself against an entire army using just thirty fighters and careful preparation," Shisui concluded, watching the impressed expressions on the faces of his companions.
"That's amazing," Sting said, leaning forward with genuine interest. "Hey, during all your travels... have you ever seen a White Dragon? Or maybe a pitch Black Dragon?"
The question came so abruptly that Shisui paused, caught off guard by the sudden change in subject. "Why do you ask?"
Sting's expression shifted, something vulnerable flashing behind his usual confidence. "We're looking for our fathers," he said simply, his voice quieter than Shisui had heard it before.
Shisui's confusion must have shown on his face, because Frosch suddenly spoke up from his spot beside Rogue.
"Rogue and Sting were raised by dragons," the green Exceed explained. "But one day, the dragons just disappeared. They've been looking for them ever since."
"Weisslogia and Skiadrum," Rogue added softly, the names clearly precious to him. "They vanished on the same day—July 7th, X777."
Understanding dawned on Shisui. He'd heard rumors of Dragon Slayers during his time in this world, but had assumed the title was largely symbolic. The idea that these young men had actually been raised by actual dragons—and now sought to find them—added a new dimension to their characters he hadn't anticipated.
"I see," Shisui said thoughtfully. "I'm afraid I haven't encountered any dragons in my travels. I would remember something like that."
The disappointment that crossed Sting's face was brief but obvious. He stared into the fire, frustration and sadness evident in the tight line of his mouth and the slight slump of his shoulders. Longing radiated from hin. Not just for answers, but for reunion.
Shisui was about to offer some words of encouragement when Sting suddenly straightened up, slapping both cheeks with his palms hard enough to leave red marks.
"Doesn't matter!" he declared, voice ringing with renewed determination. "I'll find Weisslogia myself, and when I do, I'm giving him a piece of my mind for disappearing like that! What kind of father just leaves without saying goodbye, huh?"
Despite the harshness of his words, the affection underneath was unmistakable. Beside him, Rogue smiled faintly, clearly sharing the sentiment if not the outward expression of it.
Shisui found himself smiling too.
"Speaking of this area," Shisui said, changing the subject to give Sting time to compose himself, "what do you know about this mountain zone?"
The group exchanged puzzled glances.
"What do you mean?" Sting asked, brow furrowed.
Shisui realized his question might have been too pointed. If Warrod's information about this area was restricted, asking directly might raise suspicions. "I'm just asking if you've heard anything about this Mountain zone?" he clarified, keeping his tone casual.
The Dragon Slayers looked at each other again, confusion evident.
"It's just a mountain zone," Sting finally answered with a shrug. "Nothing special about it except it's probably one of the largest in Fiore, maybe even in all of Ishgar."
Rogue nodded, adding, "The only noteworthy thing is that the Magic Council declared it a 'Sacred ground' several years ago. Most mages avoid exploring too deeply because of that."
"Yeah," Lector chimed in, puffing out his chest importantly. "We wouldn't even be this far in if it weren't for you being backed by a Wizard Saint! The Council gets really angry when people mess around in their sacred places."
Shisui kept his expression neutral, but inwardly, he was surprised. A sacred ground designation seemed an effective way to keep people away without raising questions. Whatever the Council was hiding inside this mountain zone, they clearly wanted it to remain undisturbed.
"I see," Shisui said simply, nodding as if the information merely confirmed what he already knew. "We should get some rest. Tomorrow we'll head deeper into the mountain."
"Yes!" Sting pumped his fist in excitement. "We're going to explore the forbidden zone!"
"Sacred ground," Rogue corrected with a sigh.
"Same thing!" Sting retorted, grinning widely. "Either way, it's an adventure! Right, Lector?"
"Right!" the red Exceed agreed enthusiastically. "No one from Sabertooth has ever been this deep before! We'll be the first!"
Rogue and Frosch exchanged looks that suggested they weren't quite as thrilled about breaking taboos, but neither voiced any objection.
~ End of Chapter 21 ~
A/N: Much shorter chapter today. You can read ahead at [email protected]/The_Editor982