Fairy's Ace

'Thoughts'

"Normal Dialogue"

~ With Naruto ~

The leader snarled, charging with his axe raised high.

Naruto feinted to the right, drawing the man off balance, then delivered a soft low kick to the side of his knee. The leader's stance faltered, and Naruto followed up with a sharp chop to the man's nape, dropping him instantly.

The remaining two bandits hesitated, exchanging nervous glances. Naruto cracked his knuckles. "Still feel like trying your luck?"

One of them roared, attempting to tackle him.

'They just never learn. . .' Naruto sighed.

Naruto met the tackle with a rising knee to the stomach, followed by a backhand that sent him joining the rest of his friends.

The last bandit, seeing as he was all that was left, turned to run.

But Naruto was faster, closing the distance in a matter of seconds. With a sweeping leg kick, he knocked the man's legs out from under him, pinning him to the ground with a kunai pointed at his throat.

"You're done." Naruto said, his tone neutral.

"You're going to tie up the rest of your friends and then join them voluntarily. Do I make myself clear?"

The bandit nodded his head, not wanting to get hurt any more than he already was.

Within moments, all six bandits were tied up on the ground, five of them still unconscious while the sixth groaned in pain.

Naruto stood before them, brushing the dirt from his clothes.

"Told you it wasn't a good idea." He remarked, pulling out a small communication Lacrima. He activated it, the magical orb glowing softly as Warrod's face appeared.

"Naruto? Everything okay?" Warrod asked.

"Yeah, just ran into some bandits. Nothing I couldn't handle." Naruto replied.

"I'm sending you the location. Could you send someone to pick these guys up? I've got them all tied up and ready for delivery." Naruto said with a grin, turning the Lacrima around to show his good work.

Warrod chuckled. "I'll take care of it. Good work, Naruto."

~ A few days later ~

By the time Naruto reached Crocus, the sun was already setting.

'I made it just in time.'

Naruto took a look over the city's flower fields.

The sight, though familiar, was no less breathtaking. Rows upon rows of vibrant blossoms stretched as far as he could see, their colours blending beautifully.

As he entered the city, Naruto could see in the distance a grand construction site that he'd seen on his previous visits.

The structure, resembling a massive coliseum, was taking shape under the efforts of countless workers and magical tools.

"Looks like they're really making progress on this place." Naruto commented, his curiosity piqued.

He'd heard whispers that it was going to be used for some kind of grand event starting next year.

Naruto spent the next two days reacquainting himself with Crocus.

He revisited the Royal Gardens, the meticulously arranged flora still managing to impress him. He also enjoyed the lively street performances and treated himself to the food of the gods while he was in town.

On the morning of his departure, Naruto made his way to the train station. He stood on the platform, watching as the magic-powered train pulled in with a hiss of steam.

Boarding the train, he found a window seat and settled in, eager to get started on the next half of his journey.

~ One day later ~

Although he had a check-up with Porlyusica, it wasn't for another few days. So, instead of stopping by at Magnolia, he remained in the train and finally got off at the bustling port town of Hargeon.

As he stepped off the train, the salty sea breeze greeted him as his impatience bubbled over. Looking out to the direction of the sea, he could see the famous lighthouse that he'd heard off in stories.

"Hargeon, huh? Guess it's time to see what this old town is all about." Naruto said to himself, a grin spreading across his face as he set off to explore the town.

~ A few hours later ~

The port town was alive with activity, from merchants hawking their wares, to sailors shouting orders as they unloaded cargo from the many ships docked at the harbour.

The many new sights, sounds and smells greeted Naruto, who took them all in excitedly. It wasn't just the environment that Naruto was fascinated by, but even the small details of the town.

For instance, compared to Crocus and Magnolia, Naruto never knew that almost 90% of the inhabitants of Hargeon Town were non-mages, to the extent that there was only one magic shop present throughout the entire town.

"Wow, this place is something else." Naruto murmured to himself, his eyes lighting up as he spotted the building that he had been looking for – Hargeon Restaurant.

"Now then, let's see if the ramen here is any good." His stomach growled in agreement.

As he stepped foot into the restaurant, his attention was immediately grabbed by the pile of plates stacked on top one another from one of the restaurant's customers.

'Wow, that table's appetite could almost rival mine after a good day of intense workout.' Naruto whistled.

He took a closer look at the table, not because of the piles of plates, but because one of the customers caught his attention.

'Oh great. Pink hair, scarf around his neck, and a blue cat companion. That has to be Natsu Dragneel of Fairy Tail. No idea who that blonde lady is though.'

Naruto's expression soured.

~ End of Chapter 11 ~

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