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Chapter 74 - Fairy 71: Departures – Part 4

Half an hour it took, for Zack to sort everything out, putting everything away within the two Storage Bags, one from Erza, that is a waist bag, that holds 4m cube meters.

And the yellowish brown knapsack, that Makarov has given him.

He has put almost everything in the bigger Storage Bag, and in the one that Erza had given him, was items he could easily be accessible to while travelling, or in battle.

After placing everything within the Magic Items, Zack stood by the doorframe of his apartment, and simply looked at the place he will no longer live in.

One and a half years, that how long he lived in this apartment, and in there, carried memories, some blurry due to being drunk, but some clear as well.

Several moments passes, before Zack finally shut the door, and used his keys for the last time, to lock the apartment.

When he locked the door, he made his way to the first floor of this apartment complex, not to leave, but to head over to the landowner's place, so he could hand in the keys of the apartment in.

After handing in the keys, and saying his farewells of the owner, Zack walked onto the streets of Magnola, no longer in the damped suit he worn, but in something similar he always worn.

A black sleeveless hooded jacket that mostly covers his face. Loosen black trousers, on his hands are leather gloves, but they are also the kind that shows his fingers and thumbs bare at that. And lastly are his feet, he is not wearing the usual sandals that he often has on, but black leather boots, the kind that meant for rough terrain.

Walking on the streets of Magnolia for the last time for some time. Zack did not rush to leave the town, nor did he planned to go via train, but by his own feet, allowing the winds known as fate to guide where he will go.

Once Zack left through the gates of Magnolia, the very home he spent the last two years in, Zack halted his steps few hundred meters away from the town, as he turned around, and took one last look on the whole of Magnolia before him.

All honestly, a part of him, did not wanted to leave either this peaceful town, or that noisy guild.

And yet, Zack knew he cannot remain here. Because he knew, if he wished to become stronger, to move onwards, not as who he is right now, but as Zack Smasher, he had to leave.

Even so, Zacl stood for several minutes while looking at Magnolia, especially so, when from the hilltop he is on, he could see the Fairy Building, the Guild right in the middle of Magnolia.

While Zack stared at the Guild, that looked a lot smaller, due to the distance between them, memories of the past surfaced to him.

Every sad memory, every painful ones, as well the joyful memories, and the meaningful ones, each and every one meant something to Zack.

Because those memories meant he is not completely an empty shell he sees himself as. And now, he is about to go on this journey, to discover who he really is, to become stronger, to become someone worthy to bear the name of Zack Smasher.

Of course, along with the memories, there also the lessons he was taught in the Guild. Where he was taught what family is, and a family does not need to be bounded by blood, to be one. And it also taught how important family can be, as well the bounds he made as well.

After taking one final look at his home, at his family. Zack turned around, heading deeper and deeper in the forest before him.

While strolling through the forest, with no goal in mind, allowing the wind to carry him where he meant to go. Zack cannot help to recall once again about the memories he made in Magnolia, at Fairy Tail.

But the ones who are mostly on his mind, is not the town itself, but those that he spent time with.

Makarov – He is like a parent that Zack never had in this life that he remembers. He was always there, when he needed wisdom.

Natsu – A friend, sometimes a little brother, he often flashy, but he has a big heart, even if he at times don't show it, properly why Lisanna likes Natsu for, and also what made him interesting in a way.

Happy – Joyful friend, even at times he looked at Zack like a rival, ever since he shown Sky Walk for some reason, he is a friend, someone who might be selfish, and a little cowardly at times, but the boldest when it matters.

Gray – A friend, a brother in arms, someone who will listen what you will say. He always seems lazy, and yet he is the sharpest among everyone he knew, a dear friend, who he trusts his back to, very much like Natsu, who he also trusts his back as well.

Loke – A friend, someone he got close to, even if he can be strange at times, with his playboy ways. But even if known as a pervert in the guild, a gentleman who doesn't knew how much of a wolf he really is. He is loyal to his friends and often shown goodwill to those around him. Someone who companied Zack in his sad times.

Cana – A friend, someone to drink alongside with, like Cana says, a drinking buddy. She was there in the darkness of his aching heart, allowing Zack to not spent the time alone in the year of heartbreak. A little sister, who at times, also felt more of something else, a close friend maybe.

Erza – Even if they are at the same age, she was someone who was always there, even at the beginning when he was nothing but an empty clueless shell. She was a teacher, an elder sister, a close friend, she was there when he needed her, always ensuring he wouldn't sway from the path he is on. Someone who he is grateful to the most.

Elfman – A little brother, someone who opened to him, even in his shy persona, someone who wanted to be a man, but feared those few steps to become a man. Nevertheless, he is a great brother, a loyal close friend, someone he wished he will take those first steps by himself, when he comes back.

Mirajane – His first love, the first person he ever seen. She was many of his firsts, someone who walked into his blank life, someone even if it wasn't intentional, held her hand out, and dragged him out of the life he lived in that forest, which he might live there forever knowing how his past self thinks.

But she also someone he not willingly to let go, even at first, this path he about to go on, was to forget about her, to move on from her.

And yet, Zack recalled the kiss, the embrace at the bridge, a promise they made.

And then Zack thinks of someone else as important to him, as everyone else. Someone who was a little sister to him. Someone who also reached her hands alongside Mirajane and Elfman in his blank life.

She was as much as important as anyone else, or maybe more then he realised. Because in a true meaning, Lisanna Strauss was his first friend in his life, someone who also opened herself, as he opened himself to her, his close and dear friend, who felt like a real sibling.

'Hey Zack… do I really need to read this…?'

Zack's eyes widen, as Lisanna's voice came to his mind, along with a memory of Lisanna dislike of studying.

'You get it, right? Natsu can be so cute, when he acts like that, very much like Mirajane, right?'

A playful blink with her eyes, causing the Zack in his memories to blink his eyes in confusion at Lisanna's teasing words.

'Say Zack, do you like it? I might not be as good as my sister, but it's not bad, right?'

A memory of a gentle smile, as Lisanna handed Zack food she personally made. This should be a memory to be fond of, and yet, instead of fondness, only achiness and pain left within Zack, as he recalled that moment.

'Thank you, because of you, sister is slowly becoming she used to be, slowly opening herself to you, it all thanks to you, Zack, or should I call you big brother~?'

Yet another memory floated to the surfaced of Zack's mind, recalling the teasing voice of Lisanna, who said that, even if the clueless Zack has no clue why she will call him brother for, or the meaning behind it.

Memories flooded Zack's mind, as Lisanna's voice repeated over and over again. And each memory, each sound of Lisanna's voice, caused Zack's heart to ache, to quicken in sorrow, causing Zack to place his hand on his chest, and tightened his grip over his chest.

'Did you and big sister fight again?'

'Fufufu, see I can do it… wait, why is there more books!?'

'I am sorry… no matter why sister did this… throwing you out like that, is wrong!'

"Lisanna…" Zack went with a low tone, filled with sorrow, as the memories did not stop, as happy moments, and the sad moments, all flashed in his mind, causing Zack's mind to become more chaotic and chaotic.

'Ta-ta! How it is? I made these just for you, just keep it a secret from big sister, just between us.'

'I am sure, big sister will come back to her senses.'

'Say you want to hang out with me and Natsu? Of course, it also okay if it just us two.'

"Lisanna…" Zack went, with a louder voice, not as a shout, but different to the whisper when he firstly called out Lisanna's name.

And yet, as he began to quicken his pace as he walked, with his right hand still on his chest, as it beats with unsteady pace.

But that not all that beats within Zack, each memory, each emotion that carried with those memories, caused the sealed, or more like the blocked flow of Magic Power within him, to become unblocked, or unsealed. As the Magic power within him, began to move, activating on its own.

As if responding to the emotions that are overflowing out of Zack. The very emotions that Zack had sealed within him from the very day when Mirajane and Elfman came back to the guild without Lisanna.

'It's not your fault, if anything, its big sister, I am sorry, I-I really am.'

'Do you love to torture me, Zack, where is there so many books!? Hey stopped laughing!!'

'Say Zack…'

"Lisanna…!" Zack shouted, and for the first time in a long time, tears fall from his grassy green eyes, causing Zack to stop walking at fast pace, and began to run with everything he had, as he simply ran in front of him.

'You know Zack, I am glad, you came to the guild, and we became friends, that why… thanks being here for me, no, for us.'

"LISANNA!!!" Zack yelled with everything he had, with tears and unstable emotions unlashed within Zack, causing Zack to halt from running, as he fell onto his knees, letting out of every emotion within him, as he slammed his fists onto the ground, while tears also drips onto the ground as well.

Lisanna was more than just a friend, she was someone he loved, not in the same way as he loves Mirajane, but a bound between them was deep, maybe like real siblings.

And now, that person, the first to opened herself to him, his first friend he had in this life, someone he should be growing up and old with, someone he should had protected, is no longer in this world.

Zack cannot help himself, but to blamed Lisanna's death on himself, even if he knew it is not his own fault.

After all, it had happened miles away where Zack was.

And yet, even if Zack knew this, he cannot help it, he cannot help feeling so pathetic and shameful, that he cannot protect her.

He felt ashamed, he spent a whole year wasting away, ruining his own potential, all due to a heartbreak, a heartbreak that caused him to become such a mess.

Zack slammed his fist onto the ground again and again. Even if part of his unstable Magic Power is strengthening his body, it did not prevent his hands to bleed, as he hit and hit the ground over and over again, in frustration aimed at himself.

And yet, within the overwhelming emotions that Zack felt, he had no clue, the Magic Power within him, began to overflow within him.

But Magic Power was not the only thing that became to become chaotic, overflowed.

With emotions and a determination will to become stronger, to not to lose anyone dear to him once again. The weaken state of Haki began to become thicker, undone, impelling to become stronger, back like it was.

Even the Supreme King Haki within Zack, that once refused to listen to its welder, flooded within Zack along with Armament and Observation Haki colours as well, all spiralling within Zack.

And just like that, the forces of Magic and Haki impulses within Zack, responding to both the sorrow and determination burning within Zack.

The sorrow of lost.

And the determination of to become stronger.

Zack's arms, legs, and even part of his chest, became blackness metallic state, his senses that he had not pay attention to, expanded and sharpened.

But that wasn't all.

Because something also has happened in his sorrow and determination of willpower.

Something that shouldn't have happened, no, something that shouldn't be allowed to happened, has happened.

And what that was, the result when his Magic Power empowered by his emotional state, and his Supreme King Haki has met for the first time.

When Magic Power and Haki met, they should had rebounded each other, after all, they are no different to water and oil mixing with each other.

And yet, this was no normal Magic Power, but Magic Power empowered by both Zack's willpower and emotional state he is in, and the Haki that met with this empowered Magic Power, wasn't normal Haki either, but Supreme King Haki, the Haki that is also affected by the mind, determination, especially the willpower of its welder.

So, when the two forces of power that affected by willpower alone met, they did not clash, they did not rebound like oil and water should do.

Instead, they did something that shouldn't had happened, something that should not be allowed to happened, when two opposing forces met, they mixed and became as one single source of power.

Becoming something that shouldn't exist, and yet, now it does.

The first changed, was the blackness of his Armament Haki,

The blackness of metal like flesh, slowly became dark silver in colour, like aged metal, and yet, while it supposed to look weaker, it does not, it looked and even felt empowered.

The second change was the black lightning that came with Haki.

The lightning is still black, but now it also white as well, white and black lighting flashes instead of complete black lighting, showing the white lighting is the Magic Aura of Magic Power that stands alongside with the blackness of Haki.

Almost like a mockery of the two forces that shouldn't be allowed to be infused but laughed at reality instead.

And yet, while the impossible that should remain impossible, had happened, all because of willpower itself, all because of the determination that hidden behind the sorrows of Zack, who did not notice of any of this.

He did not notice the Armament Haki coating has now a dark silver colour to it, no longer completely blackness. He did not notice the black and white lighting from the infusion of Magic Power and Supreme King Haki.

Lost in his emotions, lost in his sorrow, he did not notice, nor acknowledged his willpower alone, that sparked his Magic Power to be affected by it, and his Supreme King Haki to response as well caused something that cannot be called Magic Power, but also cannot be called Haki either.

Because this power, that shouldn't exist and yet is now born and will be forgotten for a long time, is born today. A power that is both and not Haki and Magic Power at the same time, the infusion of two forces that should not mixed, but had now mixed as one.

But that is not all this unholy infusion of blackness and whiteness did, as the will of Magic, and the will of Haki mix and infused as a different force of power, that not meant to exist. Something deep within Zack, also respond as well.

And that something is his Quake-Quake Magic itself.

It begun to activated on its own, like it is responding to both Zack's emotional state, and the infusion of Haki and Magic Power. And when it did activate, it did not activate like it supposed to, no, one could say it did not just activate but actually awakened into something it meant to be.

At first, when the Quake-Quake Magic on its own, cracks appeared within reality itself, but they did not appear like they normally did.

The former whitish blue cracks, now appeared as white cracks, that also has a tint of blackness to them, showing the infusion of Haki and Magic as one. Showing it wasn't just his Haki has been affected by this infusion of two power sources.

But the problem wasn't the colour of the cracks, it wasn't the strength of the cracks that appears more powerful than normal.

No, the problem lies in the fact, these cracks in reality normally appeared when Zack punches something, in other words from his own body.

And yet, these cracks appeared not from his body, but at random places within 100m around Zack, not from Zack, like it usually is, but around him.

They appeared within the air, causing the vibrations to shattered the air like glass, and only to shatter the ground, as shockwaves came from the shattered glass-like sky.

Sometimes they appeared within objects, like trees, that firstly twisted before they exploded from the inside out, sending small or large shockwaves from them.

And at times, they appeared within the ground, opening the earth, like a staircase leading to hell, as shockwaves blasted into the air from the ground.

It was chaotic, it was destruction, like the end of the world appeared within 100m around Zack, a complete disaster.

And yet, that was nothing compared what came next, something that shown, the power of Quake-Quake, the power over vibrations, is more monstrous than simply destroying planets.

Above Zack, the space did not shatter, like reality needed to break like glass. Instead, it did something far worse, it distorted, twisted, opened, like the very spatial space itself twisting and distorting by the power of Quake-Quake Magic.

Almost as if, this is its true power, not to break, not to shatter with vibrations, but spatial distortion itself.

But this only last for a mere second, from the moment when the power not to shatter, but to distort space itself by blending or twisting it, beyond than simply shattering it apart appeared, is the moment when all of the infused power of Haki and Magic Power drained from Zack's body.

Leaving Zack with empty resolves of Magic Power and Haki.

However, this unholy infusion of Haki and Magic Power did not come with no price.

From the moment when the infusion state of Haki and Magic Power came undid, it happened.

Not only Zack became completely paralysed, but his body also became wounded, as if he just went though a death and life battle, not simply crying in grief of losing someone important to him.

This only meant, the infusion power of Haki and Magic Power as one, was too much for someone at Zack's current level.

And just like this, with his body, his spirit, his mind, as well his Magic Power and Haki all drained from him. Zack fallen asleep in the middle of this wasteland he had created, not knowing, least for a long time at that, what kind of power he just unleashed in this world.

A power that shouldn't exist, a power that will one day return, but the real question is not when.

No, the real question is, what the world will do, when they realised, when two powers of opposing forces become as one. 

 

 

End of Volume 2

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And just like that, we came to the end of volume 2 of this remake fanfic, and end of volume 1 of the original.

Before anyone asked, what the heck just happened at the end.

I will explain it in the next chapter. Yes, as this is the last chapter of this volume, there is another author note, that explains what just happened, and how it works, or why I made it like that.

Of course, that's your option to read it or not.

Anyway, thanks for reading this, and I hope you enjoyed this remake version of this fanfic.

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