Chapter 390: Now... My Mission is Finally Complete
After handing over the Oración Seis and the massive horde of dark mages to Lahar and his Magic Council forces, the Rune Knights immediately began their journey back to Era. They needed to secure the prisoners in high-security facilities as quickly as possible and begin managing the inevitable underworld chaos that would arise from the sudden annihilation of so many dark guilds. Their schedule was incredibly tight.
Having successfully passed off the massive burden, Noah and the rest of the Alliance felt a profound sense of relief. The messy aftermath was no longer their problem.
"Alright, it's time to head back and throw a proper banquet," Noah announced, turning to the group.
"Yes, please come join us at our village. We insist on hosting a victory feast for all of you," Roubaul added with a warm, welcoming smile.
"Hell yeah!"
The Alliance cheered enthusiastically. Having just survived a grueling war against legendary dark mages, a massive celebration was exactly what they all desperately needed.
Seeing that everyone was on board, Noah raised his hand. With a massive pulse of Spatial Magic, he instantly teleported the entire group directly back to the Nirvit settlement.
The moment they arrived, the Nirvit villagers sprang into action, happily preparing the ingredients, tables, and decorations for the feast. The Alliance members eagerly pitched in; the girls helped chop and prepare the food, while the boys set up the massive bonfire and arranged the seating.
After a bit of bustling teamwork, everything was finally ready.
Under a breathtaking canopy of twinkling stars, everyone gathered around a roaring bonfire.
"To our absolute victory and the successful capture of the Oración Seis! Cheers!" Noah shouted, raising a large wooden mug high into the air.
"CHEERS!"
The group roared in unison, clinking their mugs together and chugging their drinks.
Wendy and the other underage members enthusiastically downed their fruit juices, their cheeks flushed a happy pink from the lively atmosphere.
"On behalf of the Nirvit tribe, I want to formally thank all of you for destroying Nirvana. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts," Roubaul said gently, raising his own cup to the Alliance.
"Please, you're far too polite! We honestly didn't do much at all. Noah-dono handled almost everything; we merely offered minor support," Jura quickly replied, bowing his head respectfully.
"Nonsense. Your presence and assistance were invaluable. Thank you," Roubaul chuckled, shaking his head.
"Alright, enough of the formalities! We're here to party, not give speeches!" Noah laughed, cutting off the polite back-and-forth and raising his mug again.
"Time to eat!" Natsu roared in agreement, instantly grabbing a massive skewer of roasted meat and tearing into it like a starved beast.
Seeing Natsu's ravenous display, everyone burst into laughter and fully gave themselves over to the festivities.
The massive bonfire crackled loudly in the center of the clearing, casting a warm, dancing orange glow over everyone's smiling faces. Lucy had summoned Lyra, and the celestial spirit's beautiful, melodious singing drifted gently on the night breeze.
The mouth-watering aroma of roasted meats and rich stews filled the air.
Laughter echoed across the village as people chatted animatedly, stuffed their faces, sang along with Lyra, or even got up to dance wildly around the fire. Pure, unadulterated joy painted every single face, blending with the music and the crackling fire to create a perfect symphony of happiness.
After eating his fill, Noah picked up a fresh mug of alcohol. He first made his rounds toasting with the Alliance members, before systematically walking over to every single Nirvit villager and sharing a drink with them.
The villagers smiled brightly, happily clinking their cups with his. But underneath Noah's warm smile, a heavy, quiet sorrow lingered in his eyes.
Thankfully, the flickering firelight and the darkness of the night managed to conceal his melancholy from most of the crowd.
After drinking with every last villager, Noah finally made his way over to Roubaul.
"Noah, do not wear such a sorrowful expression. This is a banquet. It is a time for joy," Roubaul chided him gently.
"You're right... it's a banquet. I should be happy," Noah muttered. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and forced his chaotic emotions back down.
When he opened his eyes again, a brilliantly bright, genuine smile had replaced the sorrow.
"Yes. That is exactly how it should be. Foolish boy," Roubaul chuckled warmly.
After clinking cups with the ancient spirit, Noah surprisingly downed three full mugs back-to-back. He then plopped down on the grass beside Roubaul, drinking steadily as they chatted about anything and everything under the stars.
Noah honestly had no idea how long they sat there, or how many mugs he had emptied. His vision began to swim, and his mind felt unusually fuzzy.
Suddenly, Roubaul's gentle voice broke through the haze. "You should return to your friends now. They have been watching you with terribly worried expressions."
Hearing that, Noah sobered up slightly. He turned his head toward the Fairy Tail group.
Sure enough, Ultear, Mirajane, and the others were staring at him with deep concern etched into their features.
"I'll... I'll go see them..."
"Go on."
Noah stumbled to his feet, swaying slightly as he slowly made his way over to Ultear and the girls.
"You drank a lot tonight. Are you actually drunk?" Ultear asked softly, pulling a damp towel from her spatial storage and gently wiping the sweat from Noah's flushed face.
"Just a little," Noah mumbled, shaking his head. The cool towel helped clear his mind a fraction.
Mirajane and the others continued to stare at him with intense worry.
They all remembered the time Noah had engaged in a massive drinking contest with the entire guild. He had consumed an absolutely ungodly amount of alcohol back then and hadn't shown even a hint of intoxication. Yet tonight, after only a fraction of that amount, he was visibly drunk.
It was glaringly obvious that his intoxication wasn't from the alcohol itself—it was the heavy burden weighing on his heart that was pulling him under.
But since Noah clearly didn't want to talk about it, they didn't press the issue.
"Don't worry about me. Just let me rest here for a bit. Why don't you guys go keep Grandpa Roubaul company?" Noah suggested, his voice slightly slurred.
"Alright. You sit here and rest. We'll go talk to him," Ultear nodded. She gently guided Noah to sit against a soft patch of grass before standing up and walking over to Roubaul with Erza and the others.
Mirajane stayed behind just long enough to set a large jug of chilled water and a cup next to Noah in case he got thirsty, before flashing him a sweet smile and following the others.
Noah watched as they gathered around Roubaul, engaging the old man in lively conversation. A little while later, Wendy, Yukino, and Meredy bounded over to join the circle as well.
The Lamia Scale and Blue Pegasus mages were busy drinking and laughing uproariously with the Nirvit villagers.
Staring blankly at the beautiful, lively scene, Noah let his mind drift entirely empty. Accompanied by the gentle night breeze, the beautiful singing, the boisterous laughter, and the crackling of the bonfire, Noah finally closed his eyes and drifted into a deep sleep.
When Noah finally opened his eyes again, the sun had already crested the horizon, bathing the village in warm morning light.
As he sat up, a thin, soft blanket slid off his chest and pooled into his lap. He glanced down at the fabric—it was embroidered with tiny, cute white angels. It was definitely Sorano's blanket.
Smiling softly, he folded it neatly and stored it in his Archive space. He then looked around the clearing.
Not far away, Natsu, Gray, and several Nirvit villagers were sprawled out in the grass, snoring loudly. Jura, Ichiya, and the other male mages were also asleep in various dignified—and undignified—positions. The girls, however, were nowhere to be seen.
Standing up, Noah went to the nearby stream to wash his face, brush his teeth, and properly freshen up. The cold water completely washed away his lingering hangover, leaving him feeling completely revitalized.
As he walked back into the village center, he found the girls. Though they had also drank quite a bit the night before, they had woken up early and were already busy preparing a massive breakfast, with several Nirvit women happily assisting them.
"Are you feeling alright?" Erza asked, her eyes filled with concern the moment she spotted him.
"I'm perfectly fine. A good night's sleep was exactly what I needed," Noah smiled warmly.
Seeing that Noah's complexion and mood were drastically better than the night before, Erza finally let out a sigh of relief. Ultear and the others also exchanged happy, relieved smiles.
"I'll go wake up Natsu and the idiots," Noah said, noticing that breakfast was nearly finished.
"Please do. Oh, and could you wake up Wendy and the little ones as well? They're still asleep in their room," Sorano added with a bright smile.
Noah nodded. He walked over and ruthlessly kicked Natsu and Gray awake, before making his way to the cottage where Wendy and the younger girls were sleeping. He knocked gently on the wooden door.
"Time to wake up, you guys. Breakfast is ready."
"Okay, Noah-nii!" Wendy's muffled, sleepy voice echoed from inside.
Confirming they were awake, Noah didn't immediately head back to the cooking area. Instead, he took a slight detour, walking toward the small house where Roubaul resided.
Pushing the door open, Noah found the ancient spirit already dressed and sitting quietly in a wooden chair.
"Ah, you're awake," Roubaul smiled serenely as Noah walked in.
"Yeah," Noah replied softly. He stood there for a moment, completely at a loss for words.
"Well then, let us go outside," Roubaul said, not waiting for Noah to speak as he stood up and walked toward the door.
"Grandpa Roubaul..."
"There is no need for further words."
Roubaul shook his head gently, halting Noah's sentence before it could even begin.
Noah fell silent. Keeping his eyes trained on the floor, he followed the old man out the door.
The two of them walked side-by-side in complete silence until they returned to the village center. By then, Natsu, Jura, and the rest of the men had fully roused themselves and were eagerly helping set the tables.
Breakfast was a lively, chaotic, and utterly delicious affair.
Once everyone had eaten their fill and the plates were cleared, Jura and the other non-Fairy Tail mages prepared to formally take their leave.
"Wait a moment. There is something I must tell all of you before you go," Roubaul called out, his voice carrying a strange, heavy resonance.
"Is something the matter, Roubaul-dono? Please, speak," Jura replied instantly, turning back with the utmost respect.
The rest of the Alliance gathered around, curious as to what the village elder had to say.
Noah remained unusually quiet. Noticing his bizarrely stiff posture, Ultear, Mirajane, and Erza flanked him, watching him with deeply worried eyes. But Noah didn't look at them; his entire focus was locked onto Roubaul.
"The incident with Nirvana has caused all of you an immense amount of trouble and suffering. For that, I am truly, deeply sorry," Roubaul sighed heavily, bowing his head to the group.
"That was mostly my—" Noah started to interject.
"While you did play a part, the core of the disaster fundamentally lies with Nirvana itself. You do not need to take the blame for this, Noah," Roubaul interrupted him smoothly.
Having silenced Noah, Roubaul raised his head, his expression turning incredibly solemn.
"Everyone, please listen very carefully to what I am about to say."
"Firstly... we are not the descendants of the Nirvit tribe. We are the Nirvit."
"Four hundred years ago, the one who created Nirvana... was me."
"WHAT?!"
"You're joking..."
"Four hundred years ago?!"
The entire Alliance gasped in absolute shock.
Wendy, Yukino, and Meredy froze. Hearing Roubaul's words, a terrifying premonition seized their young hearts, and cold sweat began to bead on their foreheads.
"Four hundred years ago, desperate to stop the rapidly expanding flames of war that were consuming the world, I forged a magic designed to invert good and evil... Nirvana," Roubaul continued, his voice echoing with centuries of regret.
"Nirvana became the absolute foundation of our nation. As a symbol of ultimate peace, we built an entire era of prosperity upon its power."
"However... the universe demands absolute balance. When pushed to the extreme, power will always generate an equally extreme backlash."
"For every ounce of darkness Nirvana forcibly converted into light... an equal amount of pure darkness was generated in return. Nirvana could not simply turn human personalities into light infinitely without consequence. Where there is light, there must be a shadow."
Roubaul paused, closing his eyes tightly and placing a hand over his heart. He remained silent for several agonizing seconds before finally continuing.
"All of the darkness that Nirvana stripped from humanity... it was all concentrated and violently injected directly into the Nirvit tribe."
"No way..."
Wendy and the younger girls began to tremble uncontrollably. Instantly realizing the sheer horror of what was coming, Sorano practically teleported behind her little sister, wrapping Yukino in a tight, protective embrace. Ultear and Mirajane mirrored her actions, moving quickly to gently hug and support Meredy and Wendy from behind.
"It was hell on earth..." Roubaul's voice trembled, sending violent shivers down everyone's spines. "Consumed by the concentrated darkness of the world... we turned on each other. We slaughtered one another like rabid beasts... until our entire tribe was utterly annihilated."
The Alliance members stood absolutely paralyzed, their eyes wide with unadulterated horror. They were so shocked they couldn't even form words.
"The only one left alive... was me."
"No... at this point, even phrasing it like that is inaccurate."
"My physical body crumbled to dust centuries ago. What stands before you now... is nothing more than a lingering spirit. An astral projection bound to this earth by absolute guilt."
Hearing that, Wendy's knees buckled. If Mirajane hadn't been holding her up, she would have collapsed completely into the dirt.
"Desperate to atone for my sins, I tethered my soul to this land. I waited, agonizingly, for someone capable of destroying Nirvana in the place of a powerless ghost like me."
"I waited for four hundred long years."
"But now... my mission is finally over."
A breathtakingly beautiful, overwhelmingly relieved smile blossomed across Roubaul's face.
"T-That... that can't be true..." Wendy sobbed, all the strength leaving her tiny body as she leaned entirely against Mirajane.
"Wait, that doesn't make any sense!" Sorano suddenly shouted, her sharp mind catching a massive glaring flaw. "Noah has known you for years! With Noah's absurd level of power, he could have effortlessly destroyed Nirvana ages ago! Why wait until now?!"
Ultear and Erza immediately snapped their heads toward Roubaul, realizing Sorano was absolutely right.
Hearing that, Wendy and the younger girls looked up with desperate, pleading eyes, praying there was some sort of misunderstanding.
"To guard Nirvana's seal, I lived entirely alone in the ruins of this abandoned village," Roubaul explained gently. "Until nine years ago... when a very curious young boy stumbled upon this forest. He knew Nirvana was sealed here and wanted to study its ancient formulas. That was how he found me."
Ultear and the Fairy Tail mages nodded. That sounded exactly like something Noah would do.
"Once I verified that Noah possessed no malicious intentions toward Nirvana, I dedicated myself to teaching him everything I knew about ancient magic."
Everyone turned to look at Noah. The young mage simply stood there, his eyes hollow, a look of profound, devastating sadness etched into his usually confident face.
Seeing Noah's expression, the tiny glimmer of hope in Wendy's heart shattered completely.
"I had originally planned to ask him to destroy Nirvana the moment my teachings were complete, as I knew he already possessed the strength required to do so," Roubaul continued.
"However... Noah made a counter-proposal. He asked me to help him completely document the history, culture, and lost magical arts of the Nirvit tribe. He wanted to ensure that my people were not simply erased from history."
"Wait... so those historical books about the Nirvit culture that Noah had my family's company publish... you two were the ones who wrote them?!" Lucy gasped in realization.
Roubaul nodded kindly at the celestial mage.
But Ultear and the S-Class mages were frowning. Something still wasn't adding up. If Roubaul had been the only one left alive for 400 years... then who were the dozens of villagers standing all around them right now?
Roubaul's next words answered their unspoken question.
"To accurately document the vast complexities of my tribe's culture, I simply could not do it alone."
"And so... using my magic, I created phantoms possessing the exact personalities and memories of my fallen kin, so they could assist in recording our history."
The moment Roubaul finished his sentence, the Nirvit villagers standing nearby—the people the Alliance had laughed, cooked, and drank with just hours ago—began to slowly fade into golden light.
"Magna! Bebel!"
"You guys!"
"No! Please... don't disappear!"
Wendy, Yukino, Meredy, and Carla screamed in sheer panic, reaching out desperately as the villagers smiled at them one last time before vanishing completely.
"What?!"
"Phantoms possessing complete, independent personalities?!"
"That level of magical power is utterly insane!"
Ur, Jura, and Ichiya stared in absolute awe. As master mages, they understood exactly how terrifyingly difficult such a feat was. According to Roubaul, these phantoms had existed continuously for years. Maintaining dozens of independent, sentient illusions for years on end required a volume of magic that defied logic.
"Documenting our entire history was a monumental task that took many years," Roubaul continued softly.
"Then, seven years ago, a young boy carried a tiny, exhausted Wendy into this forest and begged me to take her in. Given my nature as a phantom, I was completely unsuited to raise a human child. So, Noah took Wendy back to Fairy Tail instead. And shortly after, he even found little Charle nearby, so Wendy would have a companion."
Roubaul smiled incredibly fondly at Wendy and the crying Exceed.
"I don't want to hear this! Pasq! Naoki! Please don't go!" Wendy wailed, clamping her hands over her ears as tears streamed endlessly down her face.
But it was too late. By this point, every single Nirvit villager had completely faded away.
Only Roubaul remained.
"In the years that followed, I spent my days recording my tribe's history and teaching Noah the deepest secrets of magic," Roubaul said, his voice brimming with pure warmth. "And periodically... I was blessed with visits from Wendy, Charle, Meredy, and Yukino."
"Having all of you by my side... those were the happiest years I have experienced in four centuries."
Roubaul beamed, his smile radiating pure, unadulterated joy.
But his words only made the sorrow on Noah and the girls' faces infinitely worse. Wendy and the young girls were practically wailing at this point.
"The truth is... the documentation of our history and culture was fully completed over half a year ago."
"When we finished, I urged Noah to destroy Nirvana immediately. I was so incredibly eager to finally reunite with my brethren; they have waited for me in the afterlife for so very long."
"But then... Noah proposed one final request. He asked to use Nirvana as bait. He wanted to leak the location of the seal to the underworld to see if he could lure out a very specific man."
"That man... was Brain of the Oración Seis."
"Wait... YOU TWO were the ones who leaked the information to the Oración Seis?!" Jura and the others stared at Noah and Roubaul in sheer disbelief.
"Noah..."
Ultear and Ur stared at the boy. The moment Roubaul said those words, everything clicked perfectly into place.
Brain was the monster who had tormented Ultear and manipulated her mother. Noah had spent years quietly searching for his whereabouts, and when he couldn't find him, he had weaponized the ultimate Super Magic just to draw the bastard out.
And his insane gamble had paid off flawlessly. The Oración Seis were utterly decimated, and Noah had permanently crippled Brain, ensuring he could never cast magic again.
Overwhelmed by a tidal wave of emotion, Ultear grabbed Noah's hand, gripping it so tightly her knuckles turned white. Tears of profound gratitude and love welled up in her eyes.
"Because he needed Nirvana as a trap, I waited an additional six months," Roubaul smiled, his form beginning to emit a faint, ethereal golden glow.
"But now, the Oración Seis have been captured. Nirvana has been permanently eradicated. The history and culture of my people have been safely recorded, and I have passed every ounce of my magical knowledge on to Noah."
"I have absolutely no regrets left in this world."
"My family has waited for me for so long. It is finally time for me to go see them."
Roubaul's smile grew even more radiant, completely at peace.
"Grandpa Roubaul..." Noah finally spoke, his voice so raw and hoarse that it startled Ultear and the others.
"That is enough, Noah. You have already tried so very hard," Roubaul chuckled softly, looking at his prized student with immense pride and affection.
"From suggesting we document the Nirvit history, to using Nirvana as a trap... I know those were simply your roundabout ways of trying to convince me to stay just a little bit longer. Towards the end, you even begged me outright to remain."
"But my people have waited far too long."
"Every time I close my eyes, I can perfectly see their smiling faces. I can hear their voices. I simply cannot wait any longer. I want to see them again."
Noah stared at the ancient spirit, his throat completely tight. He couldn't force another word out.
"Come now, wipe away those tears. I am merely a lingering ghost. I spent four hundred years completely alone in the dark, desperate to atone for my sins."
"But these last few years... having all of you by my side... I was truly, genuinely happy."
"I am simply returning to where I belong. But all of you... your futures are only just beginning!"
"I pray from the very bottom of my soul that your lives will be filled with endless happiness, safety, and joy!"
"Thank you, everyone! Thank you for everything!"
"Farewell, my dear friends!"
With one final, brilliantly radiant smile that practically outshone the morning sun, Roubaul's ethereal form dissolved into a shower of warm, golden light, scattering into the wind and vanishing forever.
~~~
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