Albion POV
The next morning, I met Erza and Irene at the training grounds behind the guild hall. Irene looked more comfortable today, having spent the evening getting acquainted with some of the guild members. Master Makarov had taken an immediate liking to her, especially after hearing about her role in creating enchantment magic theory.
"Are you ready for your first real lesson in advanced enchantment magic?" Irene asked, her eyes sparkling with the enthusiasm of a born teacher.
"More than ready." Erza replied, while I nodded in agreement.
"Good. But first, I want to see this dimensional magic item Albion mentioned yesterday." She looked at the [training gate] ärm hanging from my side with obvious curiosity.
I lifted the chain, feeling the familiar weight of the dragon-headed ring. "This will give us plenty of time to train without worrying about interruptions. The time dilation means we can spend days learning while only hours pass in the real world."
"Fascinating." Irene murmured, examining the ärm closely. "I can sense the spatial magic woven into it. Where did you acquire something so sophisticated?"
"It's from another world." I explained. "My mother collected items that could help with my training."
"Another world?" Erza raised an eyebrow. "Just how extensive is your family's reach?"
"You'd be surprised." I said with a grin, then activated the ärm. "Everyone ready? [Training Gate]!"
The familiar vortex opened beneath us, and we fell into the pocket dimension. This time, I was ready with my [arc of embodiment] cushion to soften our landing.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-Inside the Training Gate-
The ruins materialized around us, and I noticed Irene taking in the environment with keen interest.
"Remarkable." she said, testing the air with her magic. "The ethernano density here is perfectly balanced for intensive training. And the time differential... this is beyond anything I've encountered."
"So what's first, sensei?" I asked.
Irene smiled, and I could see the teacher in her coming alive. "First, I want to see your current level of [enchantment magic]. Both of you, show me your strongest enchantment technique."
Erza stepped forward first. "[Enchant: Weapon Enhancement]!" Her sword began glowing with magical energy, and I could feel the power increase radiating from it.
"That is good control." Irene noted. "Clean energy flow, minimal waste. Now you, Albion."
I considered my options, then decided to show her something I'd been working on. "[Enchant: Elemental Fusion Matrix]!" I created a complex enchantment that allowed me to store multiple dragon slayer elements in a single object—in this case, a wooden practice sword I created with [wood maker magic].
"Impressive." Irene said, examining the enchanted weapon. "You've essentially created a mobile arsenal. But I can see areas for improvement in both your techniques."
She stepped forward, her hands beginning to glow with magical energy. "Watch carefully. True [enchantment magic] isn't just about adding power to objects—it's about fundamentally altering their nature."
"[Universe One]."
The entire training dimension shuddered as Irene's magic took hold. The ruins around us began to shift and change, rearranging themselves into a perfect training ground with multiple environments—forests, mountains, lakes, and open plains all within sight of each other.
"That's... that's impossible," Erza breathed.
"Nothing is impossible with sufficient understanding of [enchantment magic]," Irene replied. "What I just did was enchant the very fabric of this dimension, telling it to reorganize itself according to my will. This is the level you can both reach with proper training."
For the next several hours—or what felt like several days within the [training gate] dimension—Irene taught us techniques I'd never imagined. She showed us how to enchant our own bodies for enhanced speed and strength, how to create enchantments that could adapt to different situations, and most impressively, how to enchant our magic itself to make it more efficient and powerful.
"The key," she explained as we practiced, "is understanding that everything is connected. Magic, matter, energy, space, time—they're all aspects of the same fundamental force. [Enchantment magic] allows you to rewrite the rules that govern those connections."
By the time we emerged from the [training gate], both Erza and I had learned techniques that would have taken months to master under normal circumstances.
"I feel like my entire understanding of magic has been revolutionized." Erza said as we walked back toward the guild hall.
"That's exactly how I felt when I first started learning from her," I agreed. "Wait until you see what she teaches us about [separation enchantment] and [personality enchantment]."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-Fairy Tail Guild Hall-
When we entered the guild hall, I was immediately struck by the contrast from yesterday. The usual morning chaos was in full swing, but there was a different energy in the air. At the center of it all, I spotted a familiar figure with long white hair arguing with Gray.
"I said the job is MINE, ice princess!" Mirajane snarled, her usually gentle demeanor replaced by something far more aggressive. "Touch that request board and I'll show you why they call me the She-Devil!"
"Bring it on, demon!" Gray shot back, steam rising from where his [ice magic] met the heat of Mira's demonic aura.
"Now I remember why I missed this place." Irene said with amusement. "Some things never change."
"Actually, this is new to me." I admitted. "Yesterday Mirajane was all gentle smiles and kind words."
"That's her normal personality." Erza explained. "But when it comes to jobs, especially the high-paying ones, she becomes... competitive."
"Competitive is putting it mildly," Levy said as she approached us, a book tucked under her arm. "She's been like this since she was a kid. The only person who can really calm her down is—"
"MIRA-NEE!"
A blur of white hair and youthful energy crashed into Mirajane from behind, wrapping her in a tight hug. Lisanna Strauss, looking exactly as I remembered her from my past life, grinned up at her older sister.
"You're being scary again." Lisanna said with a pout. "Poor Gray looks ready to run away."
"I do not!" Gray protested, though he did take a step back from Mirajane's still-smoldering aura.
"Fine." Mirajane huffed, her demonic features receding as she ruffled her younger sister's hair. "But I'm still taking the job."
"Which job are we talking about?" I asked, genuinely curious.
"There's a high-paying request to investigate some strange magical phenomena on Mt. Hakobe." Levy explained. "Weird lights, unusual monster behavior, that sort of thing."
I felt a chill that had nothing to do with the mountain's reputation for cold weather. Something about that description felt familiar, but I couldn't place why.
"Mind if Erza and I tag along?" I asked. "We could use the experience working as a team."
"The more the merrier!" Lisanna chirped. "Elfman's coming too—he wants to prove he's manly enough to handle mountain monsters."
"REAL MEN LOVE CHALLENGES!" Elfman's voice boomed from across the guild hall.
"Looks like we have ourselves a team." Mirajane said, and I was relieved to see her usual gentle smile had returned. "We'll leave tomorrow morning."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-Later that evening-
After the job arrangements were finalized, I found myself sitting at the bar with several guild members, sharing stories and getting to know my new family better. Kuroka was perched on my shoulder, occasionally adding her own commentary to the conversations.
"So you really came from four hundred years ago?" Wakaba asked, blowing smoke rings with his pipe. "That must have been one hell of a culture shock."
"You could say that." I replied. "Though honestly, some things haven't changed much. People still argue, still laugh, still care about each other."
"What was it like back then?" Macao asked. "With all the dragons and everything?"
"Terrifying and wonderful at the same time," I said honestly. "The dragons who raised me and the other dragon slayers were incredible beings—wise, powerful, caring. But there were others..." I trailed off, thinking of Acnologia.
"The dragon slayers from your time." Cana said, taking a swig from her barrel. "Are they really that much stronger than normal wizards?"
"Well, dragon slayer magic is pretty powerful." I admitted. "But strength isn't just about raw power. It's about how you use what you have, and who you're fighting alongside."
"Spoken like a true Fairy Tail wizard." Master Makarov said, appearing beside us with his usual smile. "How are you settling in, my boy?"
"Better than I expected." I said sincerely. "Everyone's been incredibly welcoming."
"That's what family does." Natsu said, plopping down beside us with Happy perched on his head. "Hey, when are you gonna tell me about Igneel?"
I sighed. "I told you, Natsu— you have to beat me in a fight first."
"Then let's fight right now!" he said, jumping to his feet with his usual enthusiasm.
"Not in the guild hall!" Erza's voice cut through the air like a blade, and Natsu immediately sat back down. "If you want to fight, use the proper training grounds."
"Yes ma'am." Natsu muttered, while Happy snickered.
"She's scary." Kuroka whispered in my ear, and I had to suppress a chuckle.
"But she is fair." I whispered back. "That's what makes her such a good leader."
As the evening continued, I found myself truly appreciating the bonds these people shared. They bickered and fought like any family, but underneath it all was a deep, unshakeable love and loyalty.
"Hey Albion." Levy said, sliding over with a book in her hands. "I've been researching some of the historical magic you mentioned. Could you tell me more about the theoretical applications of combining different dragon slayer elements?"
"Sure." I said, always happy to discuss magic theory. "The key is understanding that each element has its own 'frequency' of magical energy..."
As I explained the concepts I'd learned from my various dragon teachers, I noticed other guild members gathering around to listen. Even Natsu was clearly paying attention.
"That's fascinating." Levy said, scribbling notes furiously. "So theoretically, someone could learn to use multiple elements if they had sufficient magical capacity and control?"
"Theoretically, they could." I agreed. "But it would require training from multiple dragon teachers, which isn't exactly common these days."
"Unlike you, who apparently collected dragon teachers like trading cards," Gray said with a smirk.
"I was just lucky." I said simply. "My parents knew the right dragons and arranged for my education."
"Albion?" Wendy said—wait, when had she arrived? I looked around in confusion.
"Wendy?" I said. "I thought you were with Cait Shelter."
"I was." she said, looking a bit embarrassed. "But after hearing about another dragon slayer joining Fairy Tail, I convinced Master Roubaul to let me visit. I had a feeling that it was you who joined Fairy Tail and wanted to see you again."
"And you came alone?" I asked, looking around for the white exceed.
"Yes... my friend Carla was not entirely happy about being here." Wendy admitted. "She's been having strange dreams lately and thinks being around other dragon slayers might be dangerous."
I felt another chill, this one stronger than before. Strange dreams, weird phenomena on Mt. Hakobe... pieces of a puzzle were starting to form in my mind, but I couldn't see the complete picture yet.
"Well, it's great to see you again, Wendy." I said, pushing my concerns aside for now. "Maybe we can train together sometime, like old times."
"I'd like that." she said with a shy smile.
The evening continued with more stories, more laughter, and more of the easy camaraderie that made Fairy Tail feel like home. But as the night wore on, I couldn't shake the feeling that something significant was about to happen.
"Everything alright?" Kuroka asked quietly as we prepared to head home.
"Just thinking." I replied. "Thinking about tomorrow's job... something about it feels important."
"Important how?" she asked.
"I'm not sure yet." I admitted. "But I have a feeling our trip to Mt. Hakobe is going to be more eventful than anyone expects."
As we walked through the quiet streets of Magnolia toward our house, I couldn't help but wonder what challenges tomorrow would bring. The pieces were moving, patterns were forming, and I had the distinct impression that our peaceful days of training and bonding were about to come to an end.
But whatever came next, I knew we'd face it together—as a team, as a family, as Fairy Tail wizards.